The Week In View | 17 - 23 May

by Little Miss B, 17 May 2010...

Molly Nilsson @ Mother Festival

Tues 18th:

Ling Tosite Sigure @ Barfly, Camden
Maria Rita @ Koko
Sleigh Bells @ Rich Mix
Swallows & Amazons Ladyfest Ten fundraiser/Storm In A Teacup Tea Party @ The Victoria

Wed 19th: 

Jessie J + Alice Gold @ Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen
Marina and the Diamonds @ Bloomsbury Ballroom
Crystal Castles @ Heaven

Thurs 20th: 

Trash Kit + Raincoats @ Scala

Cibelle + Kyla La Grange + Bridgette Amofah @ Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen
Mother Festival Day One: Iori's Eyes + Maria & The Mirrors + Wet Dog + Normal Love + Molly Nilsson @ The New Empowering Church

Fri 21st:

Alice Russel @ Union ChapelMother Festival Day Two: Mary & The Baby Cheeses + Melissa Castagnetto & Beatrice Dillion + The Konki Duet + PENS + Phoebe Jean & Kirikoo Des @ The New Empowering Church

Sat 22nd: 
Parenthetical Girls + Ghost Bees @ The Luminaire
Praying For The Rain @ Union Chapel
Koochooloo @ Bardens Boudoir
Mother Festival Day Three: Sonja Cvitkovic + Tourrists: Sherelana Ostano Ono Vonobitch & Meltifisio Chavez Chicoma + Kelli Rudick + Vera November @ Cafe OTO

Sun 23rd: Hope Sandoval and the Warm Inventions @ Bush Hall

Read All About It | Mother Festival

by Little Miss B, 11 April 2010...

MOTHER / WOWMEN'S MUSIC FESTIVAL / SECOND EDITION / LONDON / 20.21.22 MAY 2010

Mother Festival is the brainchild of Dafne Boggeri and Noga Inbar: an independent travelling project spanning three years and three countries, this trilogy is dedicated to promoting and supporting contemporary women's music and art. A consummately DIY affair, Mother possesses neither a residence nor an institutional form. It began its journey in Tel Aviv in 2009, and this year London is fortunate to be playing host to the second instalment. Spread across three days, the festival is being held at The New Empowering Church, Cafe OTO and FormContent, and is being curated with the support of Nicole Emmenegger (aka DJ Jenny Woolworth) whose Women In Punk blog provides an awe-inspiring resource for bands old and new. 

With a killer line-up including Wet Dog, Molly Nilsson, Iori's Eyes, Vera November and Kelli Rudick, this promises to be a very special event. With the tenth anniversary of Ladyfest also being hosted in our fair capital this year, we at The Girls Are feel it is imperative to show support for these kinds of international movements, and establish links with people outside of the UK (oh yes, there are other countries in the world. Did you know?) working tirelessly to promote the causes we care about.

Mother have very kindly given us three tracks for your downloadable pleasure, so tuck in, head down to show your support and listen to some ruddy good bands.

Molly Nilsson - We're Never Coming Home (Right click to download)
Iori's Eyes - I Said You And I Grow Old (Right click to download)

Wet Dog - Lower Leg (Right click to download)


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
THURSDAY 20 MAY 2010
The Empowering Church ⎮ 1a Westgate Street (off Mare Street) London E8 3RL
Door 19:30 ⎮TICKET ⎮MAP

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
WET DOG  (London)

www.myspace.com/wetdogthebest
-
MOLLY NILSSON (Berlin)
www.myspace.com/formerlyknownaswhitebread
-
NORMAL LOVE (Berlin)
www.myspace.com/normalloveberlin
-
IORI'S EYES (Milan)
www.myspace.com/ioriseyes
-
MARIA AND THE MIRRORS (London)
www.myspace.com/mariamirrors


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
FRIDAY 21 MAY 2010
The Empowering Church ⎮ 1a Westgate Street (off Mare Street) London E8 3RL
Door 20:30 ⎮TICKET ⎮MAP
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
MARY AND THE BABY CHEESES (Berlin)
www.myspace.com/maryandthebabycheeses
-
MELISSA CASTAGNETTO + BEATRICE DILLION (London)
www.methodstodance.net
-
THE KONKI DUET (Paris)
www.myspace.com/thekonkiduet
-
PENS (London)
www.myspace.com/penspenspenis
-
PHOEBE JEAN & KIRIKOO DES (New York/Paris)
www.myspace.com/shakeitshakeitnow

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

SATURDAY 22 MAY 2010Cafe OTO⎮ 22 Ashwin St, London E8 3DL ⎮ www.cafeoto.co.uk 
Door 20:00 ⎮ TICKET  ⎮ MAP
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
SONJA CVITKOVIC (Berlin) Set & Setting

-

VERA NOVEMBER (London)

www.myspace.com/veranovember 

-

TOURRISTS: SHERELANA OSTANO ONO VONOBITCH & MELTIFISIO CHAVEZ CHICOMA (London)

www.musicforone.com www.methodstodance.net

-

KELLI RUDICK (New York)

www.myspace.com/kellirudick

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Parallel event:

HAVE A LOOK! HAVE A LOOK! collaboration with the art curatorial project space FormContent

7 May - 11 July 2010 / Friday-Sunday, 12-6pm or by appointment
51–63 Ridley Road, London E8 2NP

For more information, click here.

Read All About It | Swallows and Amazons

by Little Miss B, 13 May 2010...

SWALLOWS AND AMAZONS: Life Drawing & STORM IN A TEACUP TEA PARTY!

Roll up, roll up for this bumper edition of Swallows and Amazons!

This week featuring a whole feast of models for your drawing pleasure...

AFRIKA VOLUPTUA /// voluptuous nude beauty

CHERRY POP & LITTLE B // Dance, yoga and acrobatics based work with a theatrical twist. Duo and solo poses creating illusions of distorted bodies and other creatures... Let your imagination run wild!

DOLLFACE DOLORES // macabre mechanical melancholy to inspire Tim Burton-esque art work.

Hosted by The Great Cake Escape's Cherry Bakewell, dishing out the drawing challenges to help inspire your creations...

PLUS this week's event shall be extra special with DJ sets from Storm in a Teacup, a cake stall and vintage china to sip your booze from!

£6 to take part, pay on the door or email art@ladyfestten.com to guarantee a space. Spaces limited....

MATERIALS PROVIDED // thanks to CASS ART for sponsorship

Feel free to bring your own sketchbook/extra pens etc though

All profits go to LADYFEST TEN and artwork created can be submitted to be part of an exhibition later in the year.

//LADYFEST TEN

http://www.ladyfestten.com

//STORM IN A TEACUP

http://www.joinourteaparty.wordpress.com

Read All About It | Swallows & Amazons Ladyfest Fundraiser

by Little Miss B, 23 April 2010...

Ladyfest Ten presents...

Swallows and Amazons life drawing salons.

Tues 27 APRIL, 8pm-10pm

£8 to take part- spaces limited so get there on time to get a seat!
Bring your own materials (pens//paper//charcoal//ink etc)

Celebrating real women in all their naked and knickerbockered glory, Swallows and Amazons is a series of fun fundraising events featuring lively life models and drawing challenges to help unleash the creative beast within you...

VOLUPTUOUS AMAZONS//INKED UP INDIVIDUALS//UNCONVENTIONAL CONTORTIONISTS//BURLESQUE SHOWGIRLS// TABLEAU VIVANT// POWERFUL POSERS, PERFORMERS & ARTISTS...

This week featuring:
Miss Moon
Vigour Mortis (Amazonian rollergirl)

Artwork created during the salons can be submitted to be part of an exhibition later on in the year and all profits will go towards funding Ladyfest Ten, an arts festival taking place in London in November to celebrate ten years of Ladyfest.

For more info, or if you're interested in modelling for future salons, email Nikki at arts@ladyfestten.com or post on the wall

FUTURE DATES:
Tues 4 May // feat zebra-girl-rollergirl-ref ANGRI-LA & tableau vivant
Tues 11 May // reeta & rita- mime corporeal
Tues 18 May // Dollface Dolores

For more info, please click here.  

Review | Goldsmiths Ladyfest

by Little Miss B, 1st March 2010. All photography by Layla Smethurst for The Girls Are...

Bracelettes + PENS + Wetdog + Veronica Falls @ Goldsmiths Ladyfest.
DJ by Girl Germs.
Thurs 25th Feb 2010.

Regular readers will know this is the year of Ladyfest Ten, an anniversary celebrating a decade of lady action, achievements and general awesomeness. Not due to take place until November, expect to see a legion of associated events in the run up. Just like last week's Ladyfest, hosted by the wonderful senoritas at Goldsmith's. The fourth night of a five day run saw inspired line-up, Bracelettes, PENS, Wetdog and Veronica Falls take to the stage. Arriving to an alarmingly empty student union, it was not long before the simple pleasures of such a night became apparent: sofa to sit on, a pint of cider for a mere £2.20, and a smorgasbord of lady-tunes provided by DJ's Girl Germs. Nice. After a brief soundcheck, first support Bracelettes kicked off the proceedings with gusto.

Bracelettes

This undeniably charming, London based three piece consists of Ayako (guitar + vox), Satori (bass + vox) and Mark (drums), and I am ashamed to say this is the first time I've seen them live. Another one of those low-fi bands you stumble upon on Myspace, they far outstrip the majority of their contemporaries in terms of flair and skill. With matching bass and guitar, they skipped through a short but accomplished set, never faltering. Their simplistic, surf-inspired, garage rock calls, clearly display a certain level of ardor. This band are tight, slick and well-rehearsed, yet retain a sense of playfulness and spontaneity: a skill in its own right. Obvious comparisons would be to Mika Bomb and the 5.6.7.8's, with the Bracelettes ladies echoing the rabble-rousing girl chants that Japanese garage rock bands do so well, yet there is a heck of a lot more to these guys. Heavily tattooed Mark, pounding relentlessly at the drums, drove each song smack into the audience, as Ramones-esque bass lines and guitar riffs punctuated the beat. Sharing vocal duties, the girls revelled in playground cat-calls, and we the audience could not help but smile. So popular and impressive were they, we ended up losing our seats, space and prime position as the room filled with keen-bean, old and new fans. Definitely one to watch.

PENS

After a brief and stressful trip to the packed bar, The Girls Are favourites PENS were the next band to step up. They played a fantastically chaotic set, with timings and vocals going awry, but as ever, it did not matter. Always managing to stay just the right side of the DIY/low-fi aesthetic vs. just plain shit divide, they cruised through their set with nonchalance, flippancy and a very visible sense of fun. I love a multi-instrumentalist. I love a band who swap instruments. I really do. Now, the PENS ladies can never be described as being particularly proficient on each instrument, but to do so would be to disregard the very thing that makes this band so frackin ace. Consummate crowd-pleasers, and purveyors of some of the catchiest songs I know, it was a crying shame that the vocal levels were sub-par. Without full vox, these songs can become slightly repetitive. However, they were close to the best I have seen them, and yet again, PENS never fail to disappoint.

Wetdog

Wetdog were clearly and irrefutably the most interesting and entertaining band of the night. If you have not seen this three-piece before, I firmly suggest you do so, post-haste. With their undulating, deliciously menacing basslines, their antiquated, eerie guitar parts, and their bizarre, haunting call and response vocals, they sound like no other band I've heard, despite what every review written about them would like us to believe. A vampiric Vivian Girls, a haunted Huggy Bear, all fall short of what this band actually capture. Marching, rhythmic, and brilliantly elemental, the core and crux of this band is their kinship to the human heartbeat, the rhythms of our own bodies, so that even when off-kilter, it is impossible to resist tapping a foot, or nodding one's head when these ladies play. Yet, they remain firmly tongue in cheek, never succumbing to the uber-serious and somewhat tedious discussion surrounding them. What was an interested audience quickly metamorphosed into a frenetic crowd soon after Wetdog launched their musical assault.

Veronica Falls

As ever, Veronica Falls played a faultless set. It would be misleading to state that they get better with each viewing, as this might somehow imply they were ever anything less than impeccable. Beguiling and majestic in equal measure, the Comet Gain-loving four piece managed to get everyone up on their feet, the revellers swamping the band, leaving one big party pit that continued on through the night. Need we say more?

A huge and resounding well done to the organisers of this event.
You should be proud as punch.

To see more photo's from the night, please click here.

http://www.myspace.com/bracelettes

http://www.myspace.com/penspenspenis

http://www.myspace.com/wetdogthebest

http://www.myspace.com/veronicafallshard

The Week In View | 1 - 7 March

by Little Miss B, 1st March 2010...

Super duper. As always, let us know of more.

 Doll And The Kicks @ Barfly

Wed 3rd:

Girl Germs, DMD & Scene not Herd @ Carfter Dark Ladyfest fundraiser, The Victoria
Spit + Elissa Franceshi + Witches of Eastwick @ L*dyGarden, Lock Tavern

Thurs 4th: 

The Complete Short Stories @ Bucks Uni
Doll & The Kicks + Annaca + Sea Fields @ Barfly
Twat Boutique club night @ Dalston Superstore
Peaking Lights + Swallows + Woolf @ Barden's Boudoir

Fri 5th: 
November Fleet + Dimbleby & Capper @ Barfly
Queen Bees club night @ Off Broadway

Sat 6th:
Betty & The Werewolves + The Racket @ Girls Girls Girls, Old Blue Last
The Most Cake Party @ The Book Club

Sun 7th:
Stina And The Soldiers @ Barfly

Read All About It | Ladyfest Ten Logo Competition

by Little Miss B, 12th Feb 2010...

Calling all creatives, artsters and people what are good with crayons: Ladyfest Ten needs you!

Preparations for Ladyfest Ten are well on their way but you may have noticed that we are mysteriously missing a logo. Well that’s where you come in.

We are offering you the chance to become one of Ladyfest Ten team and design the official logo for the tenth anniversary of Ladyfest! Your design will be used on flyers, posters and everything Ladyfest related and you’ll get a free pass + 1 to the festival.

Ladyfest Ten celebrates ten years of international diversity, support and discourse amongst feminist communities, comprising artists, musicians, creatives and activists.

If you think you have the creative know-how, start whipping up a cracking logo with these requirements:

• Two versions of the logo in black & white + color (if needed)
• The logo should read ‘LADYFEST TEN’

Submit a .jpg or .tiff file of your design to ladyfestten.logo@googlemail.com before the 24th of February with your name and contact details.

For more Ladyfest Ten information, please visit ladyfestten.wordpress.com