A number of local and regional musicians and performance artists are converging on Philadelphia for Ladyfest, an activism, music and arts festival dedicated to the artistic work of cis-women, trans, genderqueer, intersex and queer people and their allies.
The first Ladyfest took place in Washington in 2000 and made its Philadelphia debut in 2003. Ten years later, the festival is back June 7-9 at locations across West Philadelphia.
One of the bands slated to perform, Aye Nako, a homopop/queercore punk band from Brooklyn, heard about the festival through like-minded bands they perform with.
“A mutual friend who was helping to organize it had known our drummer Angie for a while,” said band bass player Joe (no last name…so punk rock!). “We’ve played with most of the other bands that are there. It’s kind of a loose network of people who know each other.”
Philadelphia rock duo Trophy Wife is no stranger to events like Ladyfest. Band member Diane Foglizzo runs Girls Rock Philly and said events like Ladyfest are important to local artists.
“I think it’s incredibly valuable to be creating a performance space that is really intentional and deliberate, where they have conversations about trying to create safer spaces, where we talk about different sections of our identities and being aware of all of those things,” Foglizzo said. “To me, Ladyfest has been a nice change from your standard music festival. Katy [Otto] and I have been incredibly lucky that the shows that we have played have been mostly in feminist spaces or with other queer bands, or bands with lots of women and genderqueer people in them. From what I hear of other festivals, that isn’t always the case. So think it’s nice we can create that kind of space.”
Otto said performing outside of queer and feminist circles gives them an increased appreciation for events like Ladyfest.
“We like taking up space in both of those kinds of worlds because I like that we can defy people’s expectations of what music made by women can sound like,” she said. “It’s really great to have a festival that is organized just out of the energy and creativity of the individuals and is taking place outside of a commercial atmosphere. Ladyfest’s organizers have done a lot to include art and film and community building. So that feels really important and special, highlighting the contributions of women-identified folk and trying to make sure that the environment is inclusive and might be a little bit friendlier than some dirty dank bar with a bunch of aggressive dudes playing.”
Ladyfest runs June 7-9 at the Rotunda (4014 Walnut St.), Locust Moon Comics and Movies (34 S. 40th St.) and Airspace Gallery (4013 Chestnut St.). For a full list of performers, events, tickets, schedules and more information, visit www.ladyfestphilly.com.