Adds Wadkins, "We all wanted to ask Angie
to play with us, but knew she was in two other
bands. I couldn't believe she asked us, she's a
wild animal! It's been a pretty hectic year for
us, so we're trying to take things a little slow¬
er for now."
After a whirlwind of just a little over a year
playing together, the punk rock quartet
recently finished up a tour promoting their
Choke on a Cheeseburger EP, released last
December by Quote UnQuote Records and on
7 inch by Freedom School Records. They've
got a double fist full of songs ready for a full-
length album and are working on an "Art of
the Underground" 7-inch single, due out by
early next year.
Eldridge, who sings and plays guitar, says
that the band's only message is "'Don't be a
jerk,' which should apply to everybody!"
"I think it's important to us that three of us are
women playing music," says Wadkins.
"There's a lot more girls playing in bands in
New York right now, and that's been really
exciting for us to see and be a part of. It can
be frustrating dealing with the boy's club, or
the hetero club for that matter, but it's really
important that you keep playing." Get more
Cheeky at myspace.com/cheekyli.
—Liz Gold
Midtown Dickens
After being voted best band of the month
last year by their hometown fans in Durham,
North Carolina, Midtown Dickens gave back
with an all-day music festival in a warehouse
filled with punks, artists, kids, puppies and
singer-songwriter-friend Kimya Dawson with
the release of their CD, Oh Yell!?
Kym Register and Catherine Edgerton have
been playing music together since they were
five, which clearly translates into a fluid,
playful onstage dynamic. Register and
Edgerton have played together professional¬
ly for three years, and with the addition of
drummer and friend Michelle Preslick last
year, they found they right beat to complete
their sound.
The Dickens describe themselves as a
"multi-tasking, DIY, folk punk-grass trio."
They have a "choose your own adventure"
approach to music that unfolds every time
they step on stage. At a typical Dickens
show, Register plays acoustic guitar and
banjo, switches up with Preslick for a song
or two on drums, then drops her guitar for a
resounding trombone finale. Edgerton jug¬
gles an assortment of instruments including
accordion, slide whistle, ukulele and the saw.
After touring with such bands as Bitch and
the Exciting Conclusion, Tilly and the Wall
and Old Time Religion, Midtown Dickens will
embark on a West Coast tour in July before
crawling up the East Coast in the fall.
Currently the band is recording a new album
that Register says will "concentrate more on
the dynamics of each song — hopefully
sounding like the best kind of summer ever."
Visit myspace.commidtowndickens for more.
— Erin Karcher
Winning Looks
Those who remember Tami Hart's folk rock
debut album, No Light In August, may be
surprised to encounter the gritty sound of
her current band Winning Looks, but it's
business as usual to the 27-year-old veteran
rocker. "Though my albums were mostly
acoustic, there has always been a punk ele¬
ment. Nothing has really changed," says
Hart. Her bandmate Kelly Harris describes
their guttural tunes as "Raw and honest. To
the point."
The group's self-titled 7-inch record was
recorded by riot grrl legend Kathleen Hanna
of Le Tigre and Bikini Kill fame, and released
this past May on Waiting Records, an indie
label started by Andrew Martini, bassist for
the queercore band Limp Wrist. In addition
to writing all the music for the Winning
Looks, the prolific Hart recently returned
from touring with her other "dance trash"
bands— Making Friends, who have a single
on an international Crunks Not Dead compi¬
lation album, and the aggressive electronic
Crooklegs, who will be making their New
York City debut in September.
While Harris states that "Being gay is not the
main focus of Winning Looks' lyrics or stage
banter," she admits that, "There are times
and places where it comes out more than
others. ...We got totally harassed at [a local
NYC venue] last summer.. ..They stole our
money and called us fu*king dykes." Despite
that incident, "I wouldn't want to be any¬
thing but an out musician," she says. "There
have never been negative aspects for me,"
says Hart, "because I've always felt lucky
and honored to get to do what I love-
make music." Check out myspace.com/win-
ninglooksrock and waitingrecords.com for
new singles and the latest tour info.
— Sophia Dorval
8 Inch Betsy
The all-girl trio 8 Inch Betsy has been winning
over crowds across the country with their
punk rock ways since Liz Burke, Meghan
Galbraith and Stephanie Levi formed the
band in the summer of 2004. The Chicago-
based group has shared the stage with Amy
Ray of the Indigo Girls and has played with
bands such as Bitch and The Gossip.
8 Inch Betsy signed with Queer Control
Records in 2007. After releasing their first full-
length album, This Time , Last Time ,
Everytime, in January 2008, 8 Inch Betsy
joined their label mates on the Queer Control
Pass The Torch Tour. When asked what the
experience was like touring with their label
mates, drummer Stephanie Levi replies,
"Awesome. It was so amazing how we all got
along. There was no tension, no weirdness;
everybody was just really supportive." The
tour was such a success that there are plans
in the works for a second Queer Control Tour
slated for this October.
8 Inch Betsy draws diverse crowds, and Levi
says that not all audiences are "expecting
these three girls to make so much noise and
rock the house." They are always working on
new material and plan to release their sopho¬
more album within the year. You can guaran¬
tee that 8 Inch Betsy has every intention of
continuing to rock your pants off.
—Sara Sugar
