Maybe we all got too complacent. At least from my outside point of view, it did seem like things were going in the right direction for a while. Essential women rights were seemingly settled law, LGBT representation and visibility were on an upward trajectory, racial tensions appeared to be easing... Naively, I thought that the trend was irreversible.
But then came the inevitable backlash. I can pinpoint it to the day: November 8, 2016. Yeah, it sucks to give that convicted felon so much power, but the fact is that his election was the starting point of the unraveling of every major progressive victory of the past century in America and the world over.
The return of Bikini Kill is one of those rare instances in music industry: something that is not only demanded by nostalgic fans, but also born out of actual necessity. This is what the Rage Against The Machine reunion could have been, had they not decided to self-sabotage. But over thirty years after the emergence of the Riot grrrl movement, now that its protagonists are pushing 60, in the age of TikTok, Taylor Swift and Greta Gerwig, what is the relevance of Bikini Kill?
The answer is in the roar that greeted the band as they arrived on the stage of the Élysée-Montmartre. Old punks and young alternative types from every creed and gender erupted into a frenzy as soon as the opening chords of "New Radio" resonated across the hall. Pogo dancers and crowd surfers would be a constant throughout the set. For about 80 minutes, it was 1993 all over again.
This was the third show of the tour, and it was clear that Kathleen Hanna, Tobi Vail, and Kathi Wilcox were in top form. They delivered a performance that was raw, energetic, and unapologetically powerful. Hanna’s voice, fierce and full of conviction, pierced through the crowd, evoking the same revolutionary spirit that defined their music decades ago. Her stage presence, coupled with her genuine engagement with the audience, felt like a rallying cry for a new generation.
The setlist was long and thick, heavy on the tunes from their debut Pussy Whipped but spanning their three LPs and numerous singles. The band sounds as urgent and abrasive as ever, evidently happy to be back in Paris for the first time since 1996.
Kathleen Hanna, in her autobiography Rebel Girl: My Life As A Feminist Punk, spoke about the importance of reclaiming space and voice for women in punk. On stage, that message was more potent than ever. Songs like "Rebel Girl" and "Suck My Left One" felt as relevant today as they did in the 90s, speaking to the ongoing struggles against patriarchy and inequality.
The crowd’s response was a testament to Bikini Kill’s enduring impact. This wasn't a nostalgic trip through our teenage years; it was a reminder of the power of music as a force for social change. In a world where the gains of the past are under threat, Bikini Kill’s return feels not just timely, but essential.
