Collective returns to residency at the Book & Record Bar & Picturehouse Cinema, West Norwood from 8th – 10th March 2019 

The Bechdel Sound Test will be bringing good vibes to SE27 this International Women’s Day weekend with three days of events celebrating women in music. The weekender includes a club night celebrating female-fronted cross-genre bangers, a live music night with and a film screening. No genre is off limits; from indie to hip hop to disco and channeling inspirations from the likes of Kate Bush, Missy Elliot, Sonic Youth, Abba, Patti Smith and Kathleen Hanna, the series of events will see local female DJs, music and arts talent take over to the decks at West Norwood’s Book and Record Bar and Picturehouse Cinema.

Originally launching in 2018 as a club night paying homage to the best of female musical talent and riffing on the popular concept of the Bechdel Test (a measure of the representation of women in cinema, first coined by Alison Bechdel), The Bechdel Sound Test has grown to cover film and literature alongside it’s musical origins and will be taking over venues across West Norwood from 8th – 10th March. Profits from the main events will go to charity partner ‘Bloody Good Period’, who tackle period poverty and provide free sanitary protection to refugees and asylum seekers who otherwise can’t afford them. We will also be supporting other female focused charities such as Care International Revelries will kick off with a launch party on Friday 8th March from 8pm, featuring DJ sets from Emma Jackson (Ex Kenickie), Max Tundra, Kath Gifford (Ex Stereolab) and Bechdel DJs.

The Saturday lineup features a diverse range of the finest female and non-binary music talent including Xylo Aria (Downtempo Experimental R&B), Art Trip & The Static Sound (Feminist Psychedelic Acid Punk) & Jemma Freeman & The Cosmic Something (Cosmic Epic Alternative Rock). There will also be other fringe events happening at West Norwood Picturehouse including a film screening of Skate Kitchen, the semi-biographical short telling the story of a female skate collective in New York, and feminist book readings for children.

The Bechdel Sound Test founder Lisa Connolly commented “As a self-confessed music and film nerd, I came to realisation that my Spotify playlists consisted mainly of incredible female artists, most of which were not getting the air time they deserved and hence the idea for The Bechdel Sound Test was born. We pride ourselves on providing a friendly, non -judgemental environment where everyone is welcome, so come down and join us!”

For more information visit thebechdelsoundtest.com