CONCERT REVIEW: Red Sun Rising At The Machine Shop, Flint, Michigan

Red Sun Rising at The Machine Shop in Flint, Michigan. Photo by Mike Shaler.

Hey kids!…….I said, HEY KIDS!!! Your favorite rock band is in town. Red Sun Rising made a stop at The Machine Shop in Flint, MI on June 28, 2018. Fresh off the recent latest album release ‘Thread’, the band is ready to tear it up some more with more songs in their arsenal and hungry fans ready to take in all Red Sun Rising dishes out.

Kicking the show off in fine fashion was local band Tripp ‘N’ Dixie, one of my favorite groups. This band never disappoints as they are comprised of Rozz Rosales on vocals who has the pipes to make you stop in your tracks and take notice. And backed up by some talented musicians, Conner Williams on keyboards, Brian Richter on bass, Mike Gonchoroff on guitar, Adam Cross on guitar and new comer, Katelynn Corll on drums. What makes Tripp ‘N’ Dixie so addictive as a listener is you hear all of the genres of rock music from classic to modern intertwined together so well as each musician has their influences that molded them which makes Tripp ‘N’ Dixie a fun band to experience.

Up next was another local band that also seems to be on the cusp of breaking out, Avalon Black. This a group of guys that share a common goal to make music that touches your soul. With Jordin Orvis on vocals, Kris Kress on guitar, Taylor Vonbrockdorff on bass, Seth Thomas Adams on guitar and filling in on drums was Parker Moore. These guys are full of energy and the audience doesn’t take long getting swept up into the fun. Their cover of Ginuwine’s “Pony” was interesting, I look forward to seeing more of what this band creates.

With two great local bands kicking off the show, the crowd was more than pumped for the headliner.

Red Sun Rising came out full tilt rocking with “Push” followed up by “Otherside” which got the crowd immediately jacked up and then to follow up with a song off their latest album “Clarity” which instantly is a hit with the audience. Talk about an introduction to rock and roll. Red Sun Rising has been one of my favorite live bands that I have seen in recent years. Always energetic and never disappointing, Red Sun Rising creates an excellent balance of strong emotional vocals and hard driving riffs and beats.

Like a master puppeteer, lead singer Mike Protich led the crowd through emotional highs and lows. If you have never seen Red Sun Rising, you’ll notice quickly how fast you’ll get wrapped into the intoxicating sound and vocals. The lively enthusiasm from bandmates Pat Gerasia on drums, Ryan Williams on lead guitar, Dave McGarry on rhythm guitar and Ricky Miller on bass makes this band fun to watch. The riffs doled out by Williams on guitar are killer, listen closely as Red Sun Rising’s sound is like a delicious cake waiting to be devoured one layer at a time but combine all the layers and you’ll get that euphoric sensation.

‘Polyester Zeal’ was one heck of a first album and set the bar high for which many bands have a tough time answering on their follow-up album. But Red Sun Rising rose to the task and didn’t rush to put out another album just to capitalize on ‘Polyester Zeal’s’ success. I admire that about this band and the patience has paid off as ‘Thread’ has several quality songs like “Death Wish”, “Veins” and an Alanis Morissette cover “Uninvited”, that’ll keep the band thriving for many more years to come.

Playing my favorite song “Imitation”, Red Sun Rising could have left and called it a night but after a brief moment off stage they came back with “Emotionless” for their encore that capped off the evening full of great rock and roll and good times. So many smiles looking across the room at this show.

Mike Shaler, Photojournalist for Go Venue Magazine

Red Sun Rising


Avalon Black


Tripp ‘N’ Dixie