By Sophie Rae
This weekend, Permanent Wave, a grassroots feminist arts and activist group, is holding its first ever Permanent Wave Festival in Brooklyn, NY. As those of you who follow Grrrl Beat know, I think that Permanent Wave is a really cool, really exciting organization, and I guarantee that this weekend will be awesome. Yesterday, to find out more about the festival, I called up Kiri Oliver, a Permanent Wave founder and organizer, who also happens to be my bandmate and friend! Here’s what she had to say:
How did you guys come up with the idea to do a Permanent Wave festival?
We’ve been talking about it in abstract for a long time, pretty much since Permanent Wave started, but we had no idea how we would actually do it. But eventually we got to the point where we realized we could do it because we’d been booking all these shows, so we had venue and band contacts. And we realized that it was something we really had to do because Permanent Wave has grown so much and has chapters all over the country and people from all over on our listserv and we felt that we needed to do something to celebrate the Permanent Wave community and to get people from all over to come together. We also want people who don’t have chapters yet in their city to feel empowered to start one and to feel connected to what we’re doing. Permanent Wave isn’t just a small group of people in New York, we want it to be something that anyone can be involved in, in any way they choose.
How did you choose the bands and put together the workshops?
We wanted to get bands that have been really involved in Permanent Wave over the past year and a half or people who have worked with us as organizers. We also wanted to book a lot of out-of-town bands like Doll Fight! from Vermont, they’re coming the farthest and they’re so good, really original Riot Grrrl.
What are you most excited about this weekend?
I’m really excited for the workshops. All the bands that are playing are amazing, but the workshops are something we’ve never tried to do before. They should be really great.
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Check out the full schedule below and hopefully I’ll see you there!
FRIDAY, AUGUST 17
::Laura Stevenson (solo) - http://laurastevensonandthecans.com/
:::Doll Fight! (VT) http://dollfight.bandcamp.com/
:::::Leda - http://leda.bandcamp.com/
+ The Daily Acts of Feminism Project’s 1st Exhibit
Death by Audio (42 S. 2nd St., Brooklyn)
All ages, 8pm, $7
http://www.facebook.com/events/374748922591438/SATURDAY, AUGUST 18
::Mindtroll - http://mindtroll.bandcamp.com/
:::Kate Ferencz (Philly) - http://kateferencz.bandcamp.com/
:::::Priests (DC) - http://priests.bandcamp.com/
::::::Gifts for Burning - https://www.facebook.com/GiftsForBurning
Big Snow Buffalo Lodge (89 Varet St., Brooklyn)
All ages, 8pm, $7
+ The Daily Acts of Feminism Project’s 1st Exhibit
http://www.facebook.com/events/427140704002899/Plus workshops at Big Snow from 1-6pm:
::1pm: Guitar Pedals 101 / Punk Drumming Techniques & Patterns
:::2:15pm: How to Succeed in Show Booking Without Really Crying
::::3:30pm: Feminist Action (and Reaction)
:::::4:45pm: DIY: Art as Activism (for Everyone!)
http://www.facebook.com/events/399443706772052/
SUNDAY, AUGUST 19
::Attia Taylor (Philly) - http://attiataylor.bandcamp.com/
:::Erica Russo (Boston) - http://ericarusso.bandcamp.com/
::::Mal Blum - http://malblum.bandcamp.com/
:::::Kelly Montoya - http://kellymontoya.bandcamp.com/
The Ho_se, 28 Lawton St #1, Brooklyn
All ages, 2pm, $5 donation for out-of-town musicians
http://www.facebook.com/events/398264066893370/
