You can actually still donate if you want, but the official Kickstarter end-time was about two hours ago and "The Punk Singer: The Documentary about Kathleen Hanna" is already almost $20,000 over its original goal. Congrats to them and time to celebrate at Death By Audio tonight (10/27). Flyer above. More details (which include EX-TITUS Andronicus member Amy Klein), below...

Continue reading "Kathleen Hanna documentary funded on Kickstarter, Riot Grrl Cover Bands Show at DBA tonight"

Kathleen Hanna at Planned Parenthood rally in February (more by Chris La Putt)

Feminist artist and filmmaker Lynn Hershman-Leeson's documentary !Women Art Revolution made its theatrical debut at Manhattan's IFC Center on June 1. The film is still screening every day at 4:25 PM through June 16. The film features a score by Carrie Brownstein (Sleater-Kinney, Wild Flag), an appearance by Yoko Ono and much more. Get your tickets for the remaining days (and go see Wild Flag at Williamsburg Waterfront).

The movie is one example of how "the Riot Grrrl movement still inspires", as NY Times puts it. The article talks about the Kathleen Hanna tribute show that took place at Knitting Factory this past December and discusses the effect the movement has had on today's indie rock scene. Amanda Warner of MNDR said, "I remember it being weird if you saw a girl in a band, and now it's not weird at all, it's just totally normal."

That Knitting Factory show in December not only served as a tribute to Kathleen Hanna, but also the debut of her new band The Julie Ruin. The project formed as a revival of her late '90s solo project Julie Ruin, the moniker under which she recorded one album of the same name in 1998. The new band also features Bikini Kill bandmate Kathi Wilcox and Kenny Mellman, Justin Bond's sidekick in Kiki and Herb. They are currently working on a debut full length. Details on the album are limited but Kathleen posted pictures from an overdub and mixing session for the album back in May.

A Le Tigre documentary titled Who Took the Bomp? Le Tigre on Tour (pictured above) chronicles the band's 2004 tour and is out now. You can purchase it on Amazon. Last week there was a screening at at Maysles Institute in Harlem which was accompanied by a Q&A with director Kerthy Fix and Le Tigre member Johanna Fateman. Joly was there and taped all 45 minutes of it. If you missed it, check out the Punkcast video below. AND, they do it again on June 26th at the Ace Hotel, complete with Johanna Fateman, Kerthy Fix, AND Kathleen Hanna for the Q&A. All screening dates are listed below.

Kathleen Hanna recently spoke to Spinner, to promote the movie and stuff, and they asked her about Odd Future:

Spinner: Have you been paying attention to the controversy with Odd Future and their homophobic, misogynistic lyrics?

Kathleen: No, not really. They don't seem that interesting to me.

Spinner: Sara Quin just spoke out against them and it created a bit of a media storm.

Kathleen: I feel like, if you don't want to listen to them, don't listen to them. If you do want to listen to them, do listen to them. I couldn't really comment about on exactly what their lyrics are about, because I haven't gotten that deep into it. But if people are writing lyrics that piss you off, hurt your feelings and make you feel like s---, don't listen to it. I don't think the best idea is to have a boycott. Just don't talk about them and they'll go away. The more you talk about them, the more attention they get. Tegan and Sara fans probably wouldn't even know this band existed if they weren't talking about them. I find the whole conversation kind of boring. There are so many great artists that are doing interesting things, that I don't want to focus on boring people.

Ironically (sort of, maybe), Odd Future recently complained that Australians were racist. Australians say no they are not.

Odd Future's lesbian member Syd tha Kyd, who famously responded to criticism that she associates with a sexist group by saying, "That's what I do. I slap bitches", is DJing at PS1 'Warm Up' on July 23. Gang Gang Dance also DJ and Laurel Halo, Miracles Club, and Lunice play live sets on the same date. No word on if any other members of Odd Future will be in town at the time.

Film trailers, dates and a mash-up of Tyler, the Creator's "Yonkers" and Tegan & Sara's "Call It Off" by The Jane Doze, below...

Continue reading "Katheen Hanna, Le Tigre, The Julie Ruin, Odd Future & other Riot Grrrl news (movies, articles, events & stuff)"

MoMA Nights with DJ Adam Horovitz and a Special Poster Signing
Thursday, May 5, 2011, 5:30-8:45 p.m.

MoMA is open late the first Thursday of the month, September-June, with a DJ, a cash bar, a prix-fixe menu in Cafe 2, and special Gallery Talks. In July and August, MoMA is open late every Thursday, with live music presented in two sets, at 5:30 and 7:00 p.m., in the Sculpture Garden.

Regular Museum admission applies.
On Thursday, May 5, MoMA Nights features activities and music in conjunction with the exhibition Looking at Music 3.0, including a DJ set by Adam Horovitz (of the Beastie Boys) from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. and a poster signing from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. with artists featured in the exhibition, such as Kathleen Hanna (of Bikini Kill and Le Tigre) and Def Jam Recordings creative director Cey Adams. (Posters are $20 each.)

photos by Chris La Putt

The 'Stand Up For Women's Health' rally went down in Foley Square this afternoon (2/26), from 1-3pm. According to a post-event press release,

On Saturday, February 26, thousands of people came together in Foley Square, in downtown Manhattan, to stand up for women's health, and fight back against the recent Congressional attacks against Planned Parenthood and family planning funding.

The rally comes on the heels of passage of dangerous anti-choice legislation in the House of Representatives, which, if made into law,
would eliminate basic health care and education services for millions of Americans - and according to Department of Health estimates, 800,000 New Yorkers.

Continue reading "1000s (including Kathleen Hanna) rally for Planned Parenthood (Mtn Goats & Nellie McKay performed) -- pics & video"

The Mountain Goats at ACL (more by Tim Griffin)

On Saturday, February 26, celebrities, elected officials, musicians and women's health leaders will join thousands of New Yorkers in Foley Square to rally and stand up for women's health.

The rally comes on the heels of last Friday's passage of the Pence Amendment, a dangerous piece of legislation which, if made into law, would eliminate basic health care and education services for millions of Americans - and according to department of health estimates, 800,000 New Yorkers.

This Saturday, thousands from New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, along with celebrities, musicians, non-profit organizations, and elected officials, will stand up for women's health, and encourage Senators to reject the Pence amendment, and send a clear message to members of Congress that attacks on women's health are attacks on all of us.

The Mountain Goats return to town in March as part of a tour that includes three shows at Bowery Ballroom. Two are sold out, but tickets are still available for the third. They also have an album on the way, All Eternals Deck, available for preorder on CD and LP (multiple vinyl colorways) with a bonus cassette-only album of demos (while supplies last).

Nellie McKay @ the Allen Room (more by Chris La Putt)

Nellie also has more upcoming shows. Besides a single date at Mountain Stage in Charleston, WV on April 24th, she is also doing another residency at Feinstein's at Loews Regency from March 22 through April 2nd and tickets are on sale for all nights (most nights have two performances).

The rally flyer & full list of advertised participants is below...

Continue reading "Nellie McKay performing @ Planned Parenthood rally w/ The Mountain Goats, taking residency @ Feinstein's again"

Awesome video from Wednesday night's show at Joe's Pub, below...

Continue reading "Kathleen Hanna tells the story of 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' (and sang it before 'Rebel Girl' @ Joe's Pub) (video)"

DOWNLOAD: MEN - "Off Our Backs" Lemonade Remix (MP3)

Talk About Body art

Men will welcome their debut LP Talk About Body on Feb 1st of the new year, via Iamsound, following it up with seven weeks of touring:

We tried to take all of your suggestions, and play in your hometowns, backyards, favorite clubs, and gay alleys.

If we aren't gonna make it to you this time, please please please take a winter road trip with your best friend, brother, sister, lover, mother, professor, or all by yourself. because we want to see YOU!!!! and we want to gather up all your amazing energy. build a huge strong tower with it, climb it, and then tear it down and dance on it.

Men recently dropped their single for "Off Our Backs" (from Talk About Body) on 12" and digital download. Check out the video for it below. The EP/12" also features the Lemonade remix of the track which you can download above and stream below. Men also have a few other songs streaming at their blog.

In related news, JD Samson of MEN's old bandmate in Le Tigre, Kathleen Hanna, is keeping busy as well. She recently DJ'd at a Raincoats show that took place at MoMA and will be the subject of a documentary and a corresponding and sold-out tribute show on 12/11. In addition, Hannah will appear at Joe's Pub on Dec 15th as part of "Our Hit Parade: Special Decade Edition - The Top 10 Songs of the 90's!". She'll join Ad-rock of the Beastie Boys, Judy Gold, Alan Cumming, and others to perform the songs "as comically literal skits". Tickets are on sale.

And actually, Hanna didn't just DJ at MoMA that night with the Raincoats, she also joined them on stage for a Slits cover. Video of that, and video of her speaking this past October at Bruar Falls (courtesy of Punk Cast), is below.

MEN song stream, video, and all tour dates are below too...

Continue reading "MEN releasing LP & touring ++ Kathleen Hanna doing stuff too"

Kathleen Hanna with Bikini Kill in the 90s

Kathleen Hannah will be celebrated on December 11th at Knitting Factory in Brooklyn, as a host of bands she has influenced will team up to perform songs from across her career. The show is a benefit for a forthcoming documentary on the Bikini Kill/Le Tigre member:

Kathleen is currently the subject of a documentary tentatively titled The Kathleen Hanna Project, a.k.a. Who Told You Christmas Wasn't Cool?, directed by Sister Spit alumni, Sini Anderson. ...The documentary explores exactly what makes people react so strongly to Kathleen Hanna's work... her personal motives and perspective on the scene she's been a part of for 20 years, "there's also a lot of context: the history, the musicians, the other people who were part of that movement." The film is also about perseverance in the face of personal attacks, even from those within one's own marginalized community. "Kathleen took an enormous amount of shit. She ate a lot of dirt along the way." And Anderson wants to know, "when people are so busy trying to take you down, how do you keep on creating?" -[The Feminist Guide To Hollywood]

Bands playing include Sonic Youth's Kim Gordon, Kaia Wilson, MEN (aka JD Samson of Le Tigre's new band), Bridget Everett, Care Bears on Fire, Hilly Eye, She Murders (featuring Kim Gordon's daughter Coco), Toshi Reagon, Making Friendz, Christy & Emily, and many many others including video performances by Caroline Polachek (Chairlift) and a dance performance by Emily Wexler. Full lineup is below.

Kathleen Hanna DJed the sold-out Raincoats show at MoMa on 11/20. Some videos below...

Continue reading "Kathleen Hanna documentary benefit @ Knitting Factory "

VBS.TV & Dewar's Humbly Present
Soft Focus with Ian Svenonius
A live taping of interviews with eminent musicians Ted Leo and Kathleen Hanna
Saturday, October 11, 1pm - 4:30pm
at Cooper Union, The Great Hall, 7 East 7th Street at 3rd Avenue

Followed by a Soft Focus Afterparty
At which Ian Svenonius will select and play records from his extensive collection of dusty 45s
at Lit, 93 2nd Avenue
5pm - 8pm

The documentary film THE GITS has been confirmed for theatrical release on July 7 [today], the 15th memorial anniversary of death of lead singer Mia Zapata. For all you unfamiliar with the band of the same name, this is the story of the Seattle punk band led by lead singer Mia Zapata who was senselessly murdered with the band on the brink of breaking.

While this is indeed a tragic story, THE GITS is a truly moving and loving documentary that is also uplifting and hopeful even after many years Zapata's death was thought to be unsolvable. This July, THE GITS will receive national theatrical screenings in selected cities throughout the US and Canada along with a DVD release around the same time.

THE GITS MOVIE OFFICIAL NYC PREMIERE PARTY

Monday, Jul 07, 2008 9:00 PM EDT (9:00 PM Doors) at The Delancey

THE GITS MOVIE OFFICIAL NYC PREMIERE PARTY AND VIGIL with Special guests KATHLEEN HANNA (Bikini Kill/Le Tigre), ALLISON WOLFE (Bratmobile) and featuring the RRRIOT! Girl Tribute show and Bands : GRRRL FRIEND , SWEAR ON YOUR LIFE , DORMITORY EFFECT , CHERI LOVE AFFAIR and special guest DJ DARIO SPEEDWAGON

Continue reading "The Gits movie, party tonight w/ Kathleen Hanna & more"