RKCNDY (pronounced "rock candy") opened in 1991 at 1812 Yale Avenue as an all-ages music venue. Operating during the height of grunge, RKCNDY 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 RKCNDY 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 RKCNDY but it also attracted larger national acts despite its small size and dive bar atmosphere.
This image shows Seattle grunge band Love Battery playing at RKCNDY. From left to right: Jim Tillman, bass; Ron Rudzitis, vocals/guitar; Kevin Whitworth, guitar; and Jason Finn, drums. Love Battery formed in 1989 and released six records through the 1990s. Several Love Battery members were also part of other famed grunge groups from Seattle.
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/. Caption information source: "Love Battery Biography," by Steve Huey, AllMusic, retrieved from https://www.allmusic.com/artist/love-battery-mn0000247963#biography.
