The Julie Ruin - Main Stage, Capitol Hill Block Party, Seattle WA - July 26, 2015

[New York, NY] I associate Kathleen Hanna with guilt - 90s feminist icon and I never listened to her. Her latest band started and I realized I didn’t listen to her because she’s NOT A RIOT GRRRL. A personal misclassification… ??? The Julie Ruin are new wave, Slits, B52s, Bow Wow Wow – once I adjusted, I really liked her. For one, she handled her age (and sickness) with grace – cute but not stupid – fun but not silly – pretty but not slutty – kind of awesome. So now that I’m out of the exhausting mess that was the Capitol Hill Block Party, or that was Dara that day, I realize I do know Kathleen Hanna – Le Tigre, a kind of recent band of hers, is very similar but better than this band. I was always so mystified why this riot grrrl had a band like Le Tigre – well all the confusion is maybe justified. Because she was a riot grrrl!! The one song I did discover (in the 2010s) from her 90s band Bikini Kill is amazing and one of my favorite songs (that I can’t remember) – blends girl power with girl respect and a little touch of girl love. Recommitting to watching the documentary. And listening to Bikini Kill.