The announcement that Bikini Kill would be performing in São Paulo for the first time in their career, after a hiatus of more than twenty years, caused what was already expected: tickets sold out in a few hours.
To the delight of those who hadn't managed to secure a spot at the show, the band added an extra date.
Produced by Associação Cultural Cecília and Daterra Produções , Bikini Kill's shows at Audio in São Paulo were more than just that. With several opening bands, the event was a celebration of punk led by women, Black people, and queer people.
On Thursday, March 14th, the doors of Audio opened at 6 PM, and the band Weedra .
The queer band delivered a set with songs in both Portuguese and English, with a relatively calmer sound than the following acts, making it ideal for starting the evening. At the end of the show, we learned that the performance was more than special, as the band is now going on an indefinite hiatus.
Punho de Mahin's turn with their songs of social, political, and racial protest. The band, entirely composed of Black people, energized the audience, emphasized the importance of studying history, and played songs featuring historical figures such as Carlos Marighella, Dandara dos Palmares , and Luísa Mahin , from whom the group takes its name.
The band also took a moment to talk about the murder of Marielle Franco and Anderson Gomes , which occurred exactly six years ago.
The last band to perform before Bikini Kill, As Mercenárias , has been active since the 1980s. The current trio, led by Sandra Coutinho, brought a Palestinian flag, which remained on stage until the end of the night.
The performance featured Paula Rebellato on keyboards and backing vocals. With the dance floor much fuller, it was also the moment when the first punk mosh pits started in the audience.
After the opening acts finished, there was still an hour to go before Bikini Kill, but the wait was eased by the DJ set of CamillaJaded & Erikat , which both calmed the high energy after the series of performances and prepared the stage for the main show.
At 10 p.m., Kathleen Hanna (vocals), Tobi Vail (drums), Kathi Wilcox (bass), and Sara Landeau (guitar) took the stage, and the audience knew they were witnessing something special.
The audience, composed mainly of women and people from the LGBTQIA+ community, included people of all ages. There were those who were already fans of the band in the 1990s, people between 20 and 30 years old who discovered Bikini Kill in their teens, and girls who didn't look older than 13.
Something quite curious, to say the least, is that compared to all the shows I've attended recently, there were very few cell phones in the hands of the audience; many people were completely immersed in just singing, dancing, and jumping throughout the entire show.
“Double Dare Ya” was the first song on the setlist, immediately getting the crowd going and showing that the next few minutes would be full of rock and roll.
A comical moment occurred during "New Radio" when Kathleen Hanna stumbled over the lyrics and joked that it was the audience's fault for singing the wrong part, and she just went along. Claiming it was her favorite song, Kathleen restarted the song from the beginning.
Regarding technical problems and unforeseen circumstances, the vocalist commented that it's part of the fun of live performances, and if anyone is bothered by such situations, the albums are available to listen to.
Throughout the show, the multi-instrumentalists alternated between drums, guitar, and bass, with Tobi Vail taking over vocals on some songs where the audience was more contemplative, perfect for a little rest between the more euphoric songs.
Despite not selling out, the venue was packed both on the dance floor and in the VIP area, and the show continued with a very good setlist that included "Don't Need You," "Feels Blind," "Alien She," "Sugar," and "For Tammy Rae.".
While the show was going on, in the mosh pits, especially in the middle near the stage, several people were lifted up and surfed a bit in the crowd.
“Suck My Left Toe” was the last song before the band left the stage and the lights came on, leaving some people confused, wondering if they wouldn't hear the hit “Rebel Girl”.
But of course they wouldn't do that to the fans. Bikini Kill returned for the encore, closing the show with their biggest hit and the song by which almost everyone knows the band. It was a classic moment of collective catharsis, which only hearing an iconic song live can provide.
Our contributor Jessica Marinho was also at the show and captured the moment. Check out our photo gallery.
