L7

L7 aren’t the best live band but to attend was more about a riot girl badge of honour more than anything. A homage to my youth when Shitlist was my 13 year old anthem.
They played in a shithole of a club in the most unsafe hood in the city. I’ve seen shows in worst circumstances. The atmosphere was fitting for the band in a venue in which both parties didn’t care about the sound.
I rode the bus late at night clutching my copy of Bricks Are Heavy. I knew that I wasn’t going to get it signed nor did I try that hard but it was more of a comfort thing. I just recently acquired it on Vinyl (original pressing) after 16 years of looking. Having a record in my care was also my voice of reason to not get into the mosh pit with a $ 150 record. My body has been taking a bit of a hit lately that the restraint was for my own good.
The people in attendance were exactly how you would picture them to be, aged grunge girls with partially faded dye jobs with 4″ of roots grown in without apology. We all looked like characters out of the Decline of Western Civilization. There was a fair share of guys who looked as though they never left the 90’s.
Every punk rocker in the city was there. I should know cause I was stabbed by their spiked clothing throughout the evening.
The girls strolled on stage with a trail of furry. Their stage energy was very inspiring. The chemistry was as in synch as their periods. They were very into their own performance.
They were very magnetic to watch. Their music is technically sub par, however, aside from Bikini Kill they’re one of the riot girl bands whose individual personality breaks through the thin layer of the music.
The stage banter was very vaudeville. Lots of old lady jokes.
Contrary to what they remember their last visit to Vancouver wasn’t 1989 but rather 1997 when they opened for Marilyn Manson. Sadly I missed their set cause my parents were convinced that Manson was the devil. I actually snuck out to the show to catch Manson but missed L7 in the making.
The set list was a greatest hits 75 minutes. Appropriately fitting for this reunion that took longer than it should’ve been.
When I was younger I used to be scared of Donnita Sparks. Her muscle shadow against the horrible Rickshaw lighting was the only thing that flattered Donnita visually, however, she still looked scary. The kind of girl I don’t want to get in a bar fight with.
Seeing my childhood idols Donnita Sparks and Jennifer Finch on stage together was a dream come true. Donnita has changed her style. She sported the whole Suzie Quatro look while Jennifer looked like an older version of herself but none the wiser.