Concert Review: House of Vans Empower Women To Skate And Rock With The Kills

Going to the House of Vans’ Girls Skate Jam, I fully expected to see one fierce kween; Alison Mosshart. The Kills’ front woman is legitimately who I want to be as a human being; a rock n’ roll legend that can sing “F**K YOU!” in leather pants and ignite mass cheers. Yet, that night, every woman was a rock n’ roll legend.

All around ladies were doing their skate tricks while most, if not all vendors, were women. From those creating moves to others creating fashion, House of Vans made a space where women who had a voice could be heard. While some think of a voice according to speech and volume, it is, in its utmost, about expression. As a woman, watching women of all walks of life feel liberated enough to stand, strut, and skate as they please is ALWAYS heartwarming. Smiles and beers were abound and raised up when The Kills came on.
The Kills – List of Demands (Reparations) (Official Video)

The Kills’ Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince ooze rebellion, in part, because they show a rebel is carefree: not careless. Mosshart may seem like the epitome of freedom as she swindles her body around like a rag doll and pulses her rasped vocals like shards of titanium, but she has to work to give so much of herself. A star may shine but it learns to get brighter, and songs like, “Hard Habit To Break”, “Doing It To Death”, and “Telephone Radio Germany” were among their songs that proved that. Rebellions are not about tearing up the old as much as growing into the new, which is what Girls Skate Jam is all about.
The Kills – Doing It To Death (Official Video)

You may not think or know this, but the skateboarding world is not the “friendliest” to women. In fact, I cannot think of any industry that is? Yet, House of Vans has a transformative capacity as a venue. From its A Tribe Called Quest event to the Girls Skate Jam, it landscape/ soundscape absorbs whatever message of night and amplifies it with meaning. Throughout the jam and The Kills’ performance, the message was clear; the future is female. For More Information On The Kills Click Here.
The Kills – Siberian Nights (Official Video)