Howl of the Siren 2 celebrates big female energy at Victory North
In the heart of the music industry's thundering storm, where guitars scream and drums pound like a wild heartbeat, there exists a powerful resonance that defies convention and breaks free from the chains of tradition. Here, under the spotlight's blistering gaze, female-fronted rock bands emerge as the fearless harbingers of a sonic revolution. In the realm of amplified rebellion, they carve their names into history with riffs that sear like molten lava, voices that soar to the heavens, and lyrics that echo the stories of the untamed spirit.
These are the tales of resilience and rebellion, of the audacious musicians who wield their guitars like weapons and their voices like spells. It's a journey through a landscape as tumultuous as the distorted chords that define it, where gender biases stand as formidable obstacles and where stereotypes fall like shattered glass beneath the weight of authenticity.
Howl Of the Siren 2, a celebration of women in rock, beckons the faithful to gather once more, to witness the resurgence of these female-fronted rock bands, to feel the seismic tremors of their sound, and to understand the challenges and impact they've carved into the very bedrock of the music business.
Sarah Poole, the ethereal siren of Ember City, and Ava Thompson, the fierce commander of Neckromance, sat down with us to tell their stories woven into the tapestry of a vibrant underground scene. Alongside them, The Maxines and Girlfriend from Hell, two forces of nature, join in the chorus of rebellion.
Poole, the organizer for the event said, “We have so many amazing females led bands in Savannah, and I really wanted to create an opportunity to showcase some of them at a big, fancy venue. It's so empowering for females of any age to see other women running shows and crushing performances in what is still a predominantly male fronted genre. I did not see a live female-fronted rock show until I was an adult. Witnessing another woman on stage, being unapologetically herself is so inspiring.“
Thompson added that "being pigeonholed into being just a 'female-fronted band' is our biggest pet-peeve."
"We are just a band. There is more diversity in the scene in terms of bands, but I think that is just because there’s more bands now than there was a year ago.”
Reclaiming stereotypes and turning the frustration into motivation
Still, female-fronted bands face challenges and stereotypes in the music industry. Maddie Oke, the lead guitarist for The Maxines, shared that after she posted a video of the band's Deftones cover from last year's Howls of the Sirens show, "there were a lot of insecure men in the comments making assumptions about us and specifically how AJ was dressed. They did not see us as a band, they just saw us as objects and as some women on a stage trying to get attention. Women in the music industry are viewed as something so easy to poke at."
But the way fans stood up for them in the comments gave her hope. “Most people before hearing our music assume we are a punk band because we're an all-female group, and we've been added to a couple punk shows before, but it's fun surprising people with our slow heavy riffs when we go on stage. Women can play whatever genre of music they want. They do not need permission from anyone, and they are not asking for it."
Members of Girlfriend from Hell said that being an all-female band comes with a lot of pressure. "We have had multiple people try to undermine our success and discourage us moving forward. Because this is a man’s world, we sometimes feel as though our failures or bad performances reflect on women’s abilities, even though this is not the case. We try our best to reclaim these negative stereotypes and turn them into motivation.”
If You Go >>
What: Howl of the Sirens 2
When: 7-11 p.m., Sept. 22; doors open at 6 p.m.
Where: Victory North, 2603 Whitaker St.
Tickets: $15 - $25, eventbrite.com
This is an all-ages show.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Howl of the Siren 2 celebrates big female energy at Victory North
