Riot grrrl headliners CSS dominate a female frontwoman showcase at the Independent

Photos by James Nagel ~ Written by Molly Kish

Cansei de Ser Sexy brought their Brazillian bravado to the Independent Sunday (June 16). Currently touring to promote their new record Planta in the States, they headlined an impressive bill of up and coming talent on the first stop of their two-night run in the City. Accompanied by indie rock buzz bands IO Echo and MS MR, CSS rocked a sold out venue filled with a mixed-bag fan base representing of all three of the groups.

The featured acts did their job well, turning heads and warming up the crowd for the healdiner. Each act effortlessly commanding the crowd with their individual stage presence and lead vocals to back it up. IO Echo and MS MR provided a perfect example of what the riot grrrl persona, crafted by bands such as CSS, has evolved into with this new and upcoming generation of artists. CSS rounded out the night with a pop-punk dance party filled with hits from their entire catalogue, including brand new singles and a few obscure rarities.

Starting the night off with a raucous rendition of “Art Bitch”, the girls came out ready to shake things up a bit. Known for their boisterous live shows and party girl personas, the ladies weren’t skimping on dramatic flair this evening and wanted to kick things off in riotous fashion. The ladies kicked it into a dance party groove with the reggaeton single off Planta “Hangover”, followed by crowd favorites “Let’s Make Love…” and “Move”. Luísa Hanaê Matsushita commanded attention from the crowd with her sex kitten purrs and eccentric dance moves. Using various props throughout the evening, including embellished fans and golden floor length wing-like appendages, Matsushita entranced the audience with her flowing, Rapunzel-esque mane and relentless showmanship.

About midway through the set, the evening reached a climactic point when various members disrobed down to their sports bras and spandex during “Music is my Hot Hot Sexxx”, remaining in the stripped down attire for the rest of the evening. It was getting late, but the girls still had some party left and obviously weren’t ready to call it a night just yet. After CSS exited the stage, the crowd prompted their return with the a group chant of “CSS Suxxx”. Upon return, the group offered rousing renditions of “Alala” and the 2012 party anthem single “I’ve Seen You Drunk Girl”. Matsushita stage-dove into the crowd without missing a beat while rapping and being lifted above the heads of her adoring, dancing frenzy of fans. When returning to the stage, she gushed about her love for the city of San Francisco and its local music scene, ending the evening on a high note.