Blossom Fest - Menstrual Cramps / Murder Club / Gorz / Nervous Rex / Fenix / Freakshow- Newport

Blossom Fest makes a return in 2024 after a success last year. Blossom Fest is a day festival centred around uplifting marginalised genders in the rock and punk scene. Blossom fest 24 will host an array of acts such as Menstrual Cramps, Gorz, Murder Club and many more who all face difficulties in the music industry due to their gender identity. This festival will be highlighting the talent of marginalised genders of all races in the scene whilst bringing a whole bunch of great DIY bands with good ethics to Newport.

Tickets go on sale Friday the 16th of February at 10am, grab yours to join the party! 🥳

👉 https://bit.ly/BlossomFest24-Newport 🎟

The Menstrual Cramps

Formed in a broken bedroom in Bristol, on the verge of homelessness, and rife with anger, The Menstrual Cramps were born. Politics on the brain and injustices surrounding them, they jumped ship to a dive in London and recorded their debut album ‘We’re Not Ovaryacting’ on distorted acoustic guitars, calling on the world to ‘Save the Badgers’, and ‘Cull the Tories’. Their debut music video for ‘My Bush Ain’t Ur Business’ was removed from YouTube after some trolls reared their ugly heads and didn’t want people to reclaim their own breasts or bodies.

Summer 2019 they were back with a new album, ‘Free Bleedin’, which features revolution demanding song ‘The Smash’, the powerful ‘No Means No’ highlighting problematic r*pe culture, ‘Idols’ which approaches the art world’s problem with abusers, demanding us to stop idolising our idols, and 'I Like That Top' a catchy and comedic take on hipsters and gentrification taking over Bristol, which was also featured in the BIFA award-winning film Sweetheart (2021).

The Menstrual Cramps are now taking 2024 by storm, having signed with Alcopop! Records, and releasing their first single in five years, ‘Body Politics’, shouting about the need for true gender liberation in society, and their latest hit single ‘Abortion’, demanding the right to safe abortions for all, and as always The Menstrual Cramps still aren’t here to take your shit!

Nervous Rex

Nervous Rex are the all-trans dinosaur-concept DIY punk band from Bristol. Bringing palaeontology to the punk show since 2019, they formed via Bristol's Eat Up! collective and invented the genre of Dinopunk; learning how to play instruments and stuff came after. Expect songs about queer history, prehistory and gay feelings. FFO Spook School, Martha, Fresh and those who yearn for more dinosaur facts during gigs.  

Fenix

"Fenix are a 5 piece, trans fronted, anthemic rock band based in Cardiff, South Wales, UK. They are an 80% LGBTQ+ band bringing hard hitting songs with big riffs and catchy choruses.

With Down the Front Media's 2019 power pipes best vocals winner Zoey Allen on lead vocals, 2021s Hedwig and the Angry Inch UK theatre tour guitarist Frances Bolley, and the super talented Roma Lane, Tim Cross & Chambo, they are a force to be reckoned with.

Formed in 2023, their debut EP 'Smoke & Mirrors' launched in July on all major platforms with huge support.

Murder Club

Murder Club are a four piece riot-grrrl-informed indie-pop/rock outfit from Newport, South Wales. Formed in December 2020, the girls got together whenever they could in between lockdown restrictions easing to bash out what would soon become their tight set of crowd pleasing, sugary-sweet punky numbers. Inspired by the likes of Hole and Boygenius, their debut EP ‘Sour Candy’ was released in February 2022, exploring matters of cat-calling, bad boyfriends, and being afraid to stick up for yourself. 

As well as a number of headline shows in venues across the south east, including Newport’s Le Pub, Exeter’s The Cavern, and Cardiff’s Porters, the girlies have supported bands such as Shit Present, Adwaith, The Nightmares, The Bug Club, and Algernon Cadwalader. Following a tour with the legendary The Wedding Present, Murder Club, hopped straight into the studio to record their brand new EP with Richard Jackson (The Nightmares, Parcs, The Automatic, Super Furry Animals, Pretty Vicious). The result was ‘The Night Out’ EP: a fizzy, fun, and fresh collection of songs which track the journey of a typical night out, exploring deeper the realities of being a 21st century woman with honesty, humour, and guts. Follow the girls as they get ready for a night on the town in Pictures of Myself, through to the club’s women’s toilets in Shots?! before they can be found stumbling home after the argument of the century in Crybaby. It’s a right mare. 

“I can’t remember the last time I played a band for the first time that just seem to have fallen into place so, kind of, perfectly….They make it sound effortless. (It) feels a little bit momentous” - Adam Walton

Murder Club are Ellie Couburn (guitar, vocals), Kristy Cromwell (bass, vocals), Elisha Djan (drums), and Lily Gray (synth, vocals).

Gorz

QUEER PUNK band based in Briztol but will conquer the wurld, GorZ are multidisciplinary artists amplifying their voices about societal ills. Incorporating avant garde theatrics and paper mache props into their live sets, the collective is an audio visual project as much as it is a band. Shedding their skin to talk on topics like skin tags, consumerism and trans rights. Having played with The Oozes, Tokky Horror, Skating Polly and Snooper they display a graphic insight into the dirty and enraged mind of GorZ.

Gender envy

Gender Envy are a punky band from Nottingham fronted by queer trans and non-binary people. The trio have a diverse catalogue of songs, conveying their own raw lived experiences with a sincere relatability. They have supported indie bands like King No-One as well as headlining supported by local metal bands. Their cathartic, high-energy performances are full of singalong moments and on-stage antics, which get a great response from the audience every time. 

With a strong social media following (95 000 total likes on TikTok) and 20 000 streams on their debut single, Gender Envy have an established backing of online support especially among young queer people. They are moving into a four song release cycle in early 2024, and already have a string of dates booked in, including Nottinghamshire Pride! 

They don’t really know what they’re doing but they’re having fun anyway.

Tickets go on sale Friday the 16th of February at 10am, grab yours to join the party! 🥳

👉 https://bit.ly/BlossomFest24-Newport 🎟

Saturday the 6th of April 2024

Menstrual Cramps

Murder Club

Gorz

Nervous Rex

Fenix

Freakshow

More TBC

Le Pub, Newport

£18 adv / 2.00 / 14+