GenQ - For the not so straight individual

I remember a long time ago, in a universe not far away, in a little place that was once called the Star Hotel, two very funky funny ladies were ripping it up on stage; instantly making me giggle, had me jumping and respecting the bootay. Who were these mysterious awesome women? Why the funky beats? And where do I get such groovy matching tracksuits?

Sista She only performed a few songs that night but instantly I was smashed over the head with the love bug. Womyn, who rapped, womyn, who hip hopped, womyn, who had a chuckle with the audience, womyn, who had a philosophy. A philosophy of sistahood. And It was contagious. This love bug was more like a ravenous centipede (with sneakers) that crawled underneath my skin and was trying to make a home, with a picket fence and a backyard pool and a driveway and.. yeah you get the idea.

This bug wasn’t going anywhere. And it was always hungry for more. The more shows I saw, the more the bug wanted. If I had have drowned myself in the sweat pouring off Rasheeda and Sheila’s foreheads, the bug would not have been sated. My love bug cocooned and had suddenly transformed into an addiction, an obsession if you will… all the fanatic eggs it laid in my subconscious hatched into hairy, juicy peaches. (and yeah I don’t really get where I’m going here).



Now, my bugs and peaches will require a few Sista She survival patches as I deal with the upcoming months of withdrawal (or as I like to call it: Sista She Philosophy Withdrawal Syndrome also known as SSPWS). With no album or record label (hint hint you fat cats out there), Sista She will live in the collective fan’s heads. But I’m getting sadly ahead of myself. Before the withdrawal, comes the event of an obsessive fanatic’s lifetime which happened on a sweet rainy Thursday night in December, in Melbourne’s crazy northern burbs.



The fans were treated with a farewell show like no other at the Northcote Social Club. Not only did we get live performances, we were also privy to a multimedia cavalcade, showing off our grrls adventures on the short lived She TV on Foxtel (soon to be released on DVD I’m sure). The entertainment warming up the audience included The Town Bikes, The Kill Room, One Night Stand and Bec Beat. Surely the most outstanding supporting act was Bec Beat with her superhero costume and percussion set. The improvised solo had us all gob smacked as we watched Bec utilise volume and rhythm in a way that was simply amazing to hear.



When the She finally came out, it was not a moment too soon (not that I was constantly watching the time or anything). A media circus was present, as to be expected with such famous, high quality arteests. Their questions to the grrls were sometimes rude and intimate, but being such dignified upper class womyn, Sista She knew when to cough up and when to zip up, choosing which to answer and which to decline to comment, thereby keeping their integrity in check. John Farnsy was cited as being their deliverance, their idol, their mentor. And as true gentlewomyn, they gave thanks to their fans.



Then the show began with a bit of sweat and grunt and bustin’ tops, not to mention Busty Beats of course (who couldn’t contain her giggles during the media conference but had settled in nicely to her rhythms). I began to wet myself excitedly in the realisation of new songs and the knowledge that old favourites were just round the corner. Highlights had to include Sheila singing alongside her two-dimensional self on the screen as helpful back up (when the soundtrack was too quiet to be heard). She offered support and comfort to her doppelganger like a proper Sista should.

Busty gave us her rendition of “Money�, another cry for monetary help that these grrls so richly deserve. “White Girl, Black Girl� made me tear up as Rasheeda placed emphasis on the new government in power, how things were gonna change and that it was “a brand new day�. “Hairy� was most certainly my favourite song, watching Rasheeda don the blonde beautician's wig and the Charlie Chaplin mask. In fact, most songs were pleasurable due to the grrls’ marvellous on stage presence with each other. It’s like a lava lamp, I can’t turn away.



Suddenly, they were bowing. What!?!?

Suddenly, they were bowing. Yes, I wrote that sentence again because I want you, gentle reader to understand the magnitude of it all. They were bowing and it was already midnight. A night with the She goes by way too fast, much like any night spent with two fantastic womyn. We whistled, we cheered and we received our encore of the Booty song. Who CAN’T hear the rhythm of the booty’s freedom?? And so, just like that, they were gone (well, they actually went over to the merchandise table to meet with the fans, they are that down to earth). I trudged home, with a bitter sweet feeling my heart, as SSPWS kicked in.

But it was such a beautiful night of great female performers. It’s fantastic to see womyn supporting womyn in performances like these. Sista She give back to the community in so many ways. Every one of these acts had something to share with the audience and Sista She gave them the chance to do just that. It’s what the Sista philosophy is all about: ‘helping a sista (or a brotha) out’. And doing it in hip hopping style of course.



I hope this is seriously not “the last time�…