We are a feminist punk band
Dish Pit's Nora and Brianna hope to empower other women: “We are down to stand for anyone who needs it! We want to show that women can be both angry and fun within music. We are here to provide a voice that isn’t only focused on women’. A feminist punk band covering many political issues.” It is difficult not to feel inspired by the girls explaining their intentions and the feeling is infectious. Nora explains: “Almost everything is fucked up right now! Any capitalist country is killing its poor. We all deserve to be free and with shelter, but there are thousands of people freezing to death on the street.” She feels this applies to what is happening in her country: “Canada is hiding behind its progressive immigration policies while killing indigenous people.” Brianna takes issue with people’s attitudes towards others especially when they hold criticism for the lifestyles people choose to lead: “I hold issues with mostly sexism, racism, classism, trans/homophobia - all the things that make no sense at all and are the product of shitty white men being handed power.” Despite feeling strongly, she admits that she finds it tiresome conversing with others over her views; “I don’t like arguing or explaining myself as it takes too much effort.”
Dish Pit describe themselves as an underground band as they note that only people from Montreal seem to know about them. (Except for us!) They perceive the local music scene there as amazing with lots of gigs available to attend. Nora: “You can watch a punk throw up in a bag from screaming so loud and then the next night listen to drone sounds for 4 hours. There are no limits; Montreal is happening Y'all!” Brianna believes the scene is experimental with lots of subcultures to form a distinct tone within bands; “I think bands feed off each other and as a result, there is a Montreal sound." Although they hold Canada in high regard for playing gigs as they enjoy playing to friends, Brianna identifies England as the location for her favourite gig so far: “It was in Brighton at the Great Escape Festival!” She feels that it displayed how they are getting more comfortable on stage and having more fun as time goes by. However, for Nora, her favourite gig is about the antics they participated in for a Halloween gig, “I had a blood capsule in my mouth that exploded, and we drenched Brianna as well as Jon in fake blood. We found out how sticky corn-starch was that night.” The importance of music is undeniable for so many people, and it is certainly the case for Dish Pit, music has opened their world and them entirely. Nora: “This is going to sound extreme, but you know how people will say how they would be dead without music? Well, I feel like I have finally clued in on that this year. If all you do is work your 9 to 5 and then get drunk at night, what’s the point? You need to be doing something that feels purely for you, that keeps you going.”
Playing live is an element of band life that the trio thrives on and take pleasure in embracing the creative aspects of dressing up while letting loose: “We like to dress up and have a bunch of gimmicks. For instance, we played in full cowgirl attire at our last show where we played with two other very rowdy, heavy punk bands - it was fun to tickle the punk aesthetic.” The band hope that the carefree vibes they exude while on stage infect the crowds: “People should get loose, they should dance and not awkwardly stand around like they are watching a white boy band. I wish people didn’t take it so seriously.” The nonchalant and playful approach is also injected into the creative process, and this is evident in the variation within the tracks. Nora takes a stance on writing: “Every song I write uses a different character’s voice - the shitty dad who walks out on his family in 'Family Man' or the debaucherous femme fatal in 'Trash Queen'. During the process, Brianna admits it entails a lot of focus and she ensures all material is in line with their sound rather than take too much influence from elsewhere: “I don’t like to listen to other bands before I write, because it changes the outcome a little too much. I like to play until something sounds spooky enough for Dish Pit.”
Interestingly, despite the girls living Canada, their drummer Jack is miles away - a plane ride away in England! Although this can present challenges for the band, the girls get on great writing away and reunite with their drummer when touring strikes. Brianna loves the elements that touring incorporates; playing big shows that are fun and feeling like a real band on the road. It isn’t all rosy she admits, and the sleeping arrangements can grow tiresome: “The sleeping on the floor for nights on end while the people you are staying with incessantly stay up till 8 am doing drugs, and there you are just trying to keep a good schedule for mental health drinking chamomile tea!” There is no shying away from grotty slug infested accommodation according to the girls, but they understand this is the less than glamorous road they must embark on to reach greater heights they have their eyes fixed on. When they aren’t on the road, Dish Pit are locked away working on impending tracks and excitingly they have just finished recording a full - length album with well-known producer Steve Albini. The band are stoked for its release, Nora: “It is out in May, and it sounds so fucking good!” They promise that fans will be able to catch them live very soon with tours set for Canada, the US and the UK scheduled in for Summer, so if they come to a festival/venue near you - do not miss this trio rock the fuck out!
See Dish Pit live:
SUN 31 MAR @ l'Escogriffe Bar Spectacle - Montreal - Canada
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