"At the San Jose Punk Rock Flea Market, the entire club felt like a stage. The Ritz was jammed for the occasion. At opening time, high noon, people were already lined up outside. After I shelled out a five-spot to get in, I was told that if I wanted to leave and come back, there would probably still be a line outside. And there was."
"In my view, The Ritz can be understood as the reincarnation of the Blank Club, which itself functioned like the reincarnation of the Cactus Club. And Cactus was like the reincarnation of Laundry Works. Each was a different building, of course, but the chain of karmic momentum endures. In that sense, everyone at the Punk Rock Flea Market seemed to fulfill the karma of every building and every band that played on every one of those stages, whether they cared or not."
"Now, before the OG punks complain that I'm not going back far enough-and they will complain, I assure you-the point here is that punk rock existence in San Jose is beginningless. Every phenomenon arises due to the coming together of previous phenomena. There is no absolute beginning. At the flea market, I saw people who attended shows in that same building 25 and 35 years ago, but now with their offspring helping to peddle the goods."
The San Jose Punk Rock Flea Market filled The Ritz from opening, with vendors on the floor, bar, and stage and attendees lined up outside. The stage view connected successive venue histories, suggesting The Ritz as a reincarnation of earlier clubs such as the Blank Club, Cactus Club, and Laundry Works, linked by enduring karmic momentum. Punk rock existence in San Jose is described as beginningless, with each phenomenon arising from prior ones. Longtime showgoers appeared alongside their offspring, who now help sell older records and memorabilia, demonstrating generational continuity in the scene.
Read at Metro Silicon Valley | Silicon Valley's Leading Weekly
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