RCKNDY (pronounced "rock candy") opened in 1991 at 1812 Yale Avenue as an all-ages music venue. Operating during the height of grunge, RCKNDY largely hosted rock and punk acts, but was also an important venue for hip-hop. At the time Seattle's Teen Dance Ordinance severely limited all-ages venues, making RCKNDY one of the few places that allowed entry to under-21s. Local groups such as Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Modest Mouse, and Pedro the Lion played at RCKNDY but it also attracted larger national acts despite its small size and dive bar atmosphere.

This 1993 image shows the exterior of RCKNDY. The sign lists these groups: Dreaming I Am, Lazy Susan, Shovel Jerk, and Running with Scissors.

Caption information source: "Independent Venue Week: RKCNDY, a conversation with Gaylon Henry (a.k.a. StreetNative)" by Jaimee Garbacik, KEXP, retrieved from https://www.kexp.org/read/2019/7/9/independent-venue-week-rkcndy-conversation-gaylon-henry-k-streetnative/.