Classic scene photos! U.S. Rocker’s Rock Explosion ’96 at Peabody’s DownUnder


This is a very early Sean Carnage-produced show held in Cleveland at Peabody’s DownUnder on September 7, 1996 to promote Northeast Ohio’s #1 free underground music monthly, U.S. Rocker magazine.

Read: All 101 issues of U.S. Rocker are now online

U.S. Rocker publisher Brenda Mullen and I, her faithful minion (I was designing/ editing / selling ads / and distributing the magazine during this time period) hosted a huge party—a showcase in the crass parlance of the era—to celebrate the new, post-Grunge audience the magazine was speaking to.

Read where we were coming from: An oral history of U.S. Rocker‘s early years

The great Karen Novak was our most excellent photographer.

We filled the bill with all our favorite Cleveland bands: Cash MoneyCrawDuvalby Bros.PrimitiveDisengageDownside SpecialNucleonRed Giant and Biblical Proof of UFOs. It was an incredible night of music!

Honestly, I have very few memories of the event itself because these bands and this crowd were a handful for young me—I was still pretty green at managing this kind of event.

I skipped the last Nirvana show to book my first concert with Craw & Boulder

They call me the working man ‘cuz… I was working my ass off! I think it turned out well. Thanks again for your support. Everyone who attended and who played was and is a dear friend.

PS. We’ve lost some folks recently including: Brenda, Aaron “Buzz” BoronU.S. Rocker cover artist Stephen Kasner and Christina Barbera to name a few. Rest in peace.

Read: U.S. Rocker’s Brenda Mullen has died

Read: Recollections of Stephen Kasner

Read: Duvalby Brothers singer Buzz Boron has left us a legacy of incredible music

See complete photos from the Duvalby Bros. Sleepytime Medicine Band release at the Euc

All photos are by Karen Novak, from the U.S. Rocker archives.

Skip to the end to read my original write-up for the show…

Jacob Edwards Primitive Buzz Boron DuValby Bros. Peabody's DownUnder 1996 Cleveland

Jacob Edwards from Primitive, Buzz Boron from DuValby Bros.

Joe McTighe Dave McClelland Craw Peabody's DownUnder 1996 Cleveland

Joe McTighe and Dave McClelland from Craw in the green room

Brenda Mullen Karen Novak 1996

Jef Scharf aka Mr. Squirrel Murphy, Brenda Mullen

Eric

Eric

Nucleon: Paul Resnik

Nucleon

Vicky Labbe, Marty Geramita, Scott Harner

Vicky Labbe, Marty Geramita, Scott Harner

Vicky Labbe Peabody's DownUnder 1996 Cleveland

Disengage: Sean Bilovecky, Jason Byers, Jonathan Morgan, Michael Callahan

Chrissie Sean Carnage Peabody's DownUnder 1996 Cleveland

Chrissie (Christina Barbera), Sean Carnage

Spout Mystery Jim Peabody's DownUnder 1996 Cleveland

Sprout, Mystery Jim Raishart

Chris Andrews Chris' Warped Records Peabody's DownUnder 1996 Cleveland

Chris Andrew from the Spudmonsters and Chris’ Warped Records

Red Giant: Damien Perry, Alex Perekrest, Brian Skinner, Chris Gorman

Red Giant: Damien Perry, Alex Perekrest

Ron Kretsch, John Humphrey of Cash Money aka Cash Audio, Barb Eckles

Ron Kretsch, John Humphrey of Cash Money aka Cash Audio, Barb Eckles

Primitive: Mike Shumaker, Isaac Edwards

Primitive: Jacob & Isaac Edwards

Buzz Boron, Jacob Edwards

Buzz Boron, Jacob Edwards

Jacob Edwards & Buzz Boron

Peabodys Downunder 1996 Ron Kretsch Barb Caroline Eckles Sean Carnage

U.S. Rocker’s Rock Explosion 1996, Peabody’s DownUnder, Cleveland, Ohio.

Rockie Brockway / Craw

Downside Special: Dave Cintron, Frank Vazzano, Caroline Eckles, Barb Eckles

Downside Special: Dave Cintron

Aaron Buzz Boron Damon Smith Peabody's DownUnder

Buzz Boron, Damon Smith

Isaac Edwards of Primitive, Will Scharf from Craw

Isaac Edwards of Primitive, Will Scharf from Craw

Mike Peffer

Mike Peffer

Beetle Boron

DuValby Bros.: Aaron “Buzz” Boron, Beetle Boron, Charles Dunn

DuValby Bros.: Joey Shipman

Caroline, Barb, Chris Smith

Caroline, Barb, Chris Smith

Chuck / DuValby Bros.

Craw Peabody's DownUnder

Craw

Craw

Craw: Dave McClelland

Craw: Will Scharf

Craw: Dave McClelland, Joe McTighe

Chris Smith & Dave Cintron hold court

Pete Willows

Cash Money, aka Cash Audio: Scott Giampino, John Humphrey

Cash Money, aka Cash Audio: Scott Giampino, John Humphrey

Caroline Eckles Peabody's DownUder

Caroline Eckles from Downside Special

U.S. Rocker Rock Explosion 1996 Peabody's DownUnder Cleveland

Download the original write-up shown above

U.S. Rocker lives on at US-Rocker.com

Duvalby Brothers singer Buzz Boron has left us a legacy of incredible music

Download everything written about Duvalby Bros from U.S. Rocker for free

Check out the U.S. Rocker crew at South By Southwest 1996

Watch ’90s Cleveland bands & more on my YouTube (please subscribe)

Watch U.S. Rocker writers’ favorite videos from the official ’89-93 playlist

Producing this show led to a decade of DIY shows in L.A.—read about it

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