Review by Lisa Burke
August 7th 2015, Regent Theater, Los Angeles CA: Last Friday, Downtown Los Angeles’ Regent Theater hosted the Riot Grill Fest, featuring a line up largely consisting of all-female punk rock bands, headlined by Babes In Toyland. Our writer Lisa Burke was in attendance to capture the action through her words. Check out her review below:
The first band of the evening was called Slutever. Now, with a name like that you expect some serious action. This band not only bored me, but also with their out-of-key high pitched screaming I was ready to give up on the night entirely. To top it off, they drank boxed water to hydrate, and if that doesn’t scream feminazi environmentalist pretention for all things then nothing does. The next band also had some boxed water so maybe they just got a deal, but the point is that it was only noticibly annoying during Slutever’s set. That said, I really can’t go into any further details because unfortunately it’s not worthy of a discussion. Another thing I must mention is that comedian Sarah Schaefer was on stage before the first band and between all acts. Let’s just say that the less she had to say the better my night went. Comedy is hard, jokes are usually a necessity, and timing is everything. This was not the time or the place, but thanks for bringin the bitchin kitchen.
The next band was called The Menstruaters, and despite the terrifying implications this name may carry, this was a pretty positive experience, and the turning point of the evening for me. The singer was dressed appropriately scandalous with the bonus addition of a metal spiked crown. Their only boy member was shirtless and had large black stars covering his nipples. They also had a mascot in the form of an exteremely overweight girl in pigtails with a white unitard covered in blood splatter. She danced for the first couple of songs which included a bunny mask and red pom poms. Then she sat down on the edge of the stage till around the last song where she regained the energy to dance and aquired some red feathered fans for this bit. It had its moments to say the least but this band has skills and they don’t really need the added cheap thrills. The singer carried good, strong energy throughout, and the guitar and bass were just as strongly accurate. The drummer was exceptionally good as well. All in all a good time, and they had better slut songs and image than the first band so maybe a name switch is in order here.
Le Butcherettes was the next punk band to take the stage, and they not only took it but they also ran with it. This is a three-piece band with the only male member on drums, and a multi-talented singer who alternates between guitar and keyboards while screaming, singing, dancing, and commanding the room. They have a very unique approach and may have stolen the show with their sheer energy alone. They were all wearing solid red head to toe. However, the bass player and in my opinion the weakest link had a red color that clashed with the others and under the lights was very distracting from what was otherwise a stellar performance. The final song of the night from these three was a Bikini Kill cover of the song ‘Rebel Girl’. They brought a guest guitar player and guest drummer on for this jam as well which just added to the excitement. I loved it and her sweet yet powerful voice in a weird way made the song even better than the raunchy sounding original. I immediately went back to the 90s when the dirty girl punk era was at its peak and I stayed there through Babes in Toyland as well.
The anticipation finally disapated as Babes In Toyland takes the stage and murders it with all they have. Kat Bjelland the singer and guitar player is supremely commanding and really fun to watch with all her crazy big eyes and demanding power chords. There was a song in the beginning where the drummer sings. I always love that because I can’t even imagine how you can use those two different parts of your brain together to make that sound right. That said it felt like there was something missing without Kat’s powerful voice and it was definitely their most boring song. Still, I commend them for sharing vocal duties and switching it up from the normal. Now contrary to popular belief the rumor that says Courtney Love used to be in this band is a total lie. She was roommates with one of the members and crashed a rehearsal one day and basically she got told to go fuck herself and leave. The reason I discovered this band in the 90s was because of this rumor though, so I guess she gets a small credit there. Of all the baby doll dressed punk rock girls from this time Babes in Toyland is probably the best although Betty Blowtorch while short lived was even more amazing with her out-of-control funny lyrics.
Babes in Toyland played every classic that everyone wanted to hear including ‘Bruise Violet’ and ‘Handsome and Gretel’, and they did it all with power and precision. For a not-so-typical rock show with a not-so-typical audience complete with men in drag, this turned out to be a night I want to remember. Girl power rocks!