Feminist hardcore-punk band WAR ON WOMEN quickly responded to the news last week that the Supreme Court had voted to strike down the Roe v. Wade decision, according to an initial draft opinion that was obtained by POLITICO. The band, longtime sociopolitical activists, announced that they would be donating the proceeds from any sales of their grenade shirt to The Brigid Alliance, a non-profit organization that arranges and funds confidential, personalized travel support to those seeking abortion care in increasingly hostile environments. Within days, the band raised $1,500, and undoubtedly will be carrying the torch against anti-abortion rhetoric as they embark on their tour with Good Riddance on Friday, May 13th.
War On Women on the road with Good Riddance this May!
War On Women will be hitting the road in May supporting Good Riddance, with a few dates including Brutal Youth. They also have a few dates in Canada, so be sure to check them out if they come to your city! Click here to visit War On Women's Facebook page for details on each show and where to purchase tickets.
Upcoming Tour Dates:
May 13 - Brooklyn, NY - Kingsland
May 14 - Asbury Park, NJ - House of Independents
May 15 - Pittsburgh, PA - Thunderbird Music Hall
May 16 - Covington, KY - Madison Live!
May 17 - Chicago, IL - Beat Kitchen
May 18 - Hamtramck, MI - Small's
May 19 - London, ON - Rum Runners
May 20 - Toronto, ON - Velvet Underground
May 21 - Montreal, QC - Pouzza
War On Women announce new album 'Wonderful Hell': Listen to the title track
A lot has happened since War On Women burst out of Baltimore’s activist community in 2010 as an unapologetically intersectional feminist hardcore punk band. In their early days, even some of their peers found their politics “extreme” but in the years since, feminism has undeniably gone mainstream, as evidenced by the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements and superstars like Beyonce incorporating it into their personal brands. There’s also been backlash, from the growth of the alt-right out of misogynist message boards, to an actual rapist landing in the White House where he’s spent the past four years pouring gasoline on the flames of hatred and division, rather than striving toward unity.
That’s all to say, that in the midst of this tumultuous period of American history, and especially with the crucial 2020 election looming on the horizon, War On Women’s unrelenting vision and ferociously vital messages are more necessary than ever before.
Their new album Wonderful Hell (out digitally October 30th + physically on November 13th via Bridge Nine) is a call to action, even when every step forward feels like it’s met with a landslide back. The title track, which unintentionally echoes John Lewis’ notion of “good trouble” as a catalyst for change, emerged during a period when vocalist/lyricist Shawna Potter was feeling exhausted and overwhelmed by life in the Trump era. “I think it expresses something that a lot of people are feeling. Like, ‘Okay, we had our moment. Now it's time to get back to work. We can't let this happen again. We can't endure another four years of this,’” she comments.
Recorded with the band’s guitarist and co-founder Brooks Harlan alongside J. Robbins at his Magpie Cage Studios in February 2020 and completed in April (when in a COVID-19-free timeline the band would have been on tour with Bad Religion), Wonderful Hell is the first War On Women album to feature the band’s current lineup of Potter, Harlan, bassist/vocalist Sue Werner, guitarist/vocalist Jennifer “Jenarchy” Vito, and drummer Dave Cavalier. The record opens with the explosive “Aqua Tofana,” which references the notorious 17th-century “husband killer” poison, and pokes fun at misogynists who’d imagine feminist musicians as jonesing to destroy all men, rather than convert them to the cause. But as War On Women mix lines from Shellac’s classic vengeance plea “Prayer to God” with their own, it’s easy to imagine their brutally tongue-in-cheek barbs could get MRAs shaking behind their 4chan screen names.
Wonderful Hell 's steadfast rager “White Lies” is a takedown of systemic racism and those who complicitly watch—and even benefit from—institutions that openly favor one group over everyone else, while “This Stolen Land” confronts the gall of leaders who declare refugees and migrants “illegal” as they govern from land violently seized from Native Americans. And like War On Women’s previous albums, Wonderful Hell includes plenty of songs that aim straight at the jugular of gender disparity. “Her?” lists the petty but politically lethal criticisms leveled at woman who dare to be visible in public office, while “In Your Path” takes on gender-based violence with lyrics adapted from chants introduced by Chilean grassroots feminist collective Las Tesis.
Like the title track, the anthemic “The Ash is Not the End” and the magnificently slow-burning closer “Demon” acknowledge the natural feelings of wanting to give up or self-destruct in the face of insurmountable adversity—feelings Potter says she has experienced herself. "In those songs I'm giving myself the advice to keep fighting. I'm just hopeful that someone else who needs to hear that message will find strength in it, too," she says.
But while War On Women offers listeners space to vent their anxieties and frustrations, they ultimately challenge them to find their inner strength and build the world they want to live in rather than burn down what’s left of this one. "The thing is, we don't have a do over,” Potter says. “We don't have a time machine. We can't snap our fingers and start from some other place. All we have is right here, right now. So what can you do right here, right now, to help?"
So take a breath, recharge, and then join War On Women— because it's time to raise some Wonderful Hell.
War On Women to support Bad Religion and Alkaline Trio this Spring
War On Women will be supporting Bad Religion, who is celebrating their 40th anniversary this year, and Alkaline Trio!
Bad Religion / Alkaline Trio / War On Women — 2020 Tour Dates
TUE 24-Mar Riverside, CA @ Riverside Municipal Auditorium
THU 26-Mar Los Angeles, CA @ The Hollywood Palladium SOLD OUT
FRI 27-Mar Las Vegas, NV @ Brooklyn Bowl
SAT 28-Mar Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theatre
MON 30-Mar Denver, CO @ Mission Ballroom
WED 1-Apr Austin, TX @ Stubb’s BBQ
THU 2-Apr Dallas, TX @ Gas Monkey Live
SAT 4-Apr Orlando, FL @ House of Blues SOLD OUT
MON 6-Apr Norfolk, VA @ NorVa
TUE 7-Apr Silver Spring, MD @ The Fillmore
WED 8-Apr Buffalo, NY @ Buffalo RiverWorks
FRI 10-Apr Asbury Park, NJ @ Convention Hall
SAT 11-Apr Worcester, MA @ Palladium
MON 13-Apr Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE
TUE 14-Apr Toronto, ON @ Rebel
WED 15-Apr Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore
FRI 17-Apr Columbus, OH @ Express Live
SAT 18-Apr Chicago, IL @ Radius Chicago SOLD OUT
SUN 19-Apr Milwaukee, WI @ Eagles Club
War On Women To Tour With Cave In This Fall
War On Women will be hitting the road with Cave In and Wulf this fall. The tour begins on October 10th. See full dates below:
10/10 Chicago IL @ Metro
10/11 Detroit MI @ Loving Touch
10/12 Cleveland OH @ Grog Shop
10/13 Toronto ON @ Lee’s Place
10/14 Montreal QC @ La Sala Rosa
10/16 Washington DC @ Union Stage
10/17 Philadelphia PA @ TLA
10/18 New York NY @ Bowery Ballroom
10/19 Cambridge MA(w/ Miltown)
10/20 Cambridge MA (w/ Miltown)
10/21 Allston MA @ Great Scott
War On Women to support Bad Cop/Bad Cop this month
War On Women will be supporting California’s Bad Cop/Bad Cop this month. See below for dates and ticket info:
5/9 Detroit, MI @ Sanctuary
www.sanctuarydetroit.com/product/bcbc
5/10 Milwaukee, WI @ X-Ray Arcade
https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/4091355
5/11 Chicago, IL *** Smoking Popes Presents: Live From The Rock Room Fest 2
May 11: https://www.ticketweb.com/…/riot-fest-smoking-popes…/9214465
Two-Day: https://www.ticketweb.com/…/-two-day-pass-bottom-lo…/9214635
5/12 Cleveland, OH @ Now That's Class
https://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1828363…
5/13 Pittsburgh, PA @ Mr. Smalls (Funhouse)
https://www1.ticketmaster.com/event/1600564CD1E6307E
5/14 Cincinnati, OH @ NSYC
http://www.cincyticket.com/badcopbadcop
5/15 London, ON @ Rum Runners
https://www1.ticketmaster.ca/bad-copbad…/…/1000564BED4D5DF4…
5/16 Toronto, ON @ Bovine Sex Club
http://www.showclix.com/…/bad-cop-bad-cop-war-on-women-gues…
5/17 Montreal, QB Canada @ Pouzza Fest @ Foufounes Electriques
pouzzafest.com
5/18 Boston, MA @ House of Blues - Frank Turner/Lost Evenings
SOLD OUT
War On Women to support Smoking Popes on Live From The Rock Room Fest 2
War On Women will be supporting Smoking Popes on their Live From The Rock Room Fest 2 in Chicago! Tickets for both shows, as well as weekend passes, are on sale now HERE
War On Women to support Jawbreaker on East Coast Tour; Launch New Music Video
Jawbreaker just announced their east coast dates with support from War On Women! Tickets go on sale Friday at 10am EST. See dates below:
3/22 Boston MA @ House of Blues
3/23 Brooklyn NY @ Brooklyn Steel
3/24 Brooklyn NY @ Brooklyn Steel
3/27 Philadelphia PA @ Franklin Music Hall
3/28 Washington DC @ Anthem
3/29 Norfolk VA @ Norva
3/30 Sayreville NJ @ Starland Ballroom
War On Women have also unveiled a brand new music video for their song “Silence Is The Gift”. Check it out above.
War On Women announce European Tour with Petrol Girls
War On Women have just announced a European tour with Petrol Girls. For tickets and more information visit mad-tourbooking.de.
War On Women announce Australian tour with Converge
War On Women have just announced a run of Australian dates with Converge after their appearance at 2019’s Download Festival. See dates below:
03/12 Brisbane, AUS – Crowbar
03/13 Adelaide, AUS – Lion Arts Factory
03/14 Perth, AUS – Rosemount Hotel
War On Women's 'Live From Magpie Cage' EP streaming via New Noise
New Noise Magazine are streaming the new War On Women acoustic EP, Live From Magpie Cage, in its entirety. Head there to listen to all five tracks before they officially drop this Friday. The band will also be playing 2 special acoustic shows in support of the release with Good Riddance this week. See dates below:
November 8th @ Brooklyn Bazaar in Brooklyn, NY with Good Riddance, All Torn Up, Counterstrike
November 9th @ Voltage Lounge in Philadelphia, PA with Good Riddance, Crossed Keys, Counterpunch, and Bigwig
War On Women announce November shows with Good Riddance
War On Women have just announced a short run of shows in November supporting Good Riddance. The band will be playing a special acoustic set featuring Shawna and Brooks in celebration of their upcoming acoustic EP Live From Magpie Cage, which drops on November 9th. See dates below.
November 8th @ Brooklyn Bazaar in Brooklyn, NY with Good Riddance, All Torn Up, Counterstrike
November 9th @ Voltage Lounge in Philadelphia, PA with Good Riddance, Crossed Keys, Counterpunch, and Bigwig
War On Women announce 'Live At Magpie Cage' Acoustic EP; Pre-order + New Song via Revolver
We’re excited to announce that we’ll be releasing War On Women’s brand new acoustic EP ‘Live At Magpie Cage’ on November 9th. Recorded live at J Robbins' Magpie Cage Studio (Jawbreaker, Against Me!), 'Live At Magpie Cage' captures War On Women in a raw stripped down form while still maintaining the same urgency and intensity of the original versions of the songs. You can pre-order the limited 7” at b9store.com/waronwomen. The digital download comes with a bonus track that does not appear on the 7”. Listen to “Predator In Chief” from the EP courtesy of Revolver Magazine HERE.
Track Listing
Predator In Chief (Acoustic)
Glass City (Acoustic)
Silence Is the Gift (Acoustic)
Servilia (Acoustic)
Anarcha (Acoustic)
War On Women announce east coast dates with The Slackers
War On Women will be hitting the east coast this winter supporting The Slackers! See dates and ticket links below.
December 21st in Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair
December 22nd in New York, NY @ Irving Plaza
December 23rd in Washington, DC @ U Street Music Hall
War On Women Premiere "Anarcha" Music Video
War On Women have premiered the music video for "Anarcha", one of the singles off of their recently released 'Capture The Flag' album. Stream the video above.