The Menstruators

Friday night in downtown Los Angeles punk rock will be served with a side of sweet fig and prosciutto pizza. The revolution, apparently, will come with cured meats.

A reunited Babes in Toyland, a band that in the late '80s came howling out of the Midwest hellbent on female-fronted resolve, will headline a punk rock hootenanny in which fancy food and nervy comedy will sever as supporting acts.

Cheekily titled Riot Grill, the event is curated by celebrity chef Nadia G (real name: Nadia Giosia) and has aims to be part activist gathering, part dinner party.

"Cooking isn't just for soccer moms or 3-star Michelin chefs," says Nadia G, creator and host of Cooking Channel series "Bitchin' Kitchen."

"Even the freaks and fiends want some fried porcini ravioli," she adds.

Nadia G will hope her menu is as bold as the lineup.

Acts on the bill include sleazy-meets-sunny rambunctiousness of Slutever, Nadia G's own nascent and raucous the Menstruators, and the downright carnal, and at times carnivalesque, Le Butcherettes. The latter have a new album, "A Raw Youth," due next month. It's a work lead Butcherette Teri Suarez says is somewhat of a concept album.

"I hate using the word 'theme,' but every song is basically about an oppressed voice," she says. In the first 10 minutes of an interview, Suarez name-checks activists, writers and scholars such as Bisi Alimi, Malala Yousafai and Lydia Cacho.

So what kind of food goes well with rock 'n' roll dedicated to the rebels? "Chilaquiles," says Suarez, without hesitation.

Babes in Toyland founding member Lori Barbero has some of her own requests. Together with Babes in Toyland for the first time since the mid-'90s, Barbero will be taking time off from her bartending gig at Minneapolis' Surly Brewing Company to make the trip west for Riot Grill.

Food, she says, is a passion, with some exceptions.

"I'll try anything, but right now I'm over the pickled thing," she says. "That fad needs to go away. Everything is pickled. It's unbelievable. There needs to be a restaurant that doesn't have anything fermented or pickled."

Chilaquiiles don't appear to be on the menu Friday, but Barbero should be in the clear. Nadia G's menu will include Philly cheese steaks with creamy taleggio sauce, fried ravioli with wild mushrooms, crispy polenta-friend Buffalo cauliflower and candied bacon dark chocolate cupcakes.

Trust her, she says, there's a method to her mix of music and creamy taleggio sauce.

"These ladies are fierce, unapologetic, and bold, so let's just say there's no stinkin' kale on this menu," she says, adding, "basically, its gourmet spin on my bar food favorites."

The tasty event is important, too, say organizers and participants.

A portion of the ticket proceeds for the concert and food extravaganza, which will be hosted by comedian Sarah Schaefer, will go toward supporting the Human Rights Campaign, a leading gay and lesbian rights organization. Also, good food, says Nadia G, shouldn't just be a privilege of the upper class. Tickets for the show start at $34.99.

"For the longest time exquisite food was only accessible to the bourgeoisie," Nadia G says. "But in the last 10 years cooking has undergone a massive global revolution and now everyone is a foodie -- which is a beautiful thing."

Suarez added that the event has her thinking about the sort of food that available to the masses. "It's brings consciousness to food," she says.

Barbero stands behind the event's motto that "gourmet punk rock feminism rules." Feminism, she says, is about equality, an issue that's as important today as ever. Anything that bring greater awareness to these social causes is vital.

She references current events, such as political debates over Planned Parenthood. "It's still a man's world," she says.

Some things haven't changed since Babes in Toyland's early days, when "We had to prove that we were serious," says Barbero.

Back then, Barbero remembers some of the criticism that came with the territory. "There were comments: 'Oh, you're just famous because you're girls,'" she said. "First of all, we're not famous. Second of all, yes, we're women. We need to be able to get paid just as much, if not more. I'm sorry, but most of the women I know who work have to work a lot harder than men to get where they're at. They have to prove themselves."

So if crispy polenta-friend Buffalo cauliflower isn't the first thing one thinks of when someone references the mid-'90s riot grrl movement, Nadia G says Riot Grill is a celebration of how far we've come while acknowledging there are still gains to be had.

"Feminists were considered renegades and pretty much blackballed by mainstream pop culture," Nadia G, 35, says of her formative years during the '90s.

"Finally that's changed and feminism is no longer a dirty word.From Lena Dunham to Nicki Minaj to Laverne Cox -- strong women are front and center in the mediascape, and that's what Riot Grill is all about, celebrating kick-ass chicks with one fist in the air." - LA Times

In its early days, punk was celebrated for its diversity and inclusive spirit. But it also experienced issues of gender inequality, dating back to its beginnings in the mid-1970s.

Yes, women fronted many of the most iconic punk bands in history and served as principal originators of the movement — see Patti Smith, Joan Jett and Exene Cervenka, to name a few. Still, by the early '90s, women in punk and rock had become so marginalized that it sparked the riot grrrl movement, a feminist hardcore punk culture that dissected and discussed women's issues.

Two decades later, Riot Grill tackles some of those same social issues at the intersection of punk rock and feminism, as well as LGBT rights.

“I grew up in the ‘90s riot grrrl punk scene,” says celebrity chef Nadia G, founder of Riot Grill, a first-of-its-kind, fully female-fronted festival combining punk music, edgy comedy and her patented "bitchin’" food, happening Aug. 7 at the Regent Theater in downtown L.A. “These women didn't just create incredible music; they're the feminist role models of my generation. Riot Grill continues the tradition of celebrating fierce ladies — from rock & roll to comedy to food — and I'm f'n proud to help set that stage.”

In a completely flooded festival market, Riot Grill cuts through the noise via its unique blend of music, food and comedy. For Nadia G, it was important that her event find its own lane.

“I wanted to take the best things life has to offer and slap them together for a magical night of mayhem,” she says. “Riot Grill is the first and only all-femme fest that melds an exquisite menu, sick stand-up and dirty rock & roll all under one roof.”

Nadia G has the right combination of brains and clout to pull this off. A literal culinary rock star, she currently hosts hit TV series Bitchin' Kitchen on the Cooking Channel and has penned two best-selling cookbooks. Her new riot grrrl act, The Menstruators, will perform at the festival. So launching Riot Grill was a natural move for her.

There’s an agenda at work with Riot Grill, too, one that hearkens back to the days of revolutionary punk. In addition to underlining gender-inequality issues by highlighting leading females in the fields of food, music and comedy, the festival is a proud advocate of LGBT rights, supporting the Human Rights Campaign, America's largest civil rights organization working to protect LGBT equality.

“We are living in revolutionary times,” says Nadia G. “From Amy Schumer to Empire's Cookie to Caitlyn Jenner, strong women are finally front and center in the [media landscape]. That's what Riot Grill is all about: celebrating kick-ass women with one fist in the air, while the other holds a bacon-chocolate cupcake.”

The musical lineup features three punk and riot grrrl artists: ‘80s punk pioneers Babes in Toyland, who inspired many riot grrrl acts but never directly associated with the movement; Mexican garage-punk trio Le Butcherettes; and L.A.-via-Philadelphia brat-punk duo Slutever. The food menu will feature a Bitchin’ Kitchen pop-up presented by Nadia G herself, and Emmy Award–winning stand-up comedian Sara Schaefer, formerly of MTV’s now-defunct Nikki & Sara Live, hosts the night.

“At the most basic level, I just want everyone to come out and have a blast eating, laughing and rocking out. But it’s also a chance to inspire women, and men, to support gender equality and LGBT rights,” says Nadia G. “Having an all-female-fronted lineup is such a rare thing, and I hope it inspires more [women and men] to get loud and not be afraid to express themselves, from the kitchen to the stage and everywhere in between.” - LA Weekly

Festivals such as Coachella and the Warped Tour still tend to be dominated mainly by male performers, but the new Riot Grill Fest (as well as Burger-a-Go-Go 2 at the Observatory in September) aims to restore a sense of gender balance in the musical universe. Riot grrls just want to have fun, but they also need to eat, so Canadian chef Nadia G. will serve dishes from her Bitchin’ Kitchen TV series before declaiming credibly feral punk (“Princess Hollywood”) and grungy pop (“Grass”) with her band The Menstruators. Newly reunited with its classic early lineup, Babes in Toyland still raises goosebumps with Kat Bjelland’s scabrous poetry and surging, postpunk riffs. Their unsettling combination of beauty and rage paved the way for the theatrical, often bloody psychodramas of Mexico’s Le Butcherettes and the fuzz-shrouded revelations of local duo Slutever, also performing here. - LA Weekly

In California, punk rock and food have been a match made in a mosh pit since the 70s.

However, not since the OG post-gig hangs of Oki Dog and late great Madame Wong’s have the two collided with such tasty ferocity than at the inaugural Riot Grill food and music event stationed at the historic Regent Theatre in Downtown Los Angeles. The event was billed as a “Feminist Punk Rock, Food and Comedy Festival for LGBT Rights” and took place this past Friday.

And there’s only one person in the mainstream food business with enough street cred to direct traffic in that intersection: Nadia G.

Nadia G. is the host, creator, and executive producer of the YouTube-turned-Cooking Channel comedy cooking show Bitchin’ Kitchen, which lasted approximately three seasons. Nadia also hosted a food and travel show called Bite This with Nadia G, with dialogue mainly inspired by her Italian heritage and fueled by her bitchin’ bravado in to cooking. The native of Quebec, who now calls LA home, represents a new brand of feminism.

I caught up with Nadia G. and asked her how she came up with Riot Grill and what she hopes to achieve with this one-of-a-kind festival. (Full disclosure: Nadia has in the past grilled a burger for me at a backyard barbecue.)

MUNCHIES: Congratulations on launching Riot Grill. Sounds bitchin’. Let’s start from the beginning. What was the aha, or, better yet, oi! moment that moved you to create Riot Grill?

NADIA G: I grew up in the 90s riot grrrl scene and it had a huge influence on me. Bands like Babes in Toyland, Bikini Kill, and L7 redefined “femininity” and taught me so much about female empowerment. I’ll never forget the moment I saw Kat Bjelland in torn fishnets, red lipstick smeared, belting a revolution into the mic—it was life-changing. I realized right then and there that women were fuckin’ beasts and no sexist beer commercial could ever take that away from us. That type of fearlessness and dedication to the essence of feminist principles had a profound impact on who I am. Fast forward to 2015, you have a booming festival scene—from comedy to food to rock ‘n’ roll—and still most of them are goddamn sausage parties. So I created Riot Grill, a fest where badass women rule, and I’m proud to help set that stage.

MUNCHIES: Let’s move from the mosh pit and go to the nosh pit. What did you cook for the hungry hordes at your event?

NADIA G: Every chef needs inspiration and mine was inspired by our bold lineup. Let’s just say there wasn’t any fuckin’ kale on this menu. I’m talking short-rib Philly cheesesteaks smothered in a Taleggio cheese sauce, deep-fried porcini ravioli with a spicy Italian salsa, sweet fig and prosciutto pizza with pecorino, crispy polenta-fried Buffalo cauliflower, candied-bacon chocolate cupcakes, and an exquisite Thai basil hard lemonade that goes down a bit too easy.

MUNCHIES: Which bands represented the music side of the event?

NADIA G: Our lineup was pretty legendary and bridged three generations of riot grrrls. Headliners Babes in Toyland were mind-blowing—my neck is kinked from moshing so hard. Mexican garage band Le Butcherettes were mesmerizing. Slutever, which featured the Patty Schemel from Hole, were raw as fuck. And my band The Menstruators played as well.

MUNCHIES: Was it more difficult to come up with the performer’s lineup or the menu?

NADIA G: You know, both have their challenges, but coming up with a coherent lineup—especially since this was the first music festival I’ve put together—was probably more challenging. Wrangling bands and trying to work with everyone’s schedules can be difficult. Short rib ain’t got no stinkin’ blackout dates.

MUNCHIES: From your experience, did you find certain foods pair better with the feminist punk or LGBT crowd, or is good food just good food period?

NADIA G: Interesting question. I think people often forget or don’t realize how much diversity one finds within affinity groups like “feminist punk” or “LGBT.” It’s easy to say, “Oh, the bacon chocolate cupcakes were a hit because har har har, women and chocolate, amirite?” But that was one of the great things about Riot Grill; seeing the crowd and realizing what an eclectic group of people showed up to witness herstory. So yeah, good food is good food.

MUNCHIES: Was there any symbolism towards anything? What if you ate the Philly cheese steak backwards? Hidden messages?

NADIA G: Two things were at play. It’s a menu inspired by bar food, the perfect grub to coat your belly for a night of mayhem. And my dishes were inspired by the fest’s epic all-femme lineup. These ladies are fearless and bold, and my menu reflected just that. It was Montreal-Italian fusion with big flavors that punch you right in the face—but in a good way.

MUNCHIES: Was all of the talent female?

NADIA G: Yep. All of the bands are female-fronted, I did the pop-up, and brilliant comedian Sara Schaefer was our MC. One of my favorite jokes of the night was a bit about Anthony Bourdain, involving deep-fried labia and a tribal cum bowl. There are so many incredibly talented women out there—from the kitchen to the stage—and Riot Grill is all about creating a space to celebrate them. I wanted to show Los Angeles you don’t need a dick to rock out with your cock out.

MUNCHIES: Was this Nadia G.’s Live Aid? How will the LGBT community benefit from Riot Grill?

NADIA G: We are proud supporters of LGBT rights. This year was filled with incredible milestones, but the battle for equality is far from over. Just look at the “religious freedom” legislation that is being passed in various states around country, which basically allow businesses to legally discriminate against members of the LGBT community. Just because you have the right to believe in Santa Claus doesn’t give you the right to discriminate against others. That’s why we partnered with the Human Rights Campaign because they have worked—and continue to work—tirelessly to squash state-sponsored homophobia.

MUNCHIES: Do you think Julia Child and Poly Styrene are looking down and smiling at you today?

NADIA G: I hope not, because that would be creepy—especially because I’m not wearing pants right now.

MUNCHIES: Is there an important message that you’d like people to take away in their goodie bags after all is heard and devoured?

NADIA G: That gourmet punk rock feminism rules.

MUNCHIES: Thanks for speaking to us. - Vice

A little piece of herstory was made last night at The Regent Theater in Downtown Los Angeles when Riot Grill Fest took over for an all-femme punk, comedy and food extravaganza, with partial proceeds going to support Human Rights Campaign and LGBT causes. Upon walking in and literally almost running into badass drummer Patty Schemel twice, followed by chatting with the fantastic and inspirational Alice Bag, I knew right off the bat that Riot Grill Fest would prove to be something special.

Comedian Sara Schaefer eased the early bird crowd in with jokes that spanned a variety of topics from crackin’ on 2Chainz lyrics to pissing in the grocery store to ridiculously bad advertisements targeted at women. That combined with her enthusiastic introductions for each band translated into enthusiasm from the crowd.

Newbie garage punk duo Slutever took to the stage first. Their fairly low-key stage presence made it feel like you were sitting in on a band rehearsal (but in a really big room), but they rocked lout and you could tell they were having fun even amidst concentrating on playing well throughout the set. Drummer Patty Schemel joined them for a core chunk of their set and it felt like I was watching a momma bear leading her cubs and showing them the ropes of rocking out live.

Chef, host and mastermind behind Riot Grill, Nadia G of Bitchin’ Kitchen fame, then amped things up, beer in hand, with her band The Menstruators. The hodge-podge band got those punk rock wheels turning, churning out killer tunes such as “Slut Anthem,” “Grass,” and the perfect punk rock sing-a-long “We Don’t Care” (The Facebook Song), all accompanied by Nadia G’s witty introductions. The Menstruators finished off strong with a rollicking cover of Prince/Sinead O’Connor’s “Nothing Compares 2 U.”

Next up, Le Butcherettes blew the crowd away with an intense, fireball set. Suddenly a mosh pit formed out of nowhere and anyone who wasn’t flailing around with their hands in the air, had their eyes affixed on singer/guitarist/keys player Teri Gender Bender. Teri’s commanding presence and vocals filled the room – complete with faces full of hair, microphone, and theatrical, contorted movements that were absolutely phenomenal and backed by beastly drums and bass. In no time, the entire room became possessed by the spirit of rock n’ roll! Le Butcherettes also went out with a bang, covering Bikini Kill’s “Rebel Girl” with guest appearance from Buzz Osborne and Dale Crover of The Melvins.

Shortly thereafter things got even louder as the audience roared with applause when grunge/metal rock veterans Babes in Toyland came on. As drummer Lori Barbero and guitarist/vocalist Kat Bjelland stated in unison, “If you ain’t in the pit, you ain’t shit,” and from there the crowd lost it. A flying shoe, head-banging old dudes, cameras up and fists in the air for the rest of the set which included various heavy hits from across their highly influential three-album discography. I was especially struck by the best scream of the night from Lori Barbero at the end of, “Drivin,” off their ’95 album Nemesisters. Even Nadia G. was spotted in the crowd rockin’ out in full force during their set. This was a sign to me that Nadia G. accomplished what she set out to do with Riot Grill – celebrating badass bitches. - Grimy Goods

Pop quiz! Which do you prefer: feminist revolution or fried ravioli with porcini and ricotta and spicy Italian salsa? How about this: girl power bands like Slutever and Babes in Toyland or crack bacon dark chocolate cupcakes?

If you are in Los Angeles this weekend, you don't have to choose. Riot Grill, an all-femme punk, comedy and food fest is combining all your feminist passions and foodie desires into a single revolutionary festival. Is your mouth salivating while your hand subconsciously tightens into a fist prepared to pump? Good.

This year's lineup features Babes In Toyland, Le Butcherettes, Slutever and The Menstruators. Emmy Award-winning stand-up comedian Sara Schaefer will be your lovely host, and Bitchin’ Kitchen's celebrity chef Nadia G is providing the grub. Bonus: all proceeds from the evening will fund the Human Rights Campaign's fight to protect LGBTQ rights across the country.

If you need a little background, the Riot Grrrl movement has fought against patriarchal capitalism in all its manifestations since the 1990s. In the words of the original Riot Grrrl Manifesto: "BECAUSE we are interested in creating non-heirarchical ways of being AND making music, friends, and scenes based on communication + understanding, instead of competition + good/bad categorizations... BECAUSE we are angry at a society that tells us Girl = Dumb, Girl = Bad, Girl = Weak... BECAUSE I believe with my wholeheartmindbody that girls constitute a revolutionary soul force that can, and will change the world for real."

To add to those stirring words, we'd suggest a Riot Grill addendum: BECAUSE we femmes also deserve a dank six-course meal while benefiting the LGBTQ community and the belief that Love is LOVE!

This is happening tomorrow. Get your tickets now. "Riot Grill" begins at 7 p.m. at the The Regent Theater in Downtown Los Angeles. - Huffington Post

Bad ass babe Nadia G is somewhat of a super woman due to the many avenues she occupies while wearing heels to die for. Some of the powers she's mastered include putting it down in the kitchen, rocking a stage, and kicking some jokes around, but now, she's adding another one: Festival superstar. The first ever Riot Grill is popping its cherry August 7th at The Regent with an all grrrl lineup that includes Babes in Toyland, Le Butcherettes, Slutever, and The Menstruators. It will also be hosted by comedian Sara Schaefer and will feature a pop up by Nadia G's Bitchin Kitchen. Sounds like crazy fun right? We were super pumped to get on Nadia's level for a chat and since we've talked with her before, we decided to make it completely rando this time because we remember a thing or two about how she rolls. And rocks. Effortlessly.

OC WEEKLY (Ali Lerman): How did the idea to lineup an event like this come about?

NADIA G: If you think about it, Bitchin' Kitchen was always about three things; food, comedy, and punk rock. So creating a live show that skiaffs it all together was a natural next step. Our line-up is sick with Babes in Toyland, Le Butcherettes, Slutever, and my band The Menstruators all performing. Sara Schaefer is hosting and I'll also be doing a pop up featuring all my best recipes. Riot Grill is basically BK reincarnated but with a killer live soundtrack, food you can actually eat, and a mosh pit. Or should I say, "nosh pit."

OC WEEKLY: I love it! So when it came time to pick the food, did you go with a theme? Something like, finger food that doesn't leave sauce on your hands so when you pump them in the air there's no sticky remnants?

NADIA G: Ha! I can't make any promises about the sticky fingers. But in case your hands do get dirty, just do what any civilized human would do. Pretend to hug your friend and wipe it on their back.

OC WEEKLY: Ahhh...the ol' hug and rub. Got it. How did you narrow down what you'd be cooking up? The options really could be endless!

NADIA G: Like any artist, a chef needs inspiration. So for my Bitchin' Kitchen pop up, I was inspired by what people want to shove into their greedy faceholes when smashed. It's an ode to bar food so short-rib Philly cheesesteaks smothered in Taleggio sauce, deep fried wild mushroom ravioli served with spicy Italian salsa, sweet fig and prosciutto pizza, and bacon chocolate cupcakes. Essentially, it's the perfect menu for a night of drinking, dancing, and mayhem.

OC WEEKLY: Urghh, I'm starving now. Off topic but help the ladies of the world out for a sec. What's the secret to being a foodie and staying so slim?

NADIA G: I do a lot of Muay Thai. I figure if this whole rock star thing falls through I can always make some cash fighting in underground death matches and look fab while I'm at it!

OC WEEKLY: Fair enough! Let's get into the rock. If you had to listen to one album for a month straight, which would you pick and why?

NADIA G: No matter how good a band is, listening to them for one month straight borders on Guantanamo territory. I'm going to go with ocean sounds, BECAUSE YOU WILL NOT TRICK ME, DAMMIT!

OC WEEKLY: Haha ocean sounds would be awful but, I get it! Kinda morbid but I'm going there anyway, name a couple of songs that you'd like on your "funeral song list." And no ocean sounds!!

NADIA G: Not morbid at all! In life only two things are guaranteed, death and Guy Fieri going to Flavortown. So for my funeral please play "Cincinnati" by The Distillers and then bring in the bagpipes. Because even if I'm just another shitbag who bit the dust on this overpopulated rock we call earth, bagpipes will make people feel like I was important.

OC WEEKLY: Well said. Of sorts. Spot on with Guy Fieri though! Speaking of important, I hear you have some beef with Facebook. From one gal who is annoyed by Facebook to another, please explain.

NADIA G: I don't have much of a problem with Facebook requests, but more of a burning hatred for Facebook in general. Here's my latest song about precisely that. It's called, "We Don't Care-The Facebook Anthem."

OC WEEKLY: I fucking love that. And when it comes to your band, how did you decide on the name The Menstruators? Very clever indeed.

NADIA G: I'm a riot grrrl at heart and the name "The Menstruators" just felt right. It's crass, it's feminist, it's unapologetic, and most importantly, it cuts through the noise. You know what you're getting when you hear a band name like "The Menstruators" and it's going to be loud, dirty, and very punk rock.

OC WEEKLY: If your band could get the rights to cover any song, which one are you going with?

NADIA G: I'm going to have to go with "Nothing Compares to You" from Prince/ Sinead O'Connor. We already do a pretty rad cover of it during live shows, so being able to do that, um, legally would be sweet.

OC WEEKLY: By the way, do you gals do kid's parties?

NADIA G: Abso-fucking-lutely! Bat Mitzvah's, Quinceañera's, Communions... Book us for all of your party needs here: The Menstruators.

OC WEEKLY: Hilar. I LOVE the products in your on-line store so any thoughts of having a booth at Riot Grill so people can bring home an awesome souvenir?

NADIA G: Riot Grill swag is pretty sweet. I created it with one of my favorite designers Christopher Lee Sauve. He actually just did Madonna's tees. We were inspired by 90's riot grrrl punk posters and the gear looks awesome! You can grab it at the show or online at www.nadiag.com.

OC WEEKLY: Alright so after this event is a major success, any thoughts of taking it on the road?

NADIA G: I'd say a big resounding YES to that. Cheers to this being the first of many Riot Grill's that celebrate the most kick ass women in music, comedy, and food. I'll definitely drink to that. But honestly, I'll drink to anything so...

Grab your tickets now for Riot Grill on Friday August 7th at The Regent DTLA by going to TicketFly.com. 448 S. Main Street Los Angeles 90013, (323) 284-5727. For more info on the event check out www.RiotGrill.com and for more info on Nadia, go to her website BitchinLifestyle.tv and follow her on Twitter @BitchinKitchen and on Instagram. - OC Weekly

On Friday, August 7, the first ever Riot Grill Festival took place at The Regent in downtown Los Angeles. The festival was billed as “the first festival of its kind: an all-femme fest that brings together punk music, comedy, and delectable grub in celebration of LGBT rights.” The punk music was courtesy of Babes in Toyland, Le Butcherettes (who were joined by Dale Crover and Buzz Osbourne of Melvins for a cover of Bikini Kill’s “Rebel Girl”), Slutever (performing as a trio for the first time with drummer Patty Schemel), and The Menstruators (featuring the festival founder and chef, Nadia G). The comedy was brought by Sarah Schaefer. Photographer Leslie Kalohi attended this awesome festival last week and provided the images for this gallery. - Impose Magazine

Riot Grill Revolution, grill style now! Tonight at The Regent Theater, you can rock out to set after set of all-women punk bands, including the recently (and finally) reunited ’90s anti-darlings Babes in Toyland and Mexican garage band Le Butcherettes among others. Even better is that there will also be a pop-up from chef and cookbook author Nadia G’s Bitchin’ Kitchen, where you can grab philly cheesesteaks, fig and prosciutto pizza, arancini, and cupcakes done up in dark chocolate and bacon. G will also be taking to the stage with her new band The Menstruaters. Finally, all our punk-rock-food-lovin’ dreams are coming true. - LA Magazine

Thanks to celebrity chef Nadia G., who currently hosts the hit TV series Bitchin’ Kitchen on the Cooking Channel and is the vocalist of one of the bitchin’ bands that graced the stage for Riot Grill, The Menstruators, Friday was an evening to celebrate punk, comedy, food, and lgbt rights.
While we stuffed our faces with yummy food, we rocked out and laughed to an epic all-femme fest line up featuring: Babes in Toyland, Le Butcherettes, Slutever, The Menstruators and hosted by comedian Sara Schaefer.

Babes in Toyland kicks off their North American tour August 27th, but we were lucky to hear them live again. Things got pretty wild during “He’s my thing” and some fans crashed the stage. Mexico’s Le Butcherettes really got the crowd riled up when they covered Bikini
Girl’s “Rebel Girl” with Buzz Osborne and Dale Crover of the Melvins. Teri Gender Bender and company were slathered in red and hot as ever. Patty Schemel joined Slutever on drums for most of the duo’s set. - LA Record (pics)

When I first saw the flyer for the Riot Grill Fest I immediately wanted to shoot this show. Babes In Toyland headlining coupled with Le Bucherettes, was enough to grab my attention. I had not seen The Menstruators or even heard of SLUTEVER, but with band names like those and headlined with one of the best riot grrl bands in history ever, this had to be great.

Riot Grill was hosted by Sara Schaefer comedian and grub provided by Bitchin' Kitchen. Nadia G.is the lead singer of The Menstruators and celebrity chef of her Bitchin' Kitchen TV Series. Nadia was the sole mastermind behind this one-off feminist supported evening of punk rock and LGBT rights at The Regent Theater. Comedian
Sara Schaefer filled in the waiting time between bands with her witty, smutty cracks on 2Chainz lyrics, bad feminist advertisements and her snapple approach on "everyone leaks pee in their pants". I thought she did a good job at keeping the crowd humored.

SLUTEVER:
SLUTEVER based out of LA was the first band to play. Two young ladies that rotate between drums, bass and guitar. For the first half of their set they had a trump card when they brought up Patty Schemel (original drummer of Hole). Patty definitely added some depth to their music and it appeared as though she was mentoring this garage duo.
Nicole and Rachel shared the lead vox and switched up instruments. They played an 11-song set list. My favorites were "Teen Mom", "Maggot" and "1994".

THE MENSTRUATORS:
Next up was Nadia G. and her band THE MENSTRUATORS. Nadia's outfit of fish net, metal studs and a mask she wore as a crown pretty much summed up her fiestyness. Nadia owned the stage as she is "Princess Hollywood". Nadia and band definitely pumped up the crowd and exploded thru songs like "Slut Anthem", "Poppers", and "We Don't Care" (slamming facebook). She graced us with a "French Song" (nicely done) and the finale was a Sinead O'Connor "Nothing Compares". Nadia G. spawns an "I can do anything" attitude, and "I don't care what you think". This is an admirable quality in a young woman today that "We Can Do It"! Nadia G. is a powerhouse and seems to fall inl ine as a role model. She has my vote! After all she is Bitchin' Kitchen, masterminded Riot Grill Fest, lead singer of The Menstruators Can't wait to see what she has planned for us next!

The Menstruators deliver full force smut punk-rock. I highly recommend this band and you can see their next show on Saturday August 22nd at The Viper Room in LA. I will be there for sure!

LE BUCHERETTES:
I could feel the intensity of the crowd as they pushed towards the stage. This was my first time seeing them and I anticipated the hype.
Teri Gender Bender lead vox, guitar and keyboards is everything I had ever heard and more. This woman exploded onstage in a red dress like a volcano that just erupted. She is dynamic in everyway. Teri's vocals are so powerful and preceded by a domineering stage presence you can't take your eyes off her. She exudes hot passionte rage with quick quirky movements that resemble a wild animal at times, yet beautifully graceful and innocent. WOW!!!

Teri is backed by one hard hitting dynamic drummer in Chris Common and leveled out with Jamie Aaron on bass/vox. Le Bucherettes torched thru a short set of 9 songs which included "Demon", "Devil" and "Take A Step Back" Teri had an ace in her pocket when she brought up Buzz Osborne and Dale Crover of The Melvins for the grand finale of "Rebel Girl," a Bikini Kill song.

BABES IN TOYLAND:
Kat Bjelland guitar/lead vox, Maureen Herman bass/vox and Lori Barbero drums/vox are Babes In Toyland. These three women have laid ground and influenced many riot grrl punk rock bands to this day. They have reunited after a long haitus and just finished a world tour. I was so happy to see them headlining this bill and blessed to catch another opportunity to watch them Rock Out.

The fans were holding strong in between the set waiting for Babes In Toyland to hit the stage. Everyone started whistling, pounding, cheering and chanting. Then finally Kat came strolling across the stage wearing her signature black baby doll dress and I could tell by the look in her eyes she was ready to rip us apart. Lori took her position behind the kit and Maureen picked up her bass, then in Unison Kat and Lori said "If you ain't in the pit, you ain't shit"!! And so it began, shoes flying everyone pushing forward with fists in the air. Myhem had begun.
The trio raged through a 14-song set list including "Won't Tell", "Vomit Heart", "Handsome & Gretel" and when they started playing "He's My Thing" some fans crashed the stage.

Kat Bjelland delivers a manic approach simultaneously with her high leg kicks all the while shredding on her guitar and singing. Lori Barbero hits so hard that she tapes up the fat end of the stick to hit her kit (not the drum tips) so they don't break.

Babes held their ground and claimed yet another stake in history at The Riot Grill Fest.

Babes In Toyland are a Veteran grunge/punk-rock riot grrl band that KICK ASS!!! Do not pass up a chance to see them play, as this is probably your last chance. - On Request Magazine