From the balcony of Terminal 5, a mother and her daughter are dancing to Bikini Kill’s “Feels Blind.” Down below in the pit, people with candy-color hair are moshing. A person with a long green mane rams her body into someone who has stripped down to their bra.
Bikini Kill are in the midst of a four-show in NYC, part of their reunion tour; they played their first proper NYC show in over 20 years (other than a brief surprise 2017 reunion at The Kitchen) on Friday (5/30) at Brooklyn Steel, and second on Saturday at Terminal 5. The third show of the run happened Tuesday night (6/3) at Kings Theatre, where Bikini Kill invited a special guest to the stage: Joan Jett, who played guitar on “Rebel Girl” (the single version of which Joan produced and contributed guitar and backing vocals to). Watch that happen below.
In the front row of Bikini Kill’s first show in 22 years is a child sitting on her father’s shoulders. She is watching women of various generations form circular mosh pits across the floor as lead singer Kathleen Hanna belts out the lyrics to “Rebel Girl.” “Is this everything you dreamed of?” says one woman in the crowd to another. Her friend’s response: “Everything — and more.”
A recent resurgence of punk-powered feminism — or is that girl-powered punk? — raises the question: What was, or is, riot grrrl? A movement, a genre, an era, a scene?
When Bikini Kill took the stage at a packed Palladium in Hollywood on April 25, the band reclaimed a podium it had left 22 years earlier. For much of the audience, the show was a first chance to see the band they had discovered through books, or movies, or maybe even their mom’s record collection. For others, including myself, it was a jolt back to a defining moment in our lives. Time accordioned, and I realized: Bikini Kill is as vital as I remembered.
Iconic riot grrrl pioneers Bikini Kill disbanded back in 1997, but the group are reuniting for a series of concerts later this year.
Bikini Kill are reuniting for a string of shows later this year in New York City and Los Angeles. The lineup will feature the trio of Kathleen Hanna, Tobi Vail, and Kathi Wilcox, along with Erica Dawn Lyle on guitar. It’ll be the first time they’ve played a show since 1997, though last year they briefly reunited to perform one track at a book release party.
Feminist punk pioneers Bikini Kill will reunite for three shows this spring in New York and L.A. Kathleen Hanna, Tobi Vail, and Kathi Wilcox will be joined by guitarist Erica Dawn Lyle for the shows, replacing guitarist Billy Karren. These will be Bikini Kill’s first full shows since the band broke up in 1997. (In late 2017, Hanna, Vail, and Wilcox played one song together at the Kitchen in New York City, during an event celebrating the release of the 33 1/3 book about the Raincoats by Pitchfork Contributing Editor Jenn Pelly.)
Legendary riot grrrl pioneers Bikini Kill have announced plans to reunite for trio of live performances in New York City and Los Angeles this spring.
Bikini Kill are officially back!
The riot grrrl powerhouse group is back.
Here is a shocker. Riot Grrrl icons Bikini Kill have announced a trio of live dates for 2019, their first shows since 1997.
Legendary riot grrrl innovators Bikini Kill announced they’re playing a handful of shows in Los Angeles and New York City this spring.
Girls to the front.
The uncompromising DIY punk band Bikini Kill, a legendary force of the ’90s riot grrrl movement, will reunite this spring for three shows.
Influential Riot Grrrl act Bikini Kill announced they will reunite for a trio of shows this spring.
Riot grrrl pioneers Bikini Kill have announced three reunion shows in the United States for spring 2019.
Kathleen Hanna, Kathi Wilcox, and Tobi Vail will be joined by guitarist Erica Dawn Lyle for shows in New York and Los Angeles through the late spring.
Bikini Kill have reunited and announced three shows. Kathleen Hanna, Tobi Vail, and Kathi Wilcox will be joined by guitarist Erica Dawn Lyle for the shows. These will be the band’s first full shows since 1997.
Legendary 90’s Riot Grrrl pioneers, Bikini Kill is thrilled to announce they will be regrouping to play shows in NY and LA this spring. They will perform with their iconic line-up of Kathleen Hanna on vocals, Tobi Vail on drums, and Kathi Wilcox on bass — along with guitarist Erica Dawn Lyle.
Feminist punk pioneers Bikini Kill have announced they will reunite for a handful of dates this spring. The lineup includes singer Kathleen Hanna, drummer Tobi Vail and bassist Kathi Wilcox, along with guitarist Erica Dawn Lyle who replaces guitarist Billy Karren.
Bikini Kill have announced a handful of reunion shows. The legendary riot grrrl punk band haven’t toured since the late ’90s, though they recently reunited for a 33 1/3 book release party on The Raincoats’ self-titled debut to play one song. However, the band will be playing three shows this year.
