Bikini Kill @ Brooklyn Paramount - Brooklyn

September 7th, 2024: Bikini Kill, Birthday Girl @ Brooklyn Paramount - Brooklyn, NY

Bikini Kill | Photos Courtesy of: Edwina Hay

On Saturday, September 7th, Bikini Kill began their two-night stand at Brooklyn Paramount in Brooklyn, NY. The influential punk band are wrapping up their summer tour and scheduled two nights in New York City at Brooklyn Paramount.

Brooklyn Paramount opened earlier this year, hosting live music in the space for the first time in nearly 50 years. The site is a former movie palace and was a sports venue up until the multi-million dollar renovation by Live Nation. 

Starting the evening promptly at 8 PM was Brooklyn band Birthday Girl. The sextet warmed up the all-ages crowd, who mostly filled the main room despite numerous people standing in line to buy merchandise or still arriving at the show.  Singer/songwriter Eva Smittle cited the headlining act as an influence and expressed appreciation to the band for adding them to this exciting bill.

Bikini Kill then appeared on stage shortly after 9 PM with Kathleen Hanna starting their set with the powerful lyric, “We’re Bikini Kill, and we want revolution girl style now!” and beginning “Double Dare Ya.” The quartet, also comprised of Tobi Vail, Kathi Wilcox, and Sara Landeau opened with BK’s earliest material (“Carnival,” “New Radio,” and “Don’t Need You”) before visiting songs from their full-length records, Pussy Whipped and Reject All American. With no new material to promote, the band played everything old to the delight of everyone in attendance. The audience sang along and danced throughout the whole show with members rotating roles on songs. Tobi left the drum kit to sing “Distinct Complicity,” “Hamster Baby,”  and “Tell Me So” with Kathi or Sara taking over drum duties and Kathleen moving over to play bass. Their set concluded with ”Suck My Left One,” “Jigsaw Youth” and a one-song encore of “Rebel Girl” which is now a timeless anthem.

Bikini Kill disbanded in 1997 and was a band that I never imagined witnessing live one day, especially as someone who discovered them towards the end of their life. Before beginning, “I Like Fucking,” Kathleen shared that she never wanted to play that song before their breakup but now she finds joy in it. Being in a room where mostly everyone is singing along and enjoying music made by four badass women truly is a joyful experience and I’m extremely grateful for Bikini Kill and that gift.

Birthday Girl