A landmark London festival dedicated to celebrating five decades of women in punk rock will bring together legendary musicians for a special one-night performance. On October 16, Electric Brixton will host a supergroup featuring members from three influential bands: X-Ray Spex, the Raincoats, and the Slits. The lineup includes Lora Logic and Paul Dean from X-Ray Spex, Gina Birch of the Raincoats, and Hollie Cook from the Slits, alongside punk historian Vivien Goldman and Celeste Bell, daughter of X-Ray Spex frontwoman Poly Styrene. Additional performers announced include Big Joanie, Essential Logic, Akiko Matsuura, Rhoda Dakar, and Hot Wax.
The “Up Yours! God Save the Queens!” festival aims to honor the often-overlooked role women played in shaping punk music and culture. Through curated artwork, photography, fashion, and archival materials, the event documents the contributions of female pioneers who challenged stereotypes and claimed creative space within the genre. The October 16 performance will precede the opening of a major exhibition at the Museum of Youth Culture in Camden on October 23, which will feature previously unseen images and materials from the movement’s key figures.
Festival organizers emphasize the importance of preserving female counter-cultural history. Celeste Bell described the initiative as bringing punk’s female legacy “centre stage,” while Lora Logic highlighted how the movement’s creative expression extended beyond music to encompass visual art and fashion. The comprehensive celebration underscores how women’s narratives represent not a footnote to punk history, but rather a vital and evolving force within the genre itself.
Originally reported by Rollingstone →
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