The BBC’s latest hit drama series Riot Women — created by Sally Wainwright (Happy Valley, Gentleman Jack) — has struck a deep, distorted chord. The drama follows a gang of middle-aged women who start a punk band, rediscover their fire, and accidentally kick off a revolution. Its soundtrack, fittingly fierce, comes from none other than LOUD WOMEN Fest alumni ARXX, the Brighton power-duo who’ve been soundtracking feminist chaos since day one.
But while telly audiences are just waking up to the power of a well-timed midlife mosh, we on the LOUD WOMEN scene have been living this truth for years. The real-life Riot Women are out here already — guitars in hand, oestrogel applied, and absolutely done with anyone telling them to quiet down.
I, Doris – Menopausecore pioneers and TK Maxx troublemakers
The LOUD WOMEN house band I, Doris are proof that punk doesn’t have a sell-by date — it just gets louder with age. Fronted by LOUD WOMEN founder Cassie Fox, the band are the self-declared “Menopausecore” mischief-makers setting midlife on fire (sometimes literally).
Their cult hit ‘HRT’ takes aim at the scandalous struggle to access hormone healthcare, delivered with biting humour and backed by a video that famously got them removed from TK Maxx. Their new double-single ‘Beach Body Ready / Corps de Plage Prêt’ — sung in English and slightly tragic French — celebrates body positivity with a wink, nodding to LOUD WOMEN’s international adventures. Cassie’s currently in Canada, fresh from LOUD WOMEN Fest Nova Scotia, and the band have just announced they’re playing Australia in December, and European gigs for early 2026. Someone pass the Tricolore and the glitter.
The Nanaz – Wales’ punk seniors take the stage
Over in South Wales, The Nanaz are proving that rebellion gets better with age. Spinning out of the Nana Punk workshops for Welsh women over 50, they’ve gone from community project to punk powerhouse, preaching riot wisdom in glorious Welsh-accented snarls. Their single ‘60 Lies’ rips apart the myths about ageing women — those tired, patronising narratives about fading away quietly. Not these Nanas.
Catch them this Friday (24 October) at The Canopi, Cardiff, at a LOUD WOMEN co-promoted show with Scare Bears and Daisy Green Experience. Expect wit, warmth, and maybe a cardigan moshpit.
The Riotous Collective – Ruth Miller’s loud legacy
In Leicester, the late, great Ruth Miller made sure the Riot never stopped. Her women’s workshop project The Riotous Collective turned musical curiosity into full-blown band culture — creating a thriving community where women picked up instruments, wrote songs, and found their power together.
Though Ruth sadly left us in 2023, her influence roars on through the bands she inspired — Boilers, Dada Women, Virginia’s Wolves, and more — all still gigging, recording, and refusing to fade into background noise. They’ll honour her legacy at Riot Fest Leicester, a four-day, four-venue explosion of feminist punk spirit running 23–26 October.
And over in USA … the rise of the Menopunks
This movement isn’t just musical — it’s hormonal, honey. We recently had a fantastic chat with Alicia J. Rose, director of the groundbreaking documentary Menopunks, and she was nothing short of awe-inspiring. Alicia’s on a mission to start a revolution — “Menopunks style now” — and we’re fully on board.
For too long, women have been denied the hormone treatment they need just to function properly. And for our trans siblings, that fight is doubly fierce. As Alicia so perfectly put it, “the patriarchy is terrified of us at our hormonally optimised best.” Damn right.
It’s the Gen X women leading this revolution — peri-menopausal, post-menopausal, and utterly done with playing small. The men have had their turn at running the world, and just look at the fucking state of it. Time for us to slap on some oestrogel, tune up our guitars, and take the wheel.
From the aisles of TK Maxx to the stages of Cardiff, Leicester, and beyond, the real-life Riot Women are out here proving that rebellion only gets louder with age. Punk isn’t dead — it just hit perimenopause and stopped giving a fuck.