{"id":255122,"date":"2026-04-07T04:05:10","date_gmt":"2026-04-07T04:05:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/255122\/"},"modified":"2026-04-07T04:05:10","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T04:05:10","slug":"uscs-femfest-takes-a-new-stage-annenberg-media","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/255122\/","title":{"rendered":"USC\u2019s FemFest takes a new stage \u2013 Annenberg Media"},"content":{"rendered":"

On March 29th, Dear Elise<\/a> stepped onto stage at The Echo, in an ocean of blue light.. With their upbeat drum beat and heavy, crunchy guitar tone, Dear Elise had no trouble pulling the crowd towards the stage and nodding to the beat as the band opened their set with \u201cSee It,\u201d the first track in their latest EP, \u201cThe World Wasn\u2019t Big Enough.\u201d<\/p>\n

FemFest is USC\u2019s self-described \u201ccounter-patriarchal music festival,\u201d historically hosted annually on USC\u2019s McCarthy Quad. The festival had previously featured well-known artists such as Chappell Roan<\/a>, Caroline Polachek<\/a>, Raveena<\/a> and MUNA<\/a> (who are USC alumni). In a space where all sorts of artists, regardless of fame or renown, share the stage, FemFest cultivates a community that uplifts and amplifies the voices and art of women, people of colour and the LGBTQ+ community, carving out a space for minorities in an industry dominated by men.<\/p>\n

Out of the lineup of five bands, Dear Elise and WALLIS hail from USC, all of which largely consist of former or current Thornton students. These Trojan bands, along with California-based bands such as 12 Gauge Trixie<\/a> and The Blushes<\/a>, were the opening acts for Turning Jane<\/a>, an all-girl rock group from Los Angeles.<\/p>\n

\"PhotoDear Elise, FemFest\u2019s first opening act (Photo by Lynn Wee). <\/p>\n

When asked about how they had felt during the performance, Lizzie Marcou, Dear Elise\u2019s lead singer, responded by saying, \u201cWe felt amazing. We haven\u2019t played a show in five months, so we\u2019ve all been itching to get back out there and debut our new stuff. It was such a great, fun, positive vibe and everyone brought so much energy!\u201d<\/p>\n

Having performed for FemFest<\/a> in the past, they were no stranger to the ethos of the event. <\/p>\n

\u201cMy initial reaction to being invited to perform at Femfest was \u2018Yes, duh!\u2019 We\u2019ve done another show with them in the past \u2014 I love the message and what they stand up for,\u201d Marcou said. \u201cIt\u2019s everything we believe in, and we wanted to contribute in any way possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"ThreeWALLIS (centre) and her background singers, Sophia Jane Condon (right) and Hannah Norman (left) (Photo by Lynn Wee). <\/p>\n

WALLIS took the stage next, bringing up the energy with an upbeat setlist. Background singers Sophia Jane Condon and Hannah Norman stepped onto the stage mid-set, bringing background vocals and harmonies that interwove and complemented each other.<\/p>\n

Donning pink nun outfits, The Blushes then took over the stage. Under purple and pink lights, their femme-rock sound resonated within The Echo. The \u201cthree little punky princesses\u201d Katie Earl-Hogan, Katy Rose and Lori Dorfman had the crowd moving and dancing to their head-bopping setlist.<\/p>\n

\"MiaMia Baenziger (left) on guitar, and Paloma Bareno (right) on her thrifted bass (Photo by Lynn Wee). <\/p>\n

A whirlwind of bright scarlet hair painted the stage throughout the next set \u2014 12 Gauge Trixie\u2019s lead singer, Violet Howitt, could not be missed. With her powerful vocals, along with Art Rodriguez (lead guitar), Mia Baenziger (rhythm guitar), Paloma Bareno (bass) and Blake Dutra (drums), the band revitalised the crowd with energetic, gritty rock. Beach balls and balloons were thrown above the crowd midway through their set, keeping the energy high in the middle of the four-hour festival.<\/p>\n

Last but not least, Turning Jane brought their powerful, alternative rock to the stage, opening with \u201cFreak Show.\u201d Lead vocalist Taylor Heart\u2019s red microphone stand, adorned with a rose at the top, added a subtle, feminine centrepiece to their stage. With Izzy Jennings on guitar, Jordi Radnoti on drums and Jasmine Dennis on bass, the Los Angeles-based band ended the night with a bang.<\/p>\n

\"TaylorTaylor Heart, lead singer of Turning Jane, speaks to a captivated crowd (Photo by Lynn Wee). <\/p>\n

In an email interview with Annenberg Media, Riley Patterson, the Executive Director of FemFest, said that before the show, there had been a lot of anxiety and thoughts rushing through her head. Running such a large-scale event, especially without the backing of being on USC ground, certainly added an additional layer of pressure.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid we remember everything? Are people actually going to show up? Are people going to have fun? But as the show progressed, I started to just have fun and soak in the fact that all of our hard work paid off. After the show, I was filled with so much gratitude for my team and the community FemFest has created,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

One of the ways that FemFest\u2019s lineup had been decided was not just to draw an audience, but to keep them. With a long lineup, the risk of the crowd disengaging and dwindling in energy is a risk, resulting in a negative experience for not just them, but the performers as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cFour hours is a long time to listen to music, so we wanted to bring in artists that would make people want to stay the whole time,\u201d Patterson said. <\/p>\n

Their choices also had been an act of community \u2014 people in the team were connected to all of the bands in some way or another, and they wanted to showcase the talents and art created by their friends.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll the artists fall within the rock or alternative genre, but with distinctly different sounds and vibes, so there would be a little bit of something for everyone,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n

\"MerchandiseMerchandise for Turning Jane (Photo by Lynn Wee). <\/p>\n

With each band enthusiastically welcoming the acts following them, any barrier between each band had become nonexistent. No matter the size of their fanbase or how well-known they were within the music scene, they all shared the same stage, celebrating and uplifting each others\u2019 art.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy advice for anyone getting into music or the live music space is to lean on your community,\u201d Patterson said. \u201cDon\u2019t be afraid to ask for help or advice on any situation you find yourself in. FemFest would not have been able to happen this year without my wonderful committee, friends, and professors who were there every step of the way, guiding me.\u201d <\/p>\n