Olympia, Washington is celebrating the influence of riot grrrl icons Bikini Kill and naming August 23 Bikini Kill Day in the city. It’s the same day the band headline South Sound Block Party, and there will be a ceremony featuring them, Mayor Dontae Payne, and city officials that will stream live on South Sound Block Party’s Instagram. A proclamation from Payne reads:
WHEREAS, Bikini Kill, a band formed in Olympia, Washington, in 1990, played a pivotal role in the Riot Grrrl movement — a feminist punk rock movement that has empowered women and marginalized voices across the globe; and
WHEREAS, Bikini Kill’s music and activism have inspired countless individuals to challenge gender norms, speak out against injustice, and create spaces for underrepresented voices in the music industry and beyond; and
WHEREAS, the band’s influence extends far beyond their music, symbolizing resistance, empowerment, and the fight for gender equality, and inspiring generations of artists and activists; and
WHEREAS, the City of Olympia recognizes the cultural and historical significance of Bikini Kill, whose members have not only contributed to our local music scene but have also brought international attention to our city as a hub of progressive thought and artistic innovation; and
WHEREAS, the City of Olympia acknowledges that during the formative years of the Riot Grrrl movement, we did not recognize the significance of the movement, the power of the message behind the music and the revolutionary artists creating it; and
WHEREAS, the City of Olympia recognizes the importance of preserving the legacy of Bikini Kill, the Riot Grrrl movement, and our independent music scene as vital parts of our community’s history and identity; and
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Dontae Payne, Mayor of the City of Olympia, do hereby proclaim August 23, 2024 as
BIKINI KILL DAY
SIGNED IN THE CITY OF OLYMPIA, WASHINGTON THIS 23RD DAY OF AUGUST 2024
Meanwhile, Bikini Kill recently began their North American tour, which stops in NYC for shows on September 7 and 8 at Brooklyn Paramount. Night one (with Birthday Girl) is sold out, but tickets are still available for night two with Sweeping Promises. See all dates below.
BIKINI KILL: 2024 TOUR DATES
AUG 21 – Forest Grove, OR @ Grand Lodge *
AUG 23 – Olympia, WA @ South Sound Block Party
AUG 25 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Union Event Center #@
AUG 27 – Denver, CO @ Mission Ballroom ^
AUG 29 – Milwaukee, WI @ Pabst Theater +
AUG 30 – Chicago, IL @ The Salt Shed (Indoor) +
AUG 31 – Detroit, MI @ Masonic Cathedral Theatre +
SEP 03 – Toronto, ON @ History %
SEP 04 – Montreal, QC @ L’Olympia %
SEP 06 – Portland, ME @ State Theatre ^
SEP 07 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Paramount ~
SEP 08 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Paramount ^
SEP 10 – Philadelphia, PA @ Franklin Music Hall ^
SEP 11 – Baltimore, MD @ Baltimore Soundstage ^
SEP 12 – Baltimore, MD @ Baltimore Soundstage &
* with The Ghost Ease
# with Cheap Perfume
@ with Blisste
^ with Sweeping Promises
+ with Shadow Show
% with Retail Simps
~ with Birthday Girl
& with Birthday Girl DC