Skip The Needle But Do Not Skip Doll Fest 2026
Twelve months flew by, but that just means we’re able to welcome in the countdown to the second staging of the fantastic "Doll Fest" event. With all the pomp and circumstance of fascism on full display presently enveloping our lives, we need something subversive to keep us treading water. What better flotation device than to have this on the calendar?
Doll Fest 2026 lives!
This is a space rooted in inclusion, where orientation, gender, race, and ethnicity are not barriers to belonging. For those of us who enjoy freedom of choice and don't openly want to revel in the march behind their pied pipers straight into cages (or worse) of their own creation.
Doll Fest, for the uninitiated, is a celebration of femme and femme-identifying contributions to music and art created from the brilliant and visionary mind of the being that is Maria Chaos and her gang of co-conspirators. I covered DF1 in one of my earlier articles for In Spite Magazine last year. In the months that followed, I met reader after reader who confessed they were still annoyed with themselves for not going the year before. Well, now you have no excuse; don't be a sucka and miss out again this year. I know you all know better!
For 2026 the event will be taking place at the Oakstop, California Ballroom. This is a fabulous, historical venue, a grand art deco palace of entertainment since the "Roaring Twenties." The real deal, originally built in 1926 with high gold leaf ceilings and glitter ball globes, looks like it will create a properly glamorous backdrop, and I, for one, can't wait to be there. Not only that, but it is rather conveniently placed in downtown Oakland.
The intention behind this destination is clear; Maria Chaos and the "Doll Fest Crew" knew what they were doing. The new spot offers ample parking garages, hotels, and restaurants in the neighborhood for people who have to travel any distance for the weekend. It’s also comfortable for the locals and very transit-friendly. Oakland is a diverse food oasis, but it turns out The Oakstop has its own restaurant onsite, which will be in the capable hands of the brilliant Aburaya, whom I have been more than impressed with in my previous experiences.
Last November, the Doll Fest Crew held a warm-up fundraising event at the Kilowatt in San Francisco that I was lucky enough to attend, entitled "Femmes are Giving," with a portion of the proceeds going to help raise awareness and donations for Lyon-Martin Community Health Services. This free clinic has been in operation since 1979, offering no-cost medical, mental, and community services to the transgender and queer community in a safe, compassionate environment.
The evening included kick-ass performances by Half Rotten Goddess, Hot Laundry, and punk pioneers Frightwig. Then there was the Furious Tits, and who isn’t completely intrigued by bands with interesting names? So, top marks for that. FT are a queer punk San Francisco band with nothing to lose, snarky lyrics, and funky bass lines, worshipping at the altar of Iggy Pop and Bikini Kill (shout out to Mosswood Meltdown). Check out their Bandcamp page and give them some love, "Costco Domme" and "All Jobs Are Bad" being my favorite tracks of their set. This band definitely brings the sass and attitude, both in presentation and in their lyrics, which I totally enjoyed. I hope to see more of them. ? So,
There are no words to describe the impact on the mind, spirit, and senses that the four self-proclaimed "Black Dyke Rockers" create as the explosive Skip the Needle.
Nothing compares to seeing them in a live environment. I will just say that I was both intoxicated and overwhelmed by it, so much so that I went to see them at a later date, just to prove to myself that it was not a one-off. I was utterly aghast to find they outdid themselves even further at the second event! Not only are all four of them extremely talented individually. They weave a rich tapestry of their influences but make it their own signature eclectic mix. Bringing us anthems of fight, hope, and revolution, which are sorely needed shots in the arm for the current climate we are mired in. They blew the doors and roof off of the Kilowatt that night and turned me into a believer. If you are intrigued by any of this, I would suggest you go invest in a bunch of merch and CDs for as I did. Get yourself a copy of the "We Ain't Never Going Back" album. You will not be disappointed.
All five of these bands were fantastic and made for a very memorable night; I highly recommend them all, and it was a glorious precursor of the caliber we can expect for this year's Doll Fest event. I cannot wait. Whatever you do, DO NOT skip DOLL FEST!
Top Minnesota trio ,Vial, will headline day one of DF2 this year, with Bad Cop/Bad Cop headlining the second before jetting off to take their place in this year's coveted 30th anniversary of the
rebellion festivals
Now that it’s hitting the UK, expect a few more sets to carve themselves into memory the way they did last year. I’ve definitely got my eye on 18 Fevers, El Colectivo Sabinas, and Bitch Fit, but the best moments are usually the ones you can’t plan for.
18 Fevers at Rebellion Festivals 2024—courtesy of ©dickslaughter.com
