This weekend marks the 10th Ladyfest Midwest, an annual series of benefit concerts and other cool events to aid the Chicago Women's Health Center and other female-friendly charities. Friday brings a dance party to Late Bar with DJ sets from Sam o'Rama of Laurie's Planet of Sound, CHIRP Radio's Emily Agustin, and fest organizer Rebecca Crawford; a $5 donation is requested at the door. Saturday finds the party moved to the Empty Bottle, with a stacked bill featuring the Wanton Looks, the Cathy Santonies, Hollows (pictured above) and DJ Reagonomics; tickets for that one are here. There's also a artistic retrospective of Ladyfest Midwest's ten year history at the LivingRoom Saturday from noon-5 p.m. and Sunday from 2-5 p.m.
The Feast caught up with Jennie Wood, one of the organizers of the first Ladyfest Midwest, for a quick email chat about the fest's history and what to expect this weekend.
Can you tell us a little bit about the origins of the festival?
The first Ladyfest was held in August 2000 in Olympia, WA. More than 2000 people attended and Sleater-Kinney, The Gossip, The Need and Bratmobile performed. Since then there have been Ladyfests all over the world from Amsterdam to Scranton, Toronto to Belfast. Ladyfest Midwest was held in Chicago in August 2001, one year after that very first Ladyfest. We started organizing the event months before. I remember a friend first telling me about it in January 2001. She was getting involved in the planning of it and thought I would be interested. A big thing for me about Ladyfest—and something that makes it very dear to me —while it's a festival that celebrates women artists, it is not anti-male. In no way does Ladyfest discriminate against men or transgenders— unlike some other festivals. That was key for me. I wanted to be a part of a community, to help organize a festival that celebrated women without alienating anyone else.
What sets this year apart from other years?
It is the 10th anniversary of the first Ladyfest Midwest - that's what makes this year special and that's why we've planned multiple events. We have a dance party planned on Friday night at Late Bar, a music showcase on Saturday night at the Empty Bottle, and an exhibit at a gallery on Saturday and Sunday. The exhibit will include photos and video of the 2001 Ladyfest Midwest, which was a four day, multi-venue festival.
Any of this year's performances you're especially excited for?
On Friday night at Late Bar I'm very excited about Rebecca Crawford DJing. I can't wait to hear what she plays. Crawford was an organizer of the 2001 Ladyfest Midwest and her band at the time, the Puta-Pons, played that festival. It's great to have one of the core organizers/original performers DJing. I'm also very excited about the music showcase on Saturday night. Members from two of the bands performing also performed in 2001 in their previous bands. I really can't wait to see all three bands rip up the stage.
Any past performances that stand out in your mind?
ESG at the Congress in 2001 was very memorable, in part, because I still can't believe we got them to do it, to basically come out of retirement. However, for me, the MOST memorable performance from 2001 was Shannon Wright at the Friday night Empty Bottle show. I had never seen her live before that night. I was working the door, managing the event for Ladyfest and was just floored by her performance. She went back and forth from piano to guitar, giving this blistering, primal performance. I remember thinking while she performed that this was what Ladyfest's all about - introducing artists to new audiences, sharing the music, sharing the experience. It was one of the most amazing performances I've ever seen and totally unexpected. I headed into that evening at the Empty Bottle to work, to do my job as a Ladyfest organizer, but I got to see this amazing performer. It was such a gift.
What would you say is the ultimate goal of Ladyfest?
It's to celebrate female artists and musicians, raise money for important charities, raise awareness of those female artists and those charities, but more than anything, for me at least, Ladyfest is about building a supportive community. Artists spend so much time in isolation - making their music, making their films, their art. Ladyfest provides not just a stage and an audience to show that art, it provides a community of fellow artists.
