Girl at the Rock Shows

Like so many other nights of my life, I was walking into Tuesday night’s show at The 7th Street Entry completely blind. I knew nothing about the headliner and only knew that, if you have local punk rockers Surly Grrly as your opening act, you’re probably my new favorite. I was alone in walking into this show blind. Although I knew the show was sold out, I wasn’t expecting the room to be as jam-packed as it was when I strolled in about thirty minutes before the start time. People were excited, but it was more than that. People were dressed up with beautiful makeup and bright yet oddly dark outfits. It was like being in a bubblegum princess kind of fortress, but not being able to outrun a gothic influence. It was cool, it was youthful, it was exactly what I needed after my hellacious day at work.

Surly Grrly was the one and only opening act on the bill, but truthfully, that’s all you need. If you’ve been reading this blog for a bit, you know I adore this band. I love their energy and often get lost in their man-hating angst, with Tuesday night being no different. Surly Grrly’s set felt a bit rough around the edges, which I could see some people feeling a bit hesitant over. Personally, I like the grit that they bring to the speakers. Nothing about their set has ever been flawless, but, at the same time, the imperfections and slightly flat notes here and there add a special sauce to their show that has always kept me coming back. For those who could look past those little scratches and bumps in their set, they were treated with a performance that left you feeling empowered and ready to riot. For those who couldn’t look past those minor imperfections, well, I don’t know what to tell you. Surly Grrly is here to stay, and they are absolutely a band that is going to continue taking over this scene one person at a time.

Although I’ve seen Surly Grrly many times now, Tuesday night’s set was the freshest I’ve heard (even with some of the roughness that came with it). They played new songs that gave me Rage Against the Machine vibes like I had never heard from them before, and they played covers. Lots and lots of covers. From Amyl & The Sniffers to The Breeders (at least I think that’s what they opened with), Surly Grrly not only laid out their sound for the sold-out audience, but they also taught the young crowd about bands of years gone by that have influenced the sound that is Surly Grrly. Again, I acknowledge the fact that Tuesday night may not have been the cleanest set I’ve heard from this band but, really, it was one of the best because I not only saw the fire in each of their eyes (which you can clearly see in some of the photos I snapped– these kids seriously have stares that will send chills down your spine), I heard that fire translate into the often political messages of their songs. Long story short, they were a great fit as an opener if only because they were playing to an audience that may not see them otherwise.

Although I loved Surly Grrly and feel like a lot of the audience did too, they were not the reason for the sold-out show. The reason for that was Delilah Bon. Don’t know that name? Don’t worry, I didn’t either. As mentioned, I was going into this show only knowing that I wanted to see Surly Grrly, but as Delilah Bon took the stage, I couldn’t help but feel like I knew who this was. It may have taken me until the morning after to figure it out, but Delilah Bon is the frontwoman of the now-defunct Hands Off Gretel. That has nothing to do with her performance on Tuesday night, but rather just a little tidbit, and I feel like you may know the name Hands Off Gretel more than Delilah Bon. Either way, Delilah Bon stood on her own on Tuesday night. Joined on stage by just a drummer and bassist, Delilah stole the spotlight and ran with it.

Although the band was great, it was all eyes and ears on Delilah (born Lauren Tate) and for good reason.The amount of power that this woman can bring to a stage is insane. She’s a ball of energy, a little spitfire, who refuses to just stand still. She’s not afraid to get face-to-face with the audience and not scared to shake it a bit. Although she looked absolutely adorable in her almost cowgirl-themed audience, it quickly became evident that she is more than just cute looks and a charming smile. Delilah Bon, like Surly Grrly, has a fire inside of her, and it was absolutely jaw-dropping to see it come out. Her set was absolutely complete of infectious (albeit obnoxious, but more on that in a hot minute) songs, but what struck me the most was the messages that she gave the audience between tracks. She talked about women’s empowerment. Scratch that, she literally empowered all of the women in the audience. From telling women to leave that deadbeat boyfriend (or husband) to urging them to wear whatever the heck they want because, at the end of the day, we’re all hot as hell and it doesn’t matter what anyone thinks, I just really love the battle cry that she was screaming and how the audience seemed to be so personally effected by it.

The music wasn’t for me. Well, it was, but more in the way that I obsess over bands like Millionaires. It’s annoying. I hate to use such a strong word, but it’s the best fitting one I can think of this morning. It’s a mix of bubble gum pop with all of the obnoxious elements that come from trap to metal. From sinister screams to horror-movie worthy wails that quickly shift into bratty styled commentary put over heavy tracks. I know, I’m not selling this for you, and, truthfully, I don’t know that it can be sold. That being said, if you are looking for something original and something that would have surely pissed your parents off back in the day, Delilah Bon is the sound for you. Like I said, it’s not for me, but it is at the same time. It’s just the perfect amount of bratiness and snarkiness to keep me interested, and the constantly shifting style is something that will definitely scare my manager out of my office on the days that I just want to be left alone.

Don’t misunderstand my words. I loved Tuesday night’s show. I understand how my talking about the imperfections of Surly Grrly and the obnoxiousness of Delilah Bon could lead you to think that I hated everything about this performance, but it’s the opposite. Tuesday night was beyond fun. It was the kind of night where you could throw all of your inhibitions to the wind. The type of show that instantly made the stress of the day melt off of you and made you feel empowered to be a woman in a world where women seem to be constantly put down and minimized. Both Surly Grrly and Delilah Bon reminded me to not only take up the space I need, but the space I want. They reminded me that there’s a movement happening, and it’s time for us to wake the world up to said movement. Tuesday night wasn’t just a concert. No. It was a rally cry and a perfect sign of the revolution that we are in the middle of.

Line Up:

Surly Grrly

Delilah Bon

Venue: 7th Street Entry

Smell-O-Meter: Nothing Notable

Average Age of the Crowd: 19

Crowd Surfers- 0 Spotted

Stage Divers- 0

Mosh-ability- 2 out of 10

Amount of Beer Spilled On Me While Walking Around- $0

Broken Bones- None Noticed

Spotted Flying Through The Air- Nothing

Fights- None

Pukers- 0

Passed Out People- 0

Idiots Taken Out By Security – 0

How Many Times I’ve Seen These Bands Before (or at least how many times I can remember)-

Surly Grrly – 7

Delilah Bon – 0

Celebrity Sightings – None

Overall Score – 8.5 out of 10

Show on Deck — Arsenic Kitchen / Ghostmade Cellophane / Closed City Terror / Gradience / M.A.Y.

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