Bikini Kill In Concert
When Bikini Kill first toured in the '90s, the ferocious punk band had a mantra: "Girls to the front!" Taken literally, it was a call for women in the audience to move closer to the stage, in front of men, so they could experience the show without fear of violence or harassment. Figuratively, the slogan summed up Bikini Kill's music: politically minded, feminist songs driven by frontwoman Kathleen Hanna's raging howl, provocative stage presence, and the lightning-quick, precise rhythms of bassist Kathi Wilcox and drummer Tobi Vail.
The end result is an environment both cathartic and comforting, a place where women felt safe to be themselves. Unsurprisingly, the band found a home on the road with fellow riot grrrl bands Bratmobile, Huggy Bear, and Excuse 17, as well as larger acts like Sonic Youth. After Bikini Kill broke up in 1997, each band member went on to other groups — Hanna finding success with electro-punk dance bands Le Tigre and the Julie Ruin, which also featured Wilcox — making the group's second, post-reunion act especially compelling.
Bikini Kill Background
Bikini Kill galvanized the riot grrrl movement. The band's three core members — vocalist Kathleen Hanna, bassist Kathi Wilcox, and drummer Tobi Vail — met at Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington. Hanna was particularly inspired by Vail's 'zine, and ended up wanting to form a band with her, while Vail in turn knew Wilcox from a sandwich shop job. The trio started playing together as Bikini Kill (the group took its name from Hanna's 'zine) in 1990, and they released the seminal, raw, and grungy 'Revolution Girl Style Now!' demo cassette the next year.
This release was followed by 1992's self-titled EP and 1993's 'P**sy Whipped,' which contains Bikini Kill's most recognizable tune, the rabble-rouser anthem "Rebel Girl." After years of touring, the group ended on a high note with 1996's 'Reject All American,' their full-length swan song. The band's reunion more than 20 years after their split finds Hanna, Wilcox, and Vail being joined by guitarist Erica Dawn Lyle — and honors the band's legacy without exploiting it.