When we sat down with the staff to discuss our favorites from last year, we noticed an interesting theme running through our list of the best punks acts in town. Every band but one had a strong female presence and we realized punk in the Valley is a boys’ club no more. Ladies are leading the charge this year with growled lyrics, distorted guitars, and extra feist.
Topping our list were JJCnV, Man Hands, and Shovel – three punk bands at various stages of the name-making game, all serving up fierce punk without the guise of gimmick, and all have a sassy punkgrrl shouting out anthems. Dana Stern of JJCnV, Jackie Cruz of Man Hands, and Dusty Rose of Shovel are my new personal heroes, but there are so many rad chick punk rockers working hard to take this Year and turn it into an era! (see also The Venomous Pinks, French Girls, Scorpion vs. Tarantula etc.)
The best mode of delivery with any real punk band is live so make sure you get out to a show. Better yet, start pre-planning your attendance to the VagFest, an annual music festival of fabulous female punk rockers hosted by Jackie Cruz slated for the first weekend in May this year.
And special thanks to Revolver Records in Tempe for letting us storm in and take pictures.
