8pm / 21+
There’s something about the Midwest—the weathered landscapes, the endless highways, the restless search for meaning between nowhere and everywhere. Red and Clear isn’t just a document of its time; it’s a product of that geography, an album that channeled the raw urgency of ‘90s post-hardcore into something more patient, more melodic, and more enduring.
Originally released in 1995 on Caulfield Records, Red and Clear was the debut full- length from Giants Chair, a Kansas City band with roots in Green Bay. The trio—Scott Hobart (guitar, vocals), Byron Collum (bass), and Paul Ackerman (drums)—had spent the prior year honing their sound, a mix of angular riffage and anthemic melancholy, before tracking the record with Mike and A.J. Mogis at Whoopass Studio in Lincoln, Nebraska. A three-piece with the weight of something far bigger, Giants Chair crafted an album that remains a benchmark of Midwestern emo, though at the time, it was just a rock ‘n’ roll record made by three friends with a van and a vision. Recorded in a whirlwind few days, Red and Clear is the sound of a band fully formed, moving with a tightness that only comes from relentless practice and an unspoken understanding. The Mogis brothers captured that essence, creating a mix that let the band’s natural dynamics shine—sprawling yet sharp, dense but never muddy. And from the opening notes of “New Orleans” to the closing strains of “Full On Flat White,” the album never lets up, each track a study in tension and release, melody and might. Thirty years later, Red and Clear has only grown in stature. With the 2025 reissue on Spartan Records, the album has been given a respectful, era-appropriate remaster by Duane Trower (Weights & Measures Soundlab). The goal wasn’t reinvention—Giants Chair and Spartan knew better than to fix something that wasn’t broken—but subtle enhancements bring a new clarity and depth to the original mix. The guitars snarl with just a little more bite, the rhythm section locks in with fresh urgency, and the entire record sounds as vital as it did when it first landed in the mailboxes of basements, bars, and anyone lucky enough to stumble across its singular energy. More than a relic, Red and Clear is a testament. A reminder of a time and place, yes, but also proof that great records—ones built on heart, instinct, and honesty—only get better with age. Red and Clear (30th Anniversary Edition) arrives on April 11, 2025, via Spartan Records.
You may also like the following events from MPSHOWS.COM:
Also check out other
Music events in Chicago,
Entertainment events in Chicago.
