2019-07-01_Uncut_UK

JULY 2019 • UNCUT• 97

In the beginning, Bikini Kill’s outspoken
performances made them targets for
ridicule and violence from male bands
and audience members who appeared
threatened by their presence. But they
were beloved by women, who felt
represented and safe at punk shows for
the first time. “Bikini Kill wanted all girls
to start bands in all towns as a means
of creating culture,” Vail told Spin in

2012. “We believed that if girls created
      culture en masse, that multiple female
      perspectives would be represented and
      things would start to change.” In Olympia,
      feminist bands Bratmobile, Heavens To
      Betsy and Sleater-Kinney soon formed.
      It seems that Bikini Kill are still inspiring
      and encouraging new generations. The
      show is opened tonight by pre-teen quartet
      The Linda Lindas, who begin with a suite
      of covers including “Our Lips Are Sealed”
      by The Go-Go’s. It was clear Hanna
      approved. “If you missed The Linda
      Lindas you missed out,” she declares.

L i V E

steve

rose

It’sasif notimehaspassedforthe

magneticfrontwoman,hercheekyasides

asbuoyantashermisfitdancemoves.

“I’mwearingcheerpants,”shesays,

liftingherdresstorevealsomethinglike

a modestswimsuitbottom,“justincase!”

It’sespeciallyfuntoseeHannainsuch

nimbleandjoyfulform,particularlygiven

herrecentdebilitatingstruggleswith

Lymedisease.Heralternatelysugaryand

formidabletrillsoarsoverthelocked-in

rhythmsectionofVailandWilcox,and

skilledguitaristericaDawnLyle,who’s

replacedKarenforthisreunion.

Vailis similarlyforthrightinherbanter

whenshestepsoutfrombehindthekitto

takeleadvocals,Hannaswitchingtobass

andWilcoxtodrums.“Thisis foreveryone

whoknowstheyhavea goodband,but

arecondescendedto,butyouknowthat

you’regood!”shesaysbeforelaunching

into“HamsterBaby,”a tunethatspeaks

toself-assuranceandfamouslymocks

musicjournalisteverettTrue,whosome

considereda self-aggrandisingtouristof

theOlympiascene.Herrenditionof“For

Only”,theclosestthingtoa balladsung

tonight,introducesa rarecontemplative

postureamongtheairofcacophonous

glee,bodiesswayinglikefieldsofwheat.

Thequartetperforms 26 songsin

total,nonelongerthanthree-and-a-half

minutes.Forsome,it’stheirsecondnight

seeingtheshow.Atleastonewoman

hasticketsforallfourgigs.Clearly,this

is morethanyourtypicalbandreunion.

Inthemercilesslydistressingmodern-

daypoliticalclimate,a BikiniKillshow

is a necessary,invigoratingandutterly

healingshamanisticceremony.Asthey’d

feltdecadesagowhilepushingagainst

punkmachismo,thewomenwithin

thesewallsweresafe,heardandfittingly

uninhibited.“I’mhavinga greattime,

thiswasgenuinelysomuchfun,”Hanna

proclaimsjustbeforeananthemic“rebel

Girl”.Amidthistriumphantreturn,she

isn’ttheonlyone. ERINOSMON

SETLIST

1 thisIs NotA test

2 Don’tNeedYou

3 Newradio

4 JigsawYouth

5 FeelsBlind

6 I HateDanger

7 In Accordance

toNaturalLaw

8 Demirep

9 rejectAll

American

10 Alienshe

11 NoBackrub

12 sugar

13 HamsterBaby

14 tellMeso

15 Magnet

16 CapriPants

17 resistPsychic

Death

18 outtaMe

19 Foronly

20 Distinct

Complicity

21 Carnival

22 Lilred

23 rebelGirl

EncorE

24 DoubleDareYa

25 suckMy

Leftone

26 Fortammyrae

To b i Va i l

kathi Wilcox

and (right)

kathleen

Hanna