I’ve been running LOUD WOMEN for a decade now, and I’ve seen some things: stage invasions, circle pits, grandmas in tutus, the odd fire alarm… but nothing prepared me for the absolute ROAR that was LOUD WOMEN Fest Gadigal/Sydney. If London is the mothership, then Sydney just opened a fully-operational rebel base.
Crowbar (Eora/Gadigal) was already vibrating before doors even opened: a room full of women, non-binary, queer, trans and gender-expansive punks ready to claim the night. A team of incredible volunteers sprang up from nowhere to run the show like clockwork. It felt like walking into a utopian sci-fi novels where everything is queer and community-run and everyone looks extremely cool.
The person who made this glorious chaos happen was Kate Olivia Farquharson – organiser, musician (Second Idol), LOUD WOMEN Fest Sydney mastermind, and genuine superhero of the scene. She built this festival with love, labour and moxie, and Sydney responded exactly how it should: by screaming support at full volume. Here’s the whirlwind:
Hot Mess lived up to the name in the best possible way: chaos-punk energy, feral charm, utter joy.
Bitter Tits (USA) kicked off with a deliciously snotty American snarl, setting the tone: loud, fast, no apologies.
Hail Mary Jane brought riff-heavy bliss and a crowd that already knew every word.
I, Doris – the LOUD WOMEN global house band – with Lucy and I gloriously augmented by some Australian Dorisses, Soph and Chloe from R.U.B, who stepped up, and into some pinnies, without breaking a sweat. Thanks, Sheilas!
JuliaWhy? with heartbreak-and-hope indie-punk perfection.
Laurapanic proved that one woman with a guitar can level a room.
Pelvis gave us swagger, sleaze and feminist fury served with a wink.
Private Wives were tight, dark and absolutely commanding – one of the sets of the night.
Problem Green – sharp, clever, locked-in punk with teeth. These are my ones to watch. Currently working out how to fit them into my suitcase (anything to declare? Nothing but one of the most exciting bands on the planet, officer!)
R.U.B had the crowd thrashing like their lives depended on it.
Sacred delivered post-punk devotionals that felt ceremonial.
Second Idol. I’ve been obsessed with Mongrel, but of course this was the first time I’d seen Second Idol live – and they were transcendent. Kate stalked the stage like a prophet with a guitar, her voice dripping venom and vulnerability in equal measure. The band played with a surgeon’s precision and a demon’s ferocity. Sydney, you know this already, but let me confirm it for the global record: Second Idol are one of the most vital bands operating anywhere right now.
The Maggie Pills – theatrical, cathartic, beautifully weird.
The Pingers – pogo-inducing, punk-as-hell brilliance. And the loveliest of punks!
Whoroboros – the perfect closer: dark, pounding, ritualistic, leaving us all exorcised and exultant.
It was everything we fight for:
A room where queer punks felt safe.
A room where women didn’t have to fight for space.
A room where culture was shared, not extracted.
A room where community wasn’t a buzzword but an action.
I left drenched, dehydrated, emotional, euphoric, and absolutely certain of one thing: LOUD WOMEN Fest Gadigal/Sydney was a powerhouse. And I cannot wait to come back.
Kate and her community built something beautiful here.
We’ll be talking about this one for years.
See you next year, Sydney – you miraculous, noisy, revolutionary legends.
Naarm/Melbourne, you’re up next! See you Sunday for another sold-out history-maker down under!