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Gonzo Report: Doll Riot are harder and faster than the Runaways
All-female punk/garage band lights up the Che
Doll Riot raised high the roof beams.
It was a cold and soggy Saturday night. Heavy mist descended upon the UCSD campus. It was as if the sky were spitting on all of us congregating at the Che Café. My intentions were to see the all-female punk/garage band Doll Riot. They hit my radar after I saw them open for TSOL at the Casbah last year. Their cute appearance fooled me. They’re not a cutie girly band by any means. They play their own material with an attitude, and are harder and faster than the Runaways. They have songs called “Fuck You” and “Murder Spree.” Check out the lyrics sometime.
The Che Café, also referred to as Che Café Collectives, was founded by UCSD students in 1980. Not only does the name of the venue honor revolutionary Che Guevera, it also works as a backronym for “Cheap Healthy Eats.” UCSD has attempted many times to close the place down over the years, and has served a few eviction notices. The details for each collective are on the Che Café website. For example, one of the collectives handles band booking, and another the vegan kitchen space. It’s been a popular venue for punk and indie bands for many years. Bands such as Rocket from the Crypt, Chumbawamba, and Green Day have performed there, along with many local acts. (It’s also a sober space, free of alcohol and drugs. No stories this evening of me smoking or drinking and rolling on the floor.) I haven’t seen a performance there since the ’90s. The stage may have been moved to another spot, but the sofas are still in the back next to the bookcases filled with books and magazines.
I was greeted by four students sitting at a table by the entrance: “Hi, are you here for the show?” asked the young man with long blonde hair who was wearing a white sweatshirt and checkerboard Vans. “That’ll be $15, please.” They all had sweet dispositions. A young lady with the glasses and long sleeve shirt approached me. “Would you like to speak with the show’s organizer?” she asked. I said yes, waited for about five minutes, then went about my business after the organizer didn’t show.
I was there to see Doll Riot, but I got a little more than I bargained for: a 12-band festival called The Gun Show. I arrived around 8:30, which meant I missed most of the acts, but I was lucky enough to catch Spunk. According to their Instagram page, they’re from the Sewers of Hacienda Heights. Singer Bruno’s act was reminiscent of Darby Crash of the Germs. He threw his mic over the rafters, wrapped the cord around his neck, and mock-hung himself. The band got a mosh pit going, and the floor must have been slippery, because there was a lot of slipping and flopping around. There were also a number costumes: some attendees painted their faces like cats, one girl dressed as an angel, another dressed as the Devil, and one even wore a ski mask. I enjoyed my $3 vegan gummy cola bottles and $2 Raspberry Rose Poppi and took note of the other greyheads in the crowd. They could have been parents of some of the performers. Punk Rock has either lost its stigma or is something passed down from generation to generation. “Mama was a mosher!”
Doll Riot came on stage around 9:30. They did a quick impromptu sound check, but most of the crowd seemed to think it was the start of their set. When they started rocking in earnest, I positioned myself front and center and acted as a bumper, letting people in the pit bounce off me. No harm to either party.
Their set was hot and energetic, much like the packed-in crowd. I liked how they changed tempos from hard and fast to slower and more melodic. Elena the vocalist either sang, screamed at you, or talked to you. Ella on guitar stood stoic, displaying impeccable timing while hitting her notes and solos. Speaking of timing, London’s bass runs during the breakdown and the way Lillee came in banging her drums gave you that old hardcore punk rock feeling from the ’80s.
I got to catch up with the young ladies after the show. All of them were very polite. They formed in 2021. Elena and Ella hooked up first. They found London on Craigslist and stole Lillee from a band called Wasted Years. Did I mention they were young? They must wait outside a 21 and up venue before they can play. Well, except for Ella, who recently turned 21. “I can stay for the other bands now!” she exclaimed. They just came out with their debut album Grage.
Here's something you might be interested in.
Gonzo Report: Doll Riot are harder and faster than the Runaways
All-female punk/garage band lights up the Che
Gonzo Report: Doll Riot are harder and faster than the Runaways
All-female punk/garage band lights up the Che
Doll Riot raised high the roof beams.
It was a cold and soggy Saturday night. Heavy mist descended upon the UCSD campus. It was as if the sky were spitting on all of us congregating at the Che Café. My intentions were to see the all-female punk/garage band Doll Riot. They hit my radar after I saw them open for TSOL at the Casbah last year. Their cute appearance fooled me. They’re not a cutie girly band by any means. They play their own material with an attitude, and are harder and faster than the Runaways. They have songs called “Fuck You” and “Murder Spree.” Check out the lyrics sometime.
The Che Café, also referred to as Che Café Collectives, was founded by UCSD students in 1980. Not only does the name of the venue honor revolutionary Che Guevera, it also works as a backronym for “Cheap Healthy Eats.” UCSD has attempted many times to close the place down over the years, and has served a few eviction notices. The details for each collective are on the Che Café website. For example, one of the collectives handles band booking, and another the vegan kitchen space. It’s been a popular venue for punk and indie bands for many years. Bands such as Rocket from the Crypt, Chumbawamba, and Green Day have performed there, along with many local acts. (It’s also a sober space, free of alcohol and drugs. No stories this evening of me smoking or drinking and rolling on the floor.) I haven’t seen a performance there since the ’90s. The stage may have been moved to another spot, but the sofas are still in the back next to the bookcases filled with books and magazines.
I was greeted by four students sitting at a table by the entrance: “Hi, are you here for the show?” asked the young man with long blonde hair who was wearing a white sweatshirt and checkerboard Vans. “That’ll be $15, please.” They all had sweet dispositions. A young lady with the glasses and long sleeve shirt approached me. “Would you like to speak with the show’s organizer?” she asked. I said yes, waited for about five minutes, then went about my business after the organizer didn’t show.
I was there to see Doll Riot, but I got a little more than I bargained for: a 12-band festival called The Gun Show. I arrived around 8:30, which meant I missed most of the acts, but I was lucky enough to catch Spunk. According to their Instagram page, they’re from the Sewers of Hacienda Heights. Singer Bruno’s act was reminiscent of Darby Crash of the Germs. He threw his mic over the rafters, wrapped the cord around his neck, and mock-hung himself. The band got a mosh pit going, and the floor must have been slippery, because there was a lot of slipping and flopping around. There were also a number costumes: some attendees painted their faces like cats, one girl dressed as an angel, another dressed as the Devil, and one even wore a ski mask. I enjoyed my $3 vegan gummy cola bottles and $2 Raspberry Rose Poppi and took note of the other greyheads in the crowd. They could have been parents of some of the performers. Punk Rock has either lost its stigma or is something passed down from generation to generation. “Mama was a mosher!”
Doll Riot came on stage around 9:30. They did a quick impromptu sound check, but most of the crowd seemed to think it was the start of their set. When they started rocking in earnest, I positioned myself front and center and acted as a bumper, letting people in the pit bounce off me. No harm to either party.
Their set was hot and energetic, much like the packed-in crowd. I liked how they changed tempos from hard and fast to slower and more melodic. Elena the vocalist either sang, screamed at you, or talked to you. Ella on guitar stood stoic, displaying impeccable timing while hitting her notes and solos. Speaking of timing, London’s bass runs during the breakdown and the way Lillee came in banging her drums gave you that old hardcore punk rock feeling from the ’80s.
I got to catch up with the young ladies after the show. All of them were very polite. They formed in 2021. Elena and Ella hooked up first. They found London on Craigslist and stole Lillee from a band called Wasted Years. Did I mention they were young? They must wait outside a 21 and up venue before they can play. Well, except for Ella, who recently turned 21. “I can stay for the other bands now!” she exclaimed. They just came out with their debut album Grage.
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