Shuffle through the pages of any mainstream music magazine and there’s one thing you can be certain of: the number of features on men in rock ‘n’ roll far outweigh those of their female counterparts. It’s a glaring, male-dominated gender gap – one that, while not as apparent in underground scenes and alternative media, keeps lady rockers in the shadows. It’s also part of the reason why 40-year-old music journalist/musician Sara Sherr started Sugar Town, a monthly showcase for women in rock ‘n’ roll.
Inspired by the Riot Grrl movement, the upsurge of “Ladyfests”, and Fur Salon, a mid-90s queer-punk party, Sherr started Sugar Town a decade ago as a way to spotlight the many women musicians and DJs rockin’ out locally and nationally. Named after a Nancy Sinatra tune – and a play on “Sugar and spice and everything nice” – it’s first show was held on January 11, 2001 in The Balcony at the Trocadero with Sarah Dougher, Cynthia G. Mason and Kara Lafty (ex-The Jane Anchor) and has been a dedicated supporter of the female music community ever since, despite a few needed hiatuses along the way. Sugar Town has two upcoming shows at its homestead Tritone: The Halloween Show on October 30 with The Midnight Beat, Workhorse III, The Tulanes, Death Rattle (featuring members of Fluid’s monthly queer-punk night Finger Banger) and DJ Nattie Ice and November 6 with Amy Klein (of Titus Andronicus, Solanin, and Hilli), Sara Marcus, Bells Bells Bells, and Attia Taylor. Recently, The Deli had a chance to chat with Sherr about Sugar Town’s inner workings, the state of woman in music, and how her event is helping close the musical gender gap. You can check out her thought-provoking perspective here. (Photo by John Donges)