After a bit of a winter nap LOUD WOMEN returns with a massive bang in February – hosting what looks likely to be our LOUDEST night ever! A half-dayer in fact, featuring, in alphabetical order …
anarchistwood
I, Doris
Killdren
Petty Phase
T-Bitch
plus surprises …
100% guaranteed totally unbiased review by Tony (Doris) Rounce.
I had an Aunt Doris when I was much younger than I am today. She was a nice woman, always happy and smiley and very musical.
I feel sure she would have approved of our very own I, Doris, with whom she shares all those traits.
Since joining forces just over a year ago, Doris, Doris, Doris and Doris have quickly grown from being four fab friends having fun, to a serious contender for Toppermost Of The Poppermost. They’re still growing as a band, but they’re getting there faster than most. And as 2019 hurtles to its conclusion, they are gracing us with an early Christmas present in the shape of their second splendid single, following the late spring release of ‘The Girl From Clapham’.
If you have seen I, Doris live, you will know the delightfully catchy ‘Just Some Doris’ as the opening number of their set. I’m pleased to say that the studio recording retains all the simple charm of the song’s live performances. As winsome and lovable as the Dorises are themselves, and a perfect illustration of what the undisputed Mistresses Of Mummycore are all about, you’ll be clapping and singing along with it before you get to the second chorus.
Pure ‘now’ for pop people, it’s a 21st century tune with a 20th century sound and, believe me, that’s a recommendation in every respect. If parts of the tune are naggingly familiar to you, you’ll have a lot of fun working out where they might have borrowed them from (consciously or otherwise). I think I know, but if I told you I might have to kill you…
They’ve conquered the kitchen, they’ve conquered the stage, they’ve conquered the studio and if they haven’t done so already, they are about to conquer your hearts. Just some Dorises, but not just any old Dorises. These Dorises are a little bit special, and if ‘Just Some Doris’ doesn’t bring a little sunshine to your December and make you fall completely and totally in love with them, I hope all the needles fall off your Christmas tree this week…
Mama weer all Doris now!
A blissfully tired and wee-bit-emotional Sunday following what must be one of my very favourite LOUD WOMEN gigs of all time last night – our 4th birthday celebrations at the Hope & Anchor, with performances Hagar the Womb, Rabies Babies, The Menstrual Cramps, I, Doris, The Other Ones, and Smalltown Tigers. Pure punk rock mayhem, cake everywhere, clothes-swapping, crowd-surfing, all-grrl-mosh-pitting, wall to wall good vibes – we thoroughly birthdayed.
Hopefully someone will post some proper photos of the night, but in the meantime here’s my phone snaps!
Our lovely friend Tony Rounce was, of course, in attendance, and wrote this beautiful post about the evening that was too gorgeous not to share …
I’ve mentioned before that I believe we are living in a new Golden Age for live music.
Anyone doubting my word should have been at the Hope and Anchor last night for Loud Women’s 4th birthday party.
It was rammed to the roof, mind you, but you would have been most welcome and I’m sure a space would have opened up for you.
Five hours of fab bands from locations as far apart as Rimini and, er, Bristol.
Some of the best music you could have heard anywhere in the U.K. last night.
Some of the nicest people you could spend 5 hours in a room with.
All coming together to celebrate the fourth birthday of an impressive collective that exists to promote and further the cause of women/womxn/non-binary/LGBTQ+ in music.
In its four years Loud Women’s live profile has progressed from putting on small gigs in small rooms like the Hope to presenting probably the best and best organised one day annual festival on the planet – this year’s September event showcased 21 bands and singers in 10 hours across two adjacent venues in North London. LW has established itself internationally with overseas chapters across the globe, and has inspired many others across the U.K. to promote the regeneration and growth of a vibrant music scene.
My hat and my whole head is off to the indefatigable Cassie Fox for founding and maintaining the high profile of such a fantastic thing as LW. I am inordinately proud of my own very modest contributions to Team Loud Women as a writer and reviewer, and grateful for the opportunities to say nice things about nice people.
The ‘nice people’ on stage last night all brought plenty to the party, and I am delighted to have added The Other Ones and Italy’s Smalltown Tigers to the ever growing list of ‘bands I must see again in a hurry’. It’s a bit unfair to single anyone out for special commendation but the Menstrual Cramps – to my mind, one of the most important bands to have emerged in the last 40 years – were in unbeatable form (as they usually are, to be fair) and ignited an outbreak of pogoing the likes of which the Hope’s cellar probably hasn’t seen since the late 70s. My own pogoing days may be long gone, but I was there in spirit…
Props, too, to Rabies Babies, LW’s own delightful ‘in house’ combo I, Doris and a back from the dead but very much alive Hagar The Womb. They all did their bit to make the evening fun for one and all and it would have been that much less fun for the absence of any of them.
Oh, and I won the raffle. A couple of times! As sure as I’m a Doris I swear to you it wasn’t fixed…
These are great times to have catholic tastes in music. I’m glad that I still have the energy to be a part of what’s going on and, more importantly perhaps, to feel a part of it.
LW is doing God’s work and I am sure she’s totally impressed…
Reblogged from Joyzine – interview by Paul Maps
DIY collective Loud Women has been championing women in music since 2015 and on Saturday 12th October will be celebrating their 4th birthday with a gig at legendary Islington punk venue The Hope & Anchor with sets from Hagar The Womb, Rabies Babies, The Menstrual Cramps, I, Doris, The Other Ones, Mindframe and Smalltown Tigers.
We got in touch with LW’s Cassie Fox to talk about the upcoming anniversary and why, four years on we still need promoters like Loud Women on the DIY scene.
When did the idea of Loud Women first arise and why? Was there a particular incident that sparked it?It started as a one-off gig in 2015. Having played on the gig circuit for a little while, I was feeling frustrated at the amount of ‘man-band’heavy’ lineups all the time, and macho crowds. I was particularly tired of my all-female band always being the token women on the bill, and wanted to put on a fundraising gig with my friends’ bands that could be relaxed and inclusive and fun … so I did! Since then, a whole heap of media activity and community has organically grown around the events, but that ethos is still at the heart of what we do – putting on events full of awesome music and a no-bullshit atmosphere with womxn and non-binary people at the heart.Have you noticed any change in the representation and treatment of female musicians in the four years since LW began?On a small scale, yes – a bit! Certainly in the cosy bubble of the London gig circuit there seem to be loads of new opportunities for “bands who are not cis het white dudes” to play, with seemingly new promoters springing up every day, which is brilliant. Outside of London though, I’m still often told by touring bands playing LW gigs that it’s the first time in ages that they’ve not been the only women on a lineup. And outside of DIY music… there’s plenty of conversations being had about major festivals supporting female artists, but still very little noticeable difference in the gender balance on bigger stages.Can you take us back to the very first Loud Women gig? Who played and what was it like?It was 3rd October 2015 at the (sadly now closed) Silver Bullet in Finsbury Park. The headliners were Blindness (featuring our awesome friend Debbie Smith), with my then-band The Wimmins’ Institute, Argonaut, and Dream Nails. I didn’t know what to expect, and feared we’d be playing to an empty room … but was delighted to find the room full for the first band, Dream Nails, who were playing their first ever gig and had brought all their friends! It was the first time I’d been at a gig with a majority-female crowd – and oh the luxury of being 5’3″ and able to actually see the stage! There was a really fun atmosphere, and we raised a decent amount of money for Women’s Aid too. So it was a no-brainer to keep the momentum going and put on more gigs … and here we are!There have been hundreds of bands playing countless Loud Women shows over the past four years, are there any nights that particularly stick in your memory?The Little LOUD WOMEN gigs we’ve done for families have been by far my favourite! I’m a mum of two, and also a big kid myself, so I love any excuse to get extra glittery, get the balloons out, and start a little toddler moshpit! I loved seeing the kids enjoying music up close, invading the stage, seeing what the instruments feel like, and what their voices sound like down a microphone. And parents really appreciated getting to see ‘proper music’ without having to pay out for a babysitter. At one gig there was a particularly humbling moment when a little girl of about 9 grabbed the mic and gave an impromtu speech about how important it was for everyone to be included – I can’t wait to see if she reappears fronting a punk band in a few years!Aside from the gigs, what else has Loud Women been involved in?Our music blog loudwomen.org and monthly ezine have really taken off in the last few years, I’m really proud of those – we have a lot of contributors, so a lot of different voices and opinions and experiences, and they really help spread the word to audiences and influencers. We’ve also released compilation records – the latest of course being LOUD WOMEN Volume Two! Between the two albums there’s over 40 different bands – all killer – £5 each to you! loudwomen.bandcamp.com
With four years under your belts, what does LW have in store for the future?
More of the same I guess, until there’s no need for LOUD WOMEN any more! Keep an eye on the LOUD WOMEN socials for news of exciting 2020 events …Loud Women’s 4th Birthday Party takes place on Saturday 12th October at The Hope & Anchor. More information and tickets, priced £8 + booking fee, can be found here.Check out Cassie’s Loud Women playlist featuring 49 artists who’ve played LW shows over the past four years:
Interview by Paul Maps
Drumroll please as we can finally announce the full 22 track listing for the hotly-anticipated LOUD WOMEN Volume Two compilation album, which will be launched 14 September 2019 at LOUD WOMEN Fest 4!
| 1 | The Franklys | Not Guilty |
| 2 | The Txlips | The Lost One |
| 3 | I, Doris | The Girl From Clapham |
| 4 | The Menstrual Cramps | No Means No |
| 5 | The Cleopatras | Forty |
| 6 | LIINES | Never Wanted This |
| 7 | Pussyliquor | My Body My Choice |
| 8 | Pleasure Venom | Hive |
| 9 | ARXX | Iron Lung |
| 10 | Ms Mohammed | Never Again |
| 11 | The Baby Seals | It’s Not About the Money, Honey |
| 12 | Peach Club | Not Your Girl |
| 13 | T-Bitch | Frighty Nighty |
| 14 | Jemma Freeman & The Cosmic Something | Someone Else to Blame |
| 15 | Jelly Cleaver | Yarl’s Wood |
| 16 | Secondhand Underpants | The Anthem |
| 17 | Gaptooth | Post-Patriarchy Disco |
| 18 | Vaginas, What Else? | Loose Tile |
| 19 | GGAllan Partridge | I Feel Lobe |
| 20 | Hurtling | Don’t Know Us |
| 21 | Personal Best | Radio |
| 22 | Bridget Hart | Let Loose Lucy |
The CD is available to pre-order now for just £5 from our Bandcamp page – and as a thank you for pre-ordering, when the CD releases after 14 Sept we’ll also send you a copy of Volume One! So that’s 42 of the loudest of loud women, all for a cheeky fiver.
Praise for LOUD WOMEN Volume Two:
“Scabrous riffs, inventive songcraft and full force in-your-face woman power from all bands involved. Loud Women festival shows up the mainstream by exhibiting the very best of women in rock.”
– Paula Frost, Vive Le Rock
“LOUD WOMEN are inspiring social change”
– Kerrang!
“At a time of toxic masculinity in the industry, platforms like Loud Women are a brilliant, and brazen, beacon of hope shining a floodlight on marginalised musicians. Turn it up LOUD.“
– Cheri Amour, Soho Radio / She Shreds magazine
“LOUD WOMEN rock!“
– DJ John Kennedy, Radio X
14 Sept 2019 at London’s Dome and Boston Music Room looks set to see the biggest (and best?) LOUD WOMEN Fest yet! Here’s the news we’ve been dying to tell you for months … our final* lineup, in no particular order …
Plus afterparty DJs, food, zines, records, and all manner of fun things we’ve not even thought up yet – get in touch with us on loudwomenclub@gmail.com if you’d like to get involved!
Earlybird tickets are now sold out but you can still grab regular advanced tickets from here.
*I mean, as final as anything is that could possibly have slight changes here and there in cases of sickness, injury, best friends throwing last-minute weddings, that sort of thing. But pretty damn final I’d say!
Photos by Hannah Lucy
Last night (11 May) at the Hope & Anchor was a splendid reminder why LOUD WOMEN gigs are so vital. Four very awesome woman-powered bands from up and down the country, and across the Atlantic (Miss Eaves, TV Face, Feral Five and I, Doris) ; a fun raffle full of awesome prizes (original Bikini Kill poster! records! golden pineapple ornament!); filming for Gaptooth‘s new music video (Post-Patriarchy Disco!); plus the friendliest, most up-for-a-good time crowd you could wish to hang out with on a Saturday night. More of this sort of thing please!
In fact … not long at all to wait until the next LOUD WOMEN supported gig – this Thursday at Paper Dress Vintage you can catch HAVVK, Charmpit, Scrounge and I, Doris
