Show Review: Queer Grunge Night at Parkside Lounge New York City with Tami Hart (Nirvana), Sir Babygirl (Hole), The Dead Betties (L7).
February 7th, 2025.
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-“If you have some dyke drama, tonight’s the night to kiss and make up”
February 8th, 2025
What’s a flake-out to you? Makes us want to dive headfirst into a mousetrap. Anyway, we dodged all the subway rodenticide to make it down to Parkside Lounge last night for the perfect cathartic release: Queer Grunge Night. Tami Hart was Nirvana, Sir Babygirl was Hole, The Dead Betties were L7, Desert Sharks spun the decks and Lilyblueeyes was MC. For a few incredible hours the Seattle sound of the 90’s took over New York City. Here’s what went down:
During load in and setup, NYC gloom punk outfit Desert Sharks was DJ’ing and spinning alt hits from The Breeders, Mudhoney, Stone Temple Pilots, etc. Two color photos of Kathy Griffin holding Donald Trump's decapitated head were printed out and taped to mic stands, facing out towards the crowd. Lily emerged as MC and performed impromptu skits as Courtney Love while Tami Hart laid down background riffs on a black lefty Fender, a Jazzmaster maybe.
The Dead Betties wasted no time proving that their own bricks were very heavy, shredding L7 without abandon. Not only did they channel the music of grunge, they channeled the spirit. Their set was loud, raw, uncompromising, and highly skilled. Pretend We’re Dead, Wargasm, and Everglade all appeared on the setlist. They closed with a rendition of Hole’s Doll Parts, with Tami Hart appearing on stage to do backing vocals.
In between sets there was a Kurt/Courtney look alike contest on stage. There was blonde Kurt, brunette Kurt, lumberjack Kurt, an anarchist cheerleader, and Tori Amos. The crowd cheered for each one but in the end brunette Kurt won the Kurt contest and Tori Amos won the Courtney contest.
Tami Hart closed the show as Nirvana. It’s a tough band to do justice, but that they did. Serve The Servants, Breed, Drain You, In Bloom, Aneurysm, Pennyroyal Tea, and Lithium. At one point Tami talked about owning Nirvana’s Incesticide record and a quote from the liner notes printed inside: “If any of you in any way hate homosexuals, people of a different color, or women, please do this one favor for us — leave us the fuck alone! Don’t come to our shows and don’t buy our records.” We could not stop marveling at the fact that Tami was also a true lefty guitar player. Their drummer even sang backing vocals, a secret weapon of the Grohl era.
The music seemed over too soon. “Where’s Hole?” we asked. “They got sick, couldn’t make it.” someone said. An incredibly on-brand series of events for a Hole band playing a Grunge night show. Still, the entire evening was electric and jam-packed. And it was not just a throwback or nostalgia bait. It was a celebration of art from a time and place where artists built their own roads, carved their own paths, and called their own shots. That spirit is still necessary today and was alive and well at Parkside Lounge. Grunge occupies a distinct part of our psyche and we've written about it in several different contexts. Check out some of our other articles below:
- Featurrre: Rock Archives. Imij, The Gits, Hammerbox at OK Hotel.July 6th, 1991
- Featurrre: Remembering Kurt Cobain & Layne Staley
- Rock Archives: Nirvana’s 1989 NYC Pyramid Club Show
- A Visit To Seattle MoPOP: Museum Of Pop Culture
If you missed this event, connect with The Dead Betties, Sir Babygirl, Tami Hart, and Desert Sharks below to be at the next show! See you around, Rrrat Pack.
| Keywords: | Grunge | Nirvana | L7 | Hole | Courtney Love | New York City | Seattle | Tami Hart | The Dead Betties | Sir Babygirl |
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