The Smell’s Riot Grrrl X-mas Carnival donates to Downtown Women’s Center
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For the last three years, the holiday cheer of the Smell’s Riot Grrrl X-mas Carnival has thrived on two things: fiery, female-fronted punk bands and $5 donations. Since 2007, the show’s proceeds have gone to benefit the Downtown Women’s Center. Meanwhile, this winter’s slam dancing soiree aims to gather chord crunching musicians from L.A. to the Bay Area to support the good cause by generating a solid helping of ruckus and sweat.
The line-up includes raucous Oakland quartet the Splinters, locals La Sangronas y El Cabron, the Outskirts, Anus Kings, Toy Attica and Santa Ana’s the Bellhaunts. Whether you’re a fan of throat-shredding rage to folk storytelling, the line-up appears to pay homage to punk rock of all pedigrees.
Tapping the underground scene for some seasonal giving is a Smell tradition that Susana Sepulveda--the event’s founder and member for La Sangronas--hadn’t counted on when she threw the first Xmas Carnival (not originally a Riot Grrrl show) as a one-off gig with the hope of doing some proactive charity work for the holidays. Now going on its third year with the blessing of venue owner Jim Smith, the show has become absorbed in the Washington-based feminist musician movement.
This Riot Grrrl gig is also open to local artists and zine publishers looking to display their wares for show-goers at the Smell. Thanks to increased popularity by buzzing word of mouth, Sepulveda says the event’s donations to help to fund a newly added DWC Residence building filled with affordable housing units for homeless women in the community. Those looking for new ways to use head banging for a good cause might add this to their post-Christmas list of things to do.
-- Nate Jackson
Riot Grrrl X-mas Carnival at the Smell, 247 S. Main St. Los Angeles, Sunday, Dec. 26. (213) 625-4325, www.thesmell.org. 9 p.m. $5 at the door (additional donations for the Downtown Women’s Center are welcome).
