Venue notes: Foolkiller, Kansas CityDefunct club that was a popular early-80s music venue. Was located at 39th & Main. There was a "farewell" show there in Nov 1985, so that, presumably, is the approximate date of its demise. Ronny Ripper, writing in early 2004, recalls: "The Foolkiller was the location of the first punk gig I ever went to... guess it was early '84. Saw a few bands there before moving to Texas. Think I saw Angry Red Planet, The Micronotz, and The Dead Milkmen there. Small place, not great sound, more punks in the parking lot than inside usually."Rod McBride adds (Sep 2004): "I'm pretty sure I went to the Foolkiller as late as 1985; I thought maybe later but I could be wrong. I was mostly an outside punk, too broke for the typical $2 door. I was in a punk band at the time to impress a mohawked girlfriend. We were The Dry Heaves, and we couldn't figure out how to get in contact with whatever management existed to try and get a gig. We did more talking about our band than rehearsing.... "There was a QuikTrip down 39th a block or so away by Westport High, where you could get a quart-size fountain drink for what the Foolkiller charged for one Coke. "The sign read 'Foolkiller Folk Theater' and my girlfriend's Dad remembered seeing folk concerts there, including Joan Baez. My favorite Foolkiller memory is not having the dough for the Black Flag show, but seeing Henry Rollins and some kid fight on the sidewalk before it. Years later, I was working with this guy that claimed to have kicked Henry's ass in front of the Foolkiller, and I made the connection and called his bullshit. I wouldn't say Henry got the better of Spit, but Spit was no clear victor. "The building stands, but the space has been renovated for shamelessly legitimate commerce. Two very good comic book shops are nearby the ruins, as is one of Kansas City's best slices of pizza (Antonio's)." [Do you have more information about this venue? Please email me.] Return to Hüsker Dü dates page |