As punters walk around the Great Portland Street station looking for the venue, there is a big, bold 229, signalling that this is the right place. The floor is getting busy quickly, as people are coming down to celebrate International Women’s Day with We Hate You Please Die, The Menstrual Cramps and Eli Dayo.
Originally from France, but currently residing in London, Eli Dayo is rising up with her strong vocals and unique writing skills that make her songs remarkable. Having some production issues and having a different bassist to step in at the last minute, her set was still energetic, with many fans visibly enjoying the first opener’s performance. The only downside was that no one knew the lyrics, and some people still chose to not pay attention to the set at all. We think it was a great first performance of the night, that was definitely memorable and fitting for the night’s theme.
The next in line were the only British performers of the evening, and definitely the fan-favourites, The Menstrual Cramps. Releasing their latest EP ‘ACAB’ last year, the Bristol based punks showed us that they are anti-patriarchal and screaming for equality more than ever before. Blessing the crowd with hits like ‘Tinder Girl’, ‘Abortion’ and ‘Neo-Nazi’, we were witnesses of a fierce set from the first second to the very last. The lead vocalist, Emilia Elfrida, highlighted the importance of activism and punk in current times, going into topics such as feminism, queerness and politics. Raising awareness about the ‘Band’s Boycott Barclay’s’ movement, of which the band members are proud co-founders, the band showed their commitment to supporting Palestine. The set made the venue move and sing along and was definitely an important feature of the event.
Last, but not least, were the headliners emerging from France, We Hate You Please Die. Currently promoting their new album, ‘Chamber Songs’, that came out last year, across Europe and UK, the three-piece, consisting of the members Chloe Barabe on bass and lead vocals, Joseph Levasseur on guitar and Mathilde Rivet on drums, is confirming their presence as a band, who is not scared to come out of conformity. The band describes themselves as punk rock and riot girls, going back to the familiar sounds of punk, while giving the genre their own twist. And it definitely works, as the full floor of the 229 venue confirmed. Without many words, the band went right into action, playing for the excited fans. The instruments and vocals in their songs are well balanced and do not feel overwhelming, giving each member a chance to showcase their talents. A nice touch was switching the vocals in between Chloe and Joseph, making the experience even more satisfying. Although the guitar and bass lines were well executed, there were moments where they felt repetitive and long, giving us nothing to look forward to. Nonetheless, the band carried the evening spectacularly, making the fans long for more, as we could see at the end of their set, when the band left the stage, and the crowd began chanting to get an encore, which was unfortunately not delivered.
Overall, the evening was a daring experience full of support and encouragement. All three performers gave their absolute best, showcasing their work. Organising an event to support women and femme-persons, with the lineup consisting of queer and femme artists, is a brilliant way to celebrate this important day, especially with a lot of men and masculine people joining the crowd.
Words: Katerina Stepanikova
Photos: Atoosa Salamat
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