Bikini Kill Reunion After Two Decades!

The highly influential riot grrrl provocateurs Bikini Kill return from a two-decade hiatus — but unfortunately, won’t be back for too long. Bikini Kill announced their reunion tour earlier this year, consisting of just a handful of shows in LA and NYC. A few additional shows were added in both locations, as well as two more in London. The line-up includes all of the original members except the replacement of guitarist Billy Karen with Erica Lyle.

Founding members Kathleen Hanna, Tobi Vail, and Kathi Wilcox met at Evergreen State College and formed Bikini Kill in 1990. The three initially teamed up for a magazine to push forward their feminist agenda, but later took their efforts and utilized them musically and ferociously. Their early concert goers consisted primarily of young women (and even some men). Female punks, especially during the riot grrrl movement, always faced the challenge of male concert attendees looking to demean and cause trouble. Hanna would project herself into the crowd to single-handedly deal with them and chant her famous “GIRLS TO THE FRONT” slogan. Brave, angry, and political, Bikini Kill focused on issues that had never been approached by their punk ancestors. Topics like sexual assault and gender inequality finally reached the surface of the punk movement; and with such an assertive approach, there was no stopping their force.

The good news is that now, 22 years post-breakup, Bikini Kill returns to showcase their ongoing fury. The bad news? Every single show in the states is sold out. If you are or will be in the NYC area, I suggest searching for some re-sellers. Here’s a link!