When: Saturday at 8:30 p.m.
Where: Mojo’s
Tickets: $6
Whether you’ve heard of Radkey or not, the band definitely won’t be hitting Columbia quietly. A trio straight out of St. Joseph, Radkey is quickly taking the music scene by storm — and none of them are even 21 yet.
The band consists of Radke brothers Dee, the oldest, on guitar; Isaiah, who plays bass; and youngest brother Solomon, who plays the drums.
Radkey prides itself on being self-taught through practice, hard work and “getting on YouTube every once in awhile,” Isaiah says. The band cites Nirvana, The Foo Fighters and The Who, among others, as long-time inspirations for their sound. Nevertheless, it’s hard to classify what genre they fit into.
“We try not to label ourselves, but there are punk elements,” Isaiah says.
Even though music fit into their lives before, it didn’t turn into a full-time career until March 2011, when Radkey got its start playing a live show in Merriam, Kan.
“The place was called Aftershock,” says Isaiah, who was only 15 years old at the time. “It was a really cool first gig…. In addition, we loved (the band we opened for) Fishbone.”
The band got itself more notice in 2012, when the brothers traveled to Brooklyn for their biggest show yet: The AfroPunk Festival.
“And on the way, we did this Wreckroom (Records) video, and that’s when things started to really actually happen,” Isaiah says, referring to the opportunity to record a song for the record label while in New York.
The band’s camaraderie has not changed, though, despite the fame and acclaim Radkey has been getting. The brothers, whose band name adds a “y” to their shared last name, are still close.
“It’s pretty crazy, working together,” Isaiah says. “A lot of brothers, they all get on each other’s nerves. But we’re actually dependent on each other. We sleep in the same bedroom by choice, and it’s really, really comfortable when we’re together.”
Currently on tour in New York, Radkey’s hit single “Cat & Mouse” is available for a free download on its [website](http://www.radkey.net/).
So if you’re looking to see a cool band giving Missouri a great name, be sure to check out Radkey this weekend.
