Music / International Women's Day
Three International Women’s Day gigs not to miss
Bristol rises up to celebrate International Women’s Day each year, with events spotlighting the women making their mark across music and culture, and events framed around how to progress equality in the arts.
Here are three standout events of different flavours but equal quality and each representing a strong facet of the local independent music scene.
Cellar Door, the Lousiana
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Two stages of cutting edge, experimental folk, indie and punk-adjacent sounds and a visual arts exhibition in the basement create the all-encompassing creative immersion experience that Cellar Door has become renowned for.
“In my eyes, this show is the most significant Cellar Door show of the year,” says founder Yaz Egin who has done wonders for Bristol’s emerging underground with this long-running series at grassroots institution the Louisiana.
“As a young women in the music industry, you have to work twice as hard to be recognised and taken seriously. I’m proud that I’ve built something successful that will give a platform to women in the visual arts and music scene.”
Horsefair are “Post rock/grunge/punk born at Bristol’s finest bus stop” – photo: Horsefair
Music comes from synth-chaos outfit Ziplock, which features members of Fat Dog; shoegaze quartet Speedial, post-rock, art-punk six-piece Horsefair, and Bristol DIY femme-led punkers Limited Ltd.
There are too many visual artists exhibiting to name, but the long list includes prop maker Aleena Keith, landscape painter Rachel Baber, UWE fine artist Georgia Windale, sculptor Lara Bell, psychedelic artist Thea Biallas and photographer Joelie Sleep.
Yaz and team have been busy getting the art up on the walls ahead of the event on March 8 which she says is the most important one of the year for her – photo: Cellar Door
Seedling Sessions, Trinity Centre
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The showcase series for the brightest of Bristol’s emerging talent curated by Madly presents a trio of local women starting to make waves in hip hop, hyper pop and punk.
“This night spotlights the breadth of women driving grassroots music forward,” they say.
The bill features singer-songwriter and producer RED, a DJ at the Queer as Fuck cabaret who hosts avant garde gameshow night Drag Queen Bingo.
Next Level alumni Badliana will bring her dark experimental hip hop; and guitar-led four-piece Moxie Dolls will thrash out some punk-rock anthems for the future.
Easton Punk Festival warm-up, the Lion
Ahead of a bigger, louder edition of east Bristol’s premier punk festival that will see an outdoor stage set up on Chelsea Road, this warm up gig is split into two parts with kids welcome at the Lion in the afternoon and a heavier, “femme rage” session for over 18s from 7pm.
“This is an absolutely stacked lineup and we can’t wait to share this day with you all!” said organisers Riot Garden. “IWD to us is about inclusivity, we welcome everyone (that isn’t a dickhead) to an event that platforms queer/femme/enby rage!!!!”
burn the ladder, Seizure Salad and Nervous Rex play, with a DJ featuring slamming Slamboree MC Kathika who is also running a weekend event at the nearby Old Stillage.
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Main image: Adam Tatton-Reid
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