Grrrl Rock

Grrrl Rock night kicks off at 8pm on Friday 1st April 2005 in the George. The night is fully funded by the George and all the bands are kindly playing for free.

So it’s the Fourth Year for the aLAF Grrrl Rock night in the George. Fancy that. If you’re a music head it’s the one night of the aLAF Festival you cannot miss. Free admission (until 10pm), great atmosphere, live bands, jaysus what more could a girl ask for ??

So what bands are playing? Well, there’s loads of female fronted music out there but as the title of the night suggests, it’s a Grrrl Rock night. This means no singer songwriters, no easy going ballads, no electronica, basically Dido, Grrrl Rock night is not. For your pleasure, we’ve gotten you some ladies who love to, and damn well know how to, ‘make some noise’. Friday 1st April will see five bands on stage.

Renminbi

Renminbi first came together in early 2003. In the months prior, Danger, Giant Ranger! guitarist Lisa Liu had been looking to start up a side project to serve as a vehicle for a collection of hard-to-categorize songs she'd been writing that didn't seem to suit DGR. Inspired by a trip to China she had just taken, Lisa already had the name Renminbi in mind as she began searching for a band mate. Her first objective was to find a drummer who could mesh well with her complicated sense of rhythm and work around her unusual song structures. In February 2003, she found those qualities in Jenny Johnson, a classical composer and percussionist with a rock 'n' roll heart. Initially performing only raw instrumentals, Renminbi decided it was missing something and called in soundscape-obsessed SMV to fill out some of the tunes with keyboard and vocals.

After a handful of rehearsals, the band played its first gig on February 27, 2003. Receiving lots of positive feedback and feeling good about the performance, it wasn't long before Renminbi became Lisa's primary project and SMV became a full-fledged member of the band. Eventually, Jenny and SMV began contributing their own compositions, and Jenny and Lisa began to perform as vocalists, as well. As everything came together, the band started to find its voice: combining furious, apocalyptic energy with nuanced song writing and, on the tunes that call for singing, a novel approach to vocal interplay. Currently, about half of the band's songs are instrumental, while the other half include voice. Their sound is often compared with Sonic Youth, Slint, Mogwai, and PJ Harvey.

Renminbi has played all over New York City and recently completed its first tour, which went through California. The band has also played three Ladyfests (Richmond, Ohio and NYC) and is looking forward to playing the Alaf Festival in Dublin on the 1st of April.

In December 2004, the band signed with start-up indie label Schismatik.

www.renminbinyc.com

Easpa Measa

Easpa Measa are an uncompromising, dual vocal (one female, one male) Dublin Hardcore five piece. Their gigs are angry punk with a definate edge which draws you into their political hardcore mayhem. Easpa Measa have a loyal punk following who will have increased over the last few months as they toured extensively all over Ireland, England and Scotland. Just back off tour November 04 saw them add spark to Dublin Ladyfest and already 2005 has seen them rage at Dublin’s Food not Bombs benefit gig in February. Their appearance at the aLAF festival will be one of Easpa Measa’s last before relocating to take on Europe.

www.easpameasa.cjb.net

Medea

Medea are an all female Dublin three-piece made up of Edel Coffey (guitar and vocals), Mary Carton (bass and vocals) and Lynn Millar (drums). They previously played together in Playground Psychotic until 2003 when they split to form Medea.

As Medea they have developed a more sparse, melodic sound, which has been likened to somewhere in between Joy Division and Sleater-Kinney. All three women share songwriting duties and they are due to release their first album in the next couple of months. Medea pleased the crowd at Dublin Ladyfest in November 04 with their quality sound and engaging stage presence. To quote Hotpress

medeamusic@excite.com

Lake Me

The Lake Me collective have evolved into a four-piece aural/visual project, juxtaposing their pounding blues-infused rhythms with live visual projections. While Lucy Hammond (drums) and Nathalie Stern (vocals and electric guitar) provide their musical offerings on stage, Julie Ballands and Clare Tavener capture the action on camera and return a goodie-bag mix of it to the audience. Hailing from Newcastle, England, having played alongside artists such as Erase Errata, Retisonic and PW Long, and with their debut album out shortly, Lake Me promise to rock the disco dancing shoes off you all at the alaf festival.

lakemeuk@yahoo.co.uk

Estel

Formed in 1998 as an art project, Estel released a single which sold out from one record store within 2 weeks. Estel the art project became the band with cult status. Estel are grounded in Dublin's long standing DIY/ hardcore scene with an aesthetic of operating "100% independent". 2005 sees a new line up for Estel, with Andrew Bushe on drums, Sarah Sheil on keyboards, Tommy O'Sullivan on guitar and Stephen Anderson on bass.

Their new albulm,'My Dreams are Like Rabbits They Built Tunnels Fell on the Pavement and Died' is available on CD at Murder City Records.