Bikini Kill and Mannequin Pussy Call for Action Amidst the Noise!
By: Hannah Lee
On April 6, I had the incredible opportunity to witness Bikini Kill play their sold out show at the Fillmore with opener Mannequin Pussy. Being a casual listener of both bands, and a huge fan of alternative indie and punk music in general, I knew this was a show I couldn’t afford to miss– especially with a lot of the same issues Bikini Kill touched on in the ‘90s concerning body autonomy and feminism still running rampant today.
To tell you the truth, on the day of the concert, after getting lightly rained on and eating possibly the best Thai food I’ve ever had at Kao Thai (which happens to be conveniently placed right next to the venue), I was more than ready to take a little nap. However, any and all thoughts of squatting in the middle of the venue for a little shut eye disappeared the second Mannequin Pussy came on stage. As soon as their set started, the crowd’s energy was magnetic, with a pit already formed near the front of the stage and people headbanging along with the music in the back.
It was clear from the start that this was a space free of bigotry and hate. After performing some of their most famous songs, “Control” and “Patience,” lead singer Marisa Dabice took the time to speak out on certain issues before they performed their song “Pledge.” Dabice raised the point of how it was useless in pledging allegiance to a country that doesn’t even view the members onstage as human. She later on ended their set by continuing to express the importance of intersection, that female liberation is nothing without black liberation and is also nothing without trans liberation.
Despite the fact that I knew all the songs they played (barring a new one which they gave the crowd a sneak peak of), each song felt like I had been experiencing it for the first time all over again. I was curious to see how they would perform live since they obviously have had less experience on the road than Bikini Kill, but I was more than blown away and would love to see them perform again on tour and would recommend for you all to do the same.
Bikini Kill took the momentum that Mannequin Pussy started and amplified it tenfold. With Kathleen Hanna and Tobi Vail switching off on vocals and sporting bright sunglasses and sequined outfits the message was clear. Punk is female and punk is intersectional. They played their most iconic songs including “Rebel Girl,” “This is Not a Test,” “Suck my Left One,” “Carnival,” and “Resist Psychic Death.” Being near the front was incredible as you could feel the physical energy and momentum that everyone was exuding– at one point someone even crowd surfed. Even though it was a slight fail and lasted about five seconds, it was still a great moment to witness.
Bikini Kill is a band whose songs are meant to be heard live; not only because the loud and ringing instrumentals come to life on stage, but because their music is simultaneously a musical experience and a collective protest. Many of their songs came with personal anecdotes: about the lack of female representation in Olympia’s hardcore scene back in the ‘90s, growing up being surrounded by misogyny and having to learn how to navigate the world as a woman, and just general self-love and forgiveness on a day to day basis.
The crowd was probably one of the most interesting ones I’ve seen: a grandpa fearlessly jumping into the pit, little children rocking out in the back with their parents, teens expressing themselves through cool makeup looks–way cooler than I ever could’ve been in high school. The diverse crowd was just another testament to the safe space that was created.
That night Bikini Kill united three separate generations for a cathartic night full of screaming and moshing, but most importantly healing.