I just woke up and started listening to all the 7" I bought last night at LFB: yes, last night was FUN!!!!
Start: It was crazy for me & the Bunnies to get to Leuven, up until 1 hour before departure I didn't know how I was gonna get there, cause Lady!Die sadly had to cancel the gig; then we got lost on the highway, then we drove around the city, we got there at the time we had to start, aaaarrrrggghhh!
The squat was in a beautiful location: trees all around, and everyone hanging out in the garden to catch the last rays of sunlight: inside, the distros piled up: as well as local projects there were a couple grrl-run distros/record labels which was great to see! One gal was even selling alternative menstruation products: you don't get to see that at every gig, do you? And of course, Eye-Scream #2 was there, for the first time sold and about Ladyfest Amsterdam.
Anyways, after scoffing our face quickly with a lovely couscous salad Coline made for us, Tanja & I started the night. With a scream, some humour, some crazy reflections and me running around on stage, we tried to bring across with our little sketches/performance/readings that feminism isn't dead! I can't reveal you what we did as we are repeating at Ladyfest Amsterdam and I wouldn't wanna spoil the surprise for those of you coming...so maybe someone else can review us after next weekend's fest.
For me, it was the first time on stage, and I'd like to stop a second to talk about that: it was SCARY, but hey, if I can do it, with my crashing self-esteem and self-destructive habits, then you all can, and actually you should, cause dammit, certain things have to be said! I must admit that partly I did it cause I talk too much and after a while people stop listening but if I get up on a stage people will, so that's why I did it! One of the things I shared was very personal, and although I did my best to talk in third person later people told me they knew it was about me so I guess authenticity comes across all the time, and you can't fool people, eh? SO KEEP WRITING, and SHARE YOUR STUFF, Jeanne Marie Spicuzza (fantastic spoken word artist also performing at LFA and LFL) said she started doing it cause she "was writing lyrics and then realized they had no music to it".
I tried to end with a discussion but people were too shy to reply (except the Bunnies, as always supportive of others) (they're always at the front at shows), so I walked off stage and immediately headed for the beer (and walked that way many times: I hadn't gotten so drunk in ages: I hope the Bunnies will forgive me). And Sleepy Lili came on.
Sleepy Lili are a sadcore duo: it's great to see these 2 gals on stage, the drummer plays bare footed and quite viciously, the guitarist/singer has an attitude once she gets into it (her voice was a little unsteady at first, but on some songs, you just couldn't deny her talent), and their set is comprised of intelligent songs a' la Heavens to Betsy style: definately not moshing music, but wonderul anyway cause of their genuineness: they aren't trying to put on any act, and aren't afraid of being themselves. Later, the drummer said she felt like she played horribly but that wasn't the case, nobody noticed it!
Then this gal came on, playing electronic music with a ukulele: it was soooo good, and that kind of music ain't my style! She put on a great show also cause it wasn't all pre-recorded as is very often the case with this kind of act, she was actually doing half of it live, and even the crustier of punks were giving her the thumbs up: and her rendering of the 'Flashdance' theme song reminded you that women have to fight in all sorts of areas, in this case, wanting to dance.
Then Jeanne Marie came on: oh wow, she's such a great performer. Even if there were a bunch of loud & rude beerpunks talking at the back, even if the squat is probably not the type of place she's used to performing in, she managed to conquer them, she totally captured them: by the end, people were asking for more! Now THAT is talent. And not surprisingly, the piece 'sluts' was extremely popular here. Jeanne Marie's spoken word is powerful, moving, it makes your head go down cause you are almost ashamed at these feelings/situations existing and you not doing anything about them, then it makes your head rise in agreement when she captures the essence of something. Unmissable, unequal to anything else.
And then it was the turn of the Bunnies. By then, people were asking for it, they were waiting for the hardest band of the night to play. For those that don't know, Bunnies On Strike is a band that came out of a d.i.y. project, and their idea is 'anybody can be in the band'. (For instance, Sanne, who plays bass, is not gonna do it anymore so if anyone wants to...). They play no-wave punk, but you can definately tell the band has a hardcore attitude: Sanne & Fritz kick ass on their strings, Tanja walks in & out of the crowd and yells in people's faces: at this venue, totally possible as there WAS no stage: yeah, we performed at the same level of the people, the way it should be! (During my readings people were sitting down on the floor and I was on a chair which made it really cosy). Tanja is sexy and bratty, and you wonder how Bianca manages to play so hard when she looks like she's breezing through confidently and not dropping any sweat!
Pity their set wasn't that long (their songs are all about 1 minute long, that's the way they want it)-people were asking for more. It would've been a great time to have Lady!Die play, but Coline tells me this is just the first of many belgian 'Ladyfestivals', she's ALREADY making plans for another, and I gave her Sofy's (Ladyfest France) info on the Wonderground Asso project, SO PEOPLE, WATCH OUT, LADIES & GIRLS ARE COMING, and they're gonna completely turn your world upside down!
I loved all the organizers' friendliness and the audience was great too: many bois were asking us what we were about and really making an effort to understand us, and I have confidence that a few of them went home last night feeling a bit more enlightened on the equality battle. We are starting to beat sexism in our punk scene, yes, it takes time, but in 10 years from now we can look back at all these wonderful female-fronted events and at the impact that they had.

Ciao
*Manuela O+
 

 

Tanja and Manuela

more Manuela and Tanja photos

 

Sleepy Lili

more Sleepy Lili photos

 

Jeanne Spicuzza aka Seasons And A Muse

more Jeanne Spicuzza photos

 

Rose

more Rose Turtle photos

 

Bunnies On Strike

more Bunnies On Strike photos

 

   
the next morning at Villa Skwattus Dei

Charlotte, me and An