i think christmas is pretty cool

Last last Saturday at the Knitting Factory in Brooklyn took place a benefit show where twenty bands and the crowd helped Sini Anderson achieve her artistic vision for her in-the-works documentary about Kathleen Hanna. She wanted to create an environment of girl love and energy and inspiration, but her direction wasn't really needed. I caught not a drift of punker-than-thou snobbery, only good vibes, and the audience and artists just fed off of one another's energy and created this giant ball of, uh, energy. Look, there's no poetic way to put it -- it was just really, really cool, and one of the more life-changing experiences I've had, ever. I'll say right now that I don't know much about music, but that wasn't the point.

I wore the FEMINIST FEMINIST FEMINIST sweater Kathleen gave me and hand-me-down vintage skirt. And that would be my glow in the dark Diana which looked really cool in the blacklight and was also used for taking pictures, as one might hope.
Neal Medlyn hosted; I fell in love 74986x.
Coco Gordon-Moore of She Murders can scream like the cast of Scream but more riot grrrl and not scary. What I mean is, she's loud. Her band did Rebel Girl and it was at that point that I kind of lost it and got really wrapped up in the performance and started jumping up and down and got all "THIS IS THE BEST NIGHT EVER!!!!!" There was lots of flailing involved in that last statement.
Also, her X-Girl tshirt!
I spent most of the night with the Care Bears on Fire girls, Sophie, Izzy, and Jena, who had one of the most invigorating and invigorated performances of the night and were so cool/nice/funny and made me wanna be in a band. I also appreciate the way their collective hairs create a Powerpuff Girls-esque spectrum.

Bridget Everett and the Tender Moments blew my mind. The world needs more Bridget Everetts.
The Roulettes killed it as well.

Kim Gordon read the Riot Grrrl Manifesto from the first Bikini Kill zine and I teared up a bit. I have a soul! You caught me!

The show started to come to a close with MEN's performance of Double Dare Ya, which I can't totally describe so you'll just have to watch the video and then we can babble mindlessly together.
Murray Hill introduced the last group, which is why you may have seen a spark in Murray Hill youtube videos views from a certain IP address (HINT: mine).

And the last group was The Julie Ruin, AND Kathi Wilcox was on bass, AND then we all found out they're writing a new album, and it ended on such a high note where I was actually happy to leave I think because I felt totally satisfied and it was all so good that I knew pushing it would invite bad luck. (There were way more terrific groups, but these were the only ones I got photos of.)

Kathleen has said she's attended shows where people kept looking at her to see if she'd give it her stamp of approval, but approval in general isn't exactly the goal of Riot Grrrl. The varying interpretations of Kathleen's songs performed that night were a testament to this, as the point was the message, not whether the styles or aesthetics were Punk Enough or Riot Grrrl Enough or Kathleen Hanna Enough. Instead of counter-productively trying to meet those standards, the artists made clear Kathleen Hanna's influence by just being loud and DIY and feminist.

And the world doesn't really like to make it easy for people to be any of those things, especially that last one. At the Rah! Rah! Replica show a group of people collectively decided not to wait for the world. A crowd of people decided we want Revolution Girl Style Now.

photos by me, video sources at the video links

83 comments:

Anonymous said...

the 1 comment!!.))

Your blog so cute.)
And in this party I thing was very funny.))

;*

Anonymous said...

i wonder what mrs. gordon's shoes were like

Sarah Dee said...

looks like you had a great time! I love the powerpuff hair!!!

<3 Sarah
theantiquepearl.blogspot.com

Mathew said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Skyler Man said...

oh shit, how did I miss this? Love Murray, he's a doll.

sarah said...

ha! i love this. it sounds wonderful and inspiring and greatballofawesome like.
thanks for sharing,

Charlotte said...

Love it, lovely post, lovely blog, amazing :P

http://www.charlottewears.blogspot.com/

I would really appercite it if you looked at mine :)
Merry christmas everyone x

M.Weston said...

"Je pense que Noël c'est plutôt cool ..."
Tu crois?
tu en doutais? voyons mais bien sur que c'est cool Noël, c'est même magique, c'est merveilleux !

M.WESTON
http://the-book-mode.blogspot.com/

The Clothes Press said...

Very cool!! Haha 'powerpuff hairs' :).
www.theclothespress.blogspot.com

Ellie said...

Aw I am so incredibly jealous you went to this! I LOVE MEN, and kathleen hanna is such an icon. Not even mentioning kim gordon. Jeepers, what a night it must have been! x

style meerkat said...

wow, great post !

http://stylemeerkat.blogspot.com/
xoxo

Katherine said...

Wow, love all the pictures you took! I wasn't sure what to expect with that bridget everett video at first, but that woman is badass!

www.LaPetiteMarmoset.com

KOKOKOI said...

haha I think this post is really cool! those vids are awsome.

x

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

This looks amazing x

misselisak said...

I'm glad oyu are having a Happy Holiday Season. Merry Christmas!!!!

ilsteviewonder said...

nice post! :)

Paige said...

totally rad! thanks for the videos

Anonymous said...

What an awesome experience to have.

Unknown said...

I love the way you write so, so much. Witty, intelligent and always self-depricating... Are you sure you're not British? Happy Christmas and I look forward to hearing more from you in the New Year. X

ella-lapetiteanglaise.blogspot.com

Violet said...

looks like fun i wish i could have experienced it because you made it sound spectacular

XX
Vi from Cali

Kerry said...

'The world needs more Bridget Everetts' - ABSA-FRIGGING-LUTELY!

Unknown said...

Love your posts as always! They are always so interesting lol...only you would post this awesomeness keep it up!

Lovers, Saints & Sailors said...

Oh man, I love those moments.

Natalie (NJ in L.A.) said...

Wish I could've been in NYC for this, looks like it was absolutely amazing! Riot Grrrl for life.

zoomslow said...

Sounds (and looks) amazing! Glad you (was going to do U - but then realised I'm not on twitter) had such a great (was going to do...) time :-))

And I totally get it when you say, "I knew pushing it would invite bad luck." It's taken me a long time, but now I get it. If you're happy and you know it - go! :-)

Shevah said...

This looks like fuuuunnnn.







www.shevahh.blogspot.com

Luђ ●๋• said...

Beautiful and modern!
perfect combination

:)

Luh following...

Anonymous said...

My face throughout reading/watching this entire post: :D
except my eyebrows were raised in an OMGLYKETHISISSOAWESUM way. So, thank you, Tavi. This has made my holiday season just that much awesome-er!

Anonymous said...

aww man Regina SK needs one of these.

SMD said...

This. Is. Amazing.

EmK said...

Ooh I heard a song by Care Bears on Fire a while go, this post just reminded me of them!

Awesome post, Tavi. Sounds like an amazing time!

SarahPeslar said...

It's amazing to see you appreciate more then one form of art. The artistic world is never ending, it's a revolutionary one!





www.fashionsmind.blogspot.com

Fashion's Religion said...

This concert looks amazing. I wish I could have gone!

Tonio said...

How did they let you get in little lady!!
kidding

THELOVELYSANDOTBLOGSPOTDOTCOM

Paulinaa. said...

Hahaa, I like it.
fashionimprisoned.blogspot.com
Check it out. :)

Anonymous said...

i dont know .music not great .in fact verging on terrible.I respect them standing up to people.but on the music front,man lets leave girl bands in the 90's and move on and create a new era of actually good music with girls and boys in the same bands.cos i mean we all gotta stand up to those "popstars' that are ruining todays music all of us.punk,grunge,rock, anyone ,everyone.

Anonymous said...

i dont know .music not great .in fact verging on terrible.I respect them standing up to people.but on the music front,man lets leave girl bands in the 90's and move on and create a new era of actually good music with girls and boys in the same bands.cos i mean we all gotta stand up to those "popstars' that are ruining todays music all of us.punk,grunge,rock, anyone ,everyone.

fairy on acid said...

Awesome post! Love the videos!



fashionablydrugged.blogspot.com
feel free to follow and comment!

maren said...

OMG OMG OMG. YOU ARE SO LUCKY.

seriously, this night looks like my dream come true. this post is so inspiring, i think i would have fainted in awe if i had been there in real life. <3 <3 <3

Charlotte said...

hardcore party :P

http://Charlottewears.blogspot.com/

thanks : ) x

Charlotte said...

hardcore party :P

http://Charlottewears.blogspot.com/

thanks : ) x

Brittney said...

This sounds amazing, Tavi. I think the reason blogging is so awesome is because it has a similar urgency and let's-make-this-happen-now attitude to the Riot Grrrl movement. I wish I could've been there to experience it first hand, but I'm certainly watchin' the Kathleen documentary. I can't wait. ;)

Brittney said...

Oh, and I can't freakin' wait for the new album. That part excited me the most. :)

Crystal said...

How insanely jealous am I?!?! I saw Kim Gordon on the street in New York once. I nearly ran into traffic. I am so looking forward to the documentary.

Siiri said...

Love your style!
candyliciousblog.blogpot.com

Anonymous said...

That looks so fun, the Knitting Factory is great. I'm jealous!

Valerie said...

i was there! and i saw you, you were right behind me actually in that super rad sweater of yours. i wanted to turn around and give you a "hello! i love your blog!" but...i'm super shy and i didn't. i don't know why! i'm sorry. but anyways, that really was one of the most amazing nights. i definitely teared up a few times throughout it as well. truly inspirational.

Emily Qualey said...

Ha! Spotted my friend Sky in the foreground of the picture of The Roulettes - small is the world.

Emily Qualey said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jillian J said...

Love this because it has little or nothing at all to do with christmas, and everything to do wit Queen Hanna.

brodie said...

I was following all the tweets, tumblez and statuses (statusii?) when this was going on and have never wished to be in New York more!

ashley said...

Ohhhh, man I totally had an x-girl tee in 7th grade. It was white with a glittery silver/pink-bordered logo.
Probably my most 90s moment ever (aside from the satin silver baby tee with superglittery butterfly emblem from WET SEAL, when it was cool)

Apparently I was really into glitter.

Nights like these are the best.

melitakristins said...

just follow ur blog my love :) good job!

nicolette said...

You are so insanely lucky to have gone to this. I literally live around the corner from the knitting factory and sobbed to myself when I saw the tickets were sold out to this show.

I hope this doesn't come off as too cheesy, but I was probably a little younger than you when I first discovered Kathleen Hanna and it literally changed my life. It's really nice (and refreshing) to see that you're so passionate about something that I, and a lot of other girls, shared as a huge right of passage and growth.

the chic addict said...

This is awesome. Thank you for posting. I'll have to check some of these bands out!

http://thechicaddict.blogspot.com

cancercowboy said...

sounds like a damn cool night. fun and a serious message are rare bedfellows.
also, YAY! for you smiling in a photo ;)

A said...

Ashley (my co-blogger) said she saw you at the concert, her boyfriend was the guitar player in She Murders. it's nice to see a few more pictures from the show, I haven't been seeing so many online.
-Abby

Eva said...

SO lucky. It looks like you had fun.
http://thatsjustmybag.onsugar.com/

Tavi said...

Valerie-You shoulda said hi! I swear I don't bite!

Abby & Emily Qualey -- Small world!

thwany said...

i would love to grab a beer (or two or three) with bridget everetts.

Sabina said...

This sounds like an awesome event. Glad you enjoyed it. And wow, who knew Kim Gordon's daughter was a performer?

Also--very interesting point you made about the whole "stamp of approval" thing. It's like, do you really need to know if someone else likes something before you can admit to being excited about it? How sad!

http://mystylecanvas.blogspot.com

Camerin said...

I love this, looks SO fun! I also looveLOVE your outfit!

http://amezclaofthings.blogspot.com/

Allison George said...

That looks like it was an amazing experience.

Damn.

I wish that they did stuff like that where I am.

http://geekyfran.blogspot.com/

JIM Designs said...

Love your chartreuse camera!

Colette Saint Yves said...

Wow Kim ! <3

Zoë said...

i hope i'll stumble across something like this i glasgow. i constantly am living in a girls world (i study art history)

Tennille said...

It looks like you had a great time!

I don't agree with Poppy at all, I think that we still live in a man's world where no-talent hacks like Katy Perry make big bucks just because they flash their cleavage everywhere, and it's important for women to raise their voice and make music for women but also to use music (and fashion) to point out the flaws that still exist in our society.

I love MEN, I saw them open for Peaches last year and I thought they were amazing. Wish there were more shows like this in Dallas!

xoxo
http://musicishername.blogspot.com

Unknown said...

Living in the UK on a crap salary means there is no way I could ever attend such a thing but thank you for bringing it all to my living room/laptop screen. I wish more of the world could be exposed to Kathleen Hanna and people like her - she changed my world when I was younger and continues to do so today. And the point being - don't try to fit in with anyone or anything, just be........real and true I guess.

Oh, Hi said...

That was so amazing and inspiring. Not only did it renew my love for the Care Bears On Fire (and make me want to go search all those people and bands) but now I really really wanna be in a band! If only I had musical talent... :P Thanks for posting this, so fascinating and inspiring.

MSK said...

i remember when kathleen hannah asked for some blood is the new black tees through a mutual friend of ours. i went to the beastie boys show to give them to her and i got so nervous i just held out the bag of tees and said "heres some tee shirts for you!" and ran away. end of story. she's so rad!!!!

Melissa Dale said...

This is my dream concert. I'm actually working on the Riot Grrrl zine archive for NYU right now, and having a great time reading about all these amazing women.
www.melissadale.net

ilikewayfarers said...

Miss Tavi, you are amazing/awesome! :D

Chloé said...

Amazing event. Seems like one of those things where you go to bed exhausted and your feet kind of hurt but in a good way because you feel inspired, awesome, and like you really did something and you can't wait to wake up the next morning.

Anonymous said...

Quite Inspirational indeed! So much so that I too posted on a similar topic. Please help me get my little bloggy up and running! :)
http://thehouseofsupreme.blogspot.com/2010/12/be-inspired.html

Nicoletta said...

I'm so glad I actually found a fashion blogger who is also a riot grrrl. I thought to be the only one left (and here in Italy I am, for sure.)
I'm so envious you could participate to that amazing event, nothing similar here in my country, of course. I like your blog so much, it's full of ispiration!
-Nico-

rebecka said...

It's so nice to see that you like to listen to this music(well, I assume you like the music, my english sucks so I actually mostly look at the pictures ehe)! Kathleen Hanna is one of my true true idols! :D

You probably know all about the bands etc but if you haven't heard The Raincoats or the Frumpies you really should give them a...listen? An ear? You should really listen to their music anyway!

Oh, and newer bands like Electrelane and Le Tigre! They ROCK! :O

And All girl summer fun band is also...fun! Videogame heart is a favourite song. Can't really remember all the bands I like atm, too tired. You will probably not read this anyway, haha! :D

So. Keep it real!
Peace. Out.

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