August 30, 2002

4:51 PM

Women Rockin' 4 Women 2002 Festival.THIS IS BIG. Over twenty talented women. Eight female fronted bands. Nine solo female artists. Third annual event. Two sound stages. One venue. One night. Benefitting shelters for victims of domestic violence. More estrogen in one place than you can shake a stick at. You're not busy on September 28th, are ya? Granted, it might be a bit of a commute for some, but... Heaven's gonna touch Earth.
posted by ZachsMind (33 comments total)

How exactly does sexual discrimination in booking artists for this fund raiser help the cause?
posted by techgnollogic at 5:36 PM on August 30, 2002

I'm sorry, did someone say women rockin'? Is that even possible?

Just testing to see who's paying attention...
posted by mr_crash_davis at 5:53 PM on August 30, 2002

Sounds like a great fundraising event for a great cause. I do have to join techgnollogic in asking why heaven's gonna to touch earth because of all the all the estrogen. Is there something intrinsically more wonderful about an event which is composed of 100% women musicians?
posted by 4easypayments at 6:11 PM on August 30, 2002

Is there something intrinsically more wonderful about an event which is composed of 100% women musicians?

Dude!!! Like... there's going to be nothing but CHICKS there! Watch out ladies, I'm takin' my mojo like FloJo to the HoJo you know? Kiz-izzity-shiz-zam baby!
posted by Stan Chin at 6:14 PM on August 30, 2002

if you live in the dallas area, go and support amy jo. i've interviewed her for a project i'm doing and she's such an awesome woman.

not to mention the fact that she can rock.

and for those who are curious, her website was designed by a fellow blogger.
posted by amandaudoff at 6:52 PM on August 30, 2002

(shameless self link warning) Wish I knew about this earlier. Our female fronted band will be at the MXMW festival at the same time but this looks cool. FYI, techgnollogic, I've been a part of these events for awhile and yes, the estrogen flows like hell, but most of the women are more than happy to have males involved as well.
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 7:00 PM on August 30, 2002

I'm takin' my mojo like FloJo to the HoJo you know? Kiz-izzity-shiz-zam baby!

You sweet-talker, you!
posted by HTuttle at 7:06 PM on August 30, 2002

Eden Automatic is sorta fronted by Annette Conlon but she shares the stage with three guys. Annie Benjamin often works with a versatile musician named Rene. It's not sexual descrimination. It's ladies' night in the purest sense of the phrase.

Heaven won't touch Earth just cuz there's all that estrogen, but it coidn't hoit!
posted by ZachsMind at 7:11 PM on August 30, 2002

HTuttle, don't disturb the sexy.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 7:11 PM on August 30, 2002

My friend's band is playing at this bar down in Soho! First drink's only a dollar! Be there!
posted by anildash at 7:33 PM on August 30, 2002

Cool.

Of course, if when they said "benefiting shelters for victims of domestic violence" they actually meant "benefiting shelters for victims of domestic violence" rather than "benefiting shelters for female victims of domestic violence [men who are victims of domestic violence don't get jack shit and probably had it coming anyway]" it would be even cooler. But what the hell.
posted by IshmaelGraves at 8:01 PM on August 30, 2002

Women rock people suck just as much as men rock people. The real villian here is the idea that you should take political guidance from rock music.
posted by crunchburger at 10:59 PM on August 30, 2002

I'm sorry, did someone say women rockin'? Is that even possible?

don't make me send you another cd, mr_crash_davis.
posted by lescour at 11:43 PM on August 30, 2002

i was going to say it, but techgnollogic said it for me. it's just the whole idea of a festival made up entirely by men, or just white people.

i know i'll probably get flamed, but hell, i'm not posting this to cause an argument, just to point out the strange logic. i'm sure it'll be a nice festival and all.
posted by triv at 3:13 AM on August 31, 2002

A recent piece in the Boston Phoenix interviewed Tanya Donelly and Juliana Hatfield. There's lots of discussion about "women in rock" as a novelty thing, and specifically touch on how all-women festivals can contribute to the "ghettoization" of female artists. They're not really decided on the issue though, and neither am I. It's a good read, anyway, particularly if you're at all interested in independent and/or female artists.
posted by Banky_Edwards at 3:48 AM on August 31, 2002

Look, there still are a lot of people who don't take rock by women seriously. People who listen to Skynyrd, for the most part, just aren't going to be interested in Sleater-Kinney. But there is some good music out there, and there is strength in numbers, so these women are teaming up for exposure. I'm not sure why anybody wants to snivel at that. I think you can safely assume that most festivals out there are white male festivals. Such as Ozzfest. (OK, maybe minus a token act or two, but still).

Oh, and crunchburger, I think you can take political guidance from anywhere you want. I wouldn't rely on rock music alone, but I'd endorse Ani DiFranco's views on abortion over George W. Bush's any day.
posted by phantroll at 5:52 AM on August 31, 2002

Look, there still are a lot of people who don't take rock by women seriously.

I agree with you on that, but do you really think the answer is to throw 'em all in one (yes, novelty) festival and expect a bunch of guys to go and suddenly have an epiphany that yes, girls can rock? It doesn't happen that way. You basically have to start inserting music with both men and women everywhere you can: music videos, festivals, house shows, etc, whenever appropriate so that people simply get used to the idea of both men and women "sharing a stage" so to speak.

As far as recognizing that women can "rock"...what's the difference? In general, men and women do lots of things with a totally different style. If you see a woman singing softly and playing acoustic guitar, it doesn't mean that she can't rock, but maybe she'd prefer to play a more subdued type of music that has nothing to do with rock. Who cares, as long as the music's good.
posted by Karl at 8:46 AM on August 31, 2002

As a female with a testosterone deficiency, even I find this concept unnerving. I never understood the purpose of these events...to prove women rock? Great. What does that really mean, and who really cares? I don't see the point in excluding men from a concert in order to get a sort of estrogen cohesiveness happening...this is exactly the sort of thing that women originally protested--exclusion based on gender.
posted by Zulujines at 9:44 AM on August 31, 2002

Why do y'all assume such a performance is done to prove women rock? There's no need to prove some women rock. That's a given. It's just fun to experience. THAT's why this sorta thing goes on.
posted by ZachsMind at 12:04 PM on August 31, 2002

The verb is irrelevant; the concept is the same. What is the point of an all-women festival?
posted by Zulujines at 1:27 PM on August 31, 2002

"What is the point of an all-women festival?"

Boobies.

Wait, ain't I on Fark?
posted by mr_crash_davis at 1:34 PM on August 31, 2002

Don't forget feminists' disdain for brassieres, mr_crash_davis. I retract my previous statements...women kick ass.
posted by Zulujines at 1:38 PM on August 31, 2002

I don't see the point in excluding men from a concert in order to get a sort of estrogen cohesiveness happening...

Not sure where you got the idea that men were excluded. They just won't be the center of attention like they have been since, oh, the last 50 years.
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 2:56 PM on August 31, 2002

It's not an all-women festival! I sound like a broken record. It's a women rockin 4 women festival. There are going to occasionally be men on the stage as well. So male liberation activist groups will not be picketing the event.
posted by ZachsMind at 3:36 PM on August 31, 2002

Ahhh...I apologize...they accept "artists/bands (who feature female musicians)". As far as where I might have gotten the idea that men were excluded....I haven't the slightest idea. It certainly wasn't the website design, that's for sure. I'm not trying to be argumentative, I respect what they're doing, but I just don't see this as being very male-friendly. Of course, I'm not a guy, either, but it's been my experience that a lot of guys don't take this stuff seriously. I think it's great when men *do* get involved with this stuff (and are not intimidated by it) but are lot of guys are still threatened by it. My point is, if this is a benefit concert, why not encourage anyone who's interested in performing, thereby reaching a wider audience and raising more money?
posted by Zulujines at 4:20 PM on August 31, 2002

Thanks Zulujines. As a male, I've been a part of many similar events (Rockrgrrl, Big Fish, Little Fish I and II) both as a musician and an organizer. Yes, the main thrust is defiantly female but an no point was I ever made to feel unwelcome because of my gender. There is however, an unwritten rule that we are in the background. I never had a problem with that.
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 4:36 PM on August 31, 2002

defiantly? What the fu...?

I meant definitely. Doh.
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 4:38 PM on August 31, 2002

And that's a big problem, is it, Ishmael [men who are victims of domestic violence don't get jack shit and probably had it coming anyway] ?
How men are killed, raped, battered and terrorised by their [female?] partners? I'm not saying it doesn't exist, i'm saying that im not surprised when people come together to find strength, resources and support from themselves and their simpaticos.

Maybe men could take a leaf outta the wimmin's book...?

I remember this comment of yours, about how your sister had more breaks than you did, struck me at the time as seething with resentment: maybe you need to address the issues with the protagonists directly, as they - the issues - are coming up on here now with some regularity.

Just my 2p's-worth (",)
posted by dash_slot- at 10:45 PM on September 1, 2002

Zulujines: "...but I just don't see this as being very male-friendly. Of course, I'm not a guy, either, but it's been my experience that a lot of guys don't take this stuff seriously. I think it's great when men *do* get involved with this stuff (and are not intimidated by it) but are lot of guys are still threatened by it."

Last I checked, I'm still a guy. Since I don't enjoy talking about sports or cars, I'm sure there'd be a voice of contention in any debate about my gender, but I have the plumbing and the testosterone, so I'd have to admit I'm at least male if not a stereotypical american one. All that said, I don't recall ever being in the least bit threatened or intimidated by the idea of female music artists taking center stage. I welcome it and enjoy it whenever it happens, and I believe any red blooded american male who does feel intimidated or threatened probably should check for hormonal imbalances.

"My point is, if this is a benefit concert, why not encourage anyone who's interested in performing, thereby reaching a wider audience and raising more money?"

I think perhaps part of the point of having evenings of this nature is because on the whole even in the music industry there's a glut of male performers. That this is more of a given in the industry. Women performers usually have to sell their gender in more direct and obvious ways, i.e., selling their sexuality as performance presentation over exhibiting their sheer talent which is genderless in nature.

It's difficult to extract the one from the other for many female performers. Many in the audience expect a little skin or whatever when they hear that the person about to take the stage is female. This isn't generally as expected among male performers.

You can be an ugly male performer and still sell tickets. Neil Young and Bob Dylan are examples that come to mind. They are so damn good that it doesn't matter he looks like death warmed over. This is often not the case for female performers. I can't recall off the top of my head a successful ugly female performer.

Programs like WR4W are enigmatic when it comes to this. Some artists on the list do sell their physicality while on stage. Others do not. For some reason, a night of mostly female performers somehow levels the playing field a bit. The physical beauty is an afterthought to the sheer talent and musical ability. Whereas oftentimes elsewhere, the talent of a female artist takes a backseat in the eyes of the audience.

I don't know why this is so, or even if it's accurate, but it is a personal observation of mine after several years of supporting the local music scene. I blame the audience to a degree. I've seen nights where a 'pretty' female artist draws lots of people even though she was so-so musically, then after she left, a 'plain jane' female performer with exceptionally powerful lyrics and chord progressions took the stage, and the audience just walked away. No eye candy, no reason for them to stay; it's frustrating really.
posted by ZachsMind at 9:47 AM on September 2, 2002

I understand exactly what you're saying, Zach. I still maintain my stance, but I absolutely respect the concept. I think it's great when guys like you are into this type of thing...I didn't say I *liked* ignorant guys, I just seem to know a lot of them. You look mean in your picture so I'm going to shut up now.


(That was a joke, I'm kidding ;-)
posted by Zulujines at 12:59 PM on September 2, 2002

Do I look mean in that picture? I always thought I look fat in that picture...
posted by ZachsMind at 1:02 PM on September 2, 2002

I don't think so....I think you look very cute, but kind of mean. I'm not trying to get fresh with ya, but it was that combination that attracted me to my last boyfriend. I think it's a good combination.
posted by Zulujines at 1:17 PM on September 2, 2002

Well that day has come and gone. It was awesome! I didn't see any of you there! =P But then I drank so much I could barely see straight.
posted by ZachsMind at 2:26 PM on September 29, 2002