Rainbow Girls
Rainbow Girls with The Hot Toddies, The She’s, Kendra McKinley //
The Fillmore – San Francisco
January 31st, 2015 //
For the first time in its rich history, The Fillmore hosted an all-female show last Saturday with the five gals from Rainbow Girls leading the way. Accompanying the Santa Barbara/Sebastopol band was a large contingency of female musicians who currently call the Bay Area home, including Oakland’s The Hot Toddies, SF’s The She’s and Kendra McKinley.
And when The Fillmore said that this would be an all-female night, the venue certainly meant it. Even the people working the venue’s soundboard were women. Better yet, the keyboardist from The Hot Toddies, who was the only male to perform on stage all night, wore a dress and a wig. But despite all the bands being mostly female, their musical styles were quite different from one another.
Kendra McKinley
SF singer-songwriter Kendra McKinley got the night off to a mellow start, plucking her guitar gently as violins, cello and a couple of backup singers played alongside her. Yet, McKinley’s set was in stark contrast to what would come next from The She’s and The Hot Toddies.
The She’s
The She’s would be the most “punk rock” band of the night, as they won over the crowd with their high energy and exciting stage presence. Knowing nothing about them before the show, they were the surprise of the night for me.
The Hot Toddies
The Hot Toddies, on the other hand, offered a sound reminiscent of the first-generation “riot grrrl” band Bratmobile. These four girls from Oakland were in a particularly good mood during their set, as they were celebrating their 10th anniversary as a band. To rightfully celebrate the moment, they asked the audience to get them whiskies from the bar so they could make a toast — and the small, but passionate crowd quickly obliged in getting them those libations.
Rainbow Girls
Far from any of the bands that preceded them at The Fillmore, Rainbow Girls brought an entirely different sound to the table, offering their unique brand of gypsy folk. Making up for a lack of people in attendance, the band did their best to engage with the crowd, asking it at one point to make the room feel like it was at maximum capacity. And even though I didn’t feel quite as connected to their music as some of the other bands, their energy was contagious. On a number of occasions, I found myself moving my feet and dancing to their songs. But just watching the group’s accordion player, who appeared to be in a trance while she played, was enjoyable enough for this spectator, even if I was only one of the few non-females in the building on this historic night for The Fillmore.
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