The Red Alert grow up on-stage, musically and literally

The Red Alert
1 P.M. Sunday, Blackwatch Studios Stage

Siblings Christy Hanewinkel and Hank Hanewinkel III were never the same after a fateful White Stripes concert in 2003. The Tulsa duo, then 14 and 8 years old, came back home, picked up a guitar and some drumsticks and formed a cover band, The Red Stripes.

"It was definitely a novelty act to people," Hank said. "But as we played more shows, the audience saw how good Christy was on the drums and sort of forgot that she was just a little girl after the first few songs."

The pair talked their dad into letting them record at his Tulsa studio, Valcour Sound, and the result was literally an overnight success. The duo soon played several local radio spotlights and was asked to open for Starlight Mints and play the annual Freakers Ball at Cain's Ballroom.  

Jack and Meg still had a heavy influence on the first album, 2005's "Put Your Game Face On." Deciding to switch gears from covers, The Red Stripes added Uncle Phillip (Hanewinkel) on bass and morphed into The Red Alert. The group released an EP, "Extended Play," in 2006 and its second album, "Audible Frequency," in 2009.

"Our newest songs are a lot stronger and heavier than what we've done in the past," Hank said. "Emily Hopkins

  • or