Eekum Seekum is a punk band born out of strong politics and a desire to see themselves reflected in a scene that unfortunately remains heteronormative and insular. They've forged new ground, and fortunately for us, that ground is paved in glitter.
Mary Burnet (vocals), Ryley Beggs (guitar), Emily Davidson (bass) and Megan Best (drums) have been playing basements and parties since December, showing off their poppy, powerful sound to all ages. Their Blatz-meets-Harum Scarum-meets-Peaches brand of punk oozes fun and energy, and they channel that energy into worthwhile causes. "We don't know of any other explicitly queer feminist punk bands in the city. We're really just trying to make the kind music we want to hear," says Beggs. "For us, we've always felt better and safer when we've seen rad women and queer and trans people playing punk. We want queer and trans punks to feel safer within the larger scene that is largely straight and male-focused."
"We want to write more songs that reflect our politics and express the love and rage we feel living in this city," says Best.
They've done that with their new tape, available this Friday at the Khyber. "Our tape is called Glitter Bomb. We were inspired by the recent phenomenon of queer activists throwing glitter in the eyes of their cis-sexist, racist and all around oppressive enemies," says Davidson. "We want to be tough as hell, but also glamourous."
Their songs run the gamut: teen suicide, critiquing corporate pride, addressing police brutality and rape. In the mix with these weighty topics, they still manage a song about being in love with summer fun.
In short, Eekum Seekum don't squander their voice. "It's actually pretty common for subcultures that claim to oppose or subvert the mainstream to reproduce mainstream forms of oppression. Anti-capitalist punk culture can still be sexist, homophobic, transphobic, racist, ableist," says Burnet. "We're working on eking out a larger, more supportive space within the punk scene by loudly calling out all of these forms of oppression."
They have called their music "rough around the edges" but we all know all the best bands are. "Some of us had been in punk bands before but others were pretty new to making music," says Davidson. "This is the kind of band we always wanted to be part of."
Eekum Seekum w/Money in the Banana Stand, Hind Legs, Milk Moustache Friday, May 11, 10pm, The Khyber, 1588 Barrington Street, $5/PWYC
