March marks Women’s History Month, and along with it come many music-related events.
Regionally, the Fallser Club has launched Women Rising: A Month-Long Celebration of Women’s History, Music, & Resilience, featuring dedicated programming showcasing female musicians, fine artists, comedians, and filmmakers.
On Friday, the East Falls venue will feature Voices of Philly Soul: Acoustic Sessions with Carla Gamble & Friends, followed up Saturday with Philly Loves Lilith: A Tribute to the Lilith Fair presented by Women in Music’s Philadelphia Chapter alongside Calliope Coalition.
The program continues over the next three weeks with highlights including Philly Live presenting Desi Vibe with Sudha Sai and Rushil, the jump jive of Swing that Cat, Back to Amy: A Tribute to Amy Winehouse with Su Teears, and much more.
“As part of our continued dedication to centering women, LGBTQIA+, and POC artists, we’re honored to highlight incredible creators through Women Rising this March,” Executive Director Ashana Larsen said in a statement. “The Fallser Club is a home for connection, safety, and joy. This month we gather to hold each other up and celebrate the brilliance within our community.”
Throughout the month, fine artist Anne Pollard James’ artwork from “The Delight Project” will be on display at the Fallser Club. The exhibit sees the artist paint the spectacular strength of women on a large-scale canvas, something she explains as an act of radical reclamation, taking back the truths of women’s bodies along with the stories that live within them.
For more information on Women Rising, including the full schedule, head to the Fallser Club website, thefallserclub.org.
Not only is March Women’s History Month, but Sunday, March 8 is International Women’s Day.
To mark the occasion, record stores around the country are banding together for a one-day national fundraiser benefiting Women in Vinyl, a focused effort to open more doors and create real opportunity within the vinyl and recorded music world.
Participating retailers will donate 1% of their in-store and online sales to Women in Vinyl, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting women and underrepresented communities working across vinyl production and the broader music ecosystem.
Started as a blog in 2018, Women in Vinyl has grown to a community, resource hub, podcast, and more that showcases women working in the industry by sharing their stories with the world and creating role models for the next generation.
The organization’s vision is to inspire and create role models to support minorities of all kinds within the community to find their way to the vinyl industry on purpose and not by chance.
The Women in Vinyl 1% drive is designed as a nationwide, virtual record store “block party,” giving independent retailers a simple way to make a tangible impact with funds raised directly supporting mentorship programs, scholarships, and educational initiatives that help create pathways into careers across the vinyl supply chain.
“Every opportunity starts with someone opening a door,” said Women in Vinyl founder Jenn D’Eugenio in a statement. “The Women in Vinyl 1% drive helps us open more of those doors, creating clear pathways into the vinyl industry through community, education, mentorship, and support for people who may not otherwise see a place for themselves.”
Throughout the day, stores will be celebrating in their own ways, from spotlighting women artists, running themed promotions, to sharing posts across social media in support of Women in Vinyl’s mission. Head over to womeninvinyl.com for more information on the initiative.
Vinyl of the Week
Keep an eye on this spot as each week we’ll be looking at new or soon-to-be-released vinyl from a variety of artists. It might be a repressing of a landmark recording, special edition, or new collection from a legendary act. This week, it’s another classic from Rhino’s High Fidelity Series.
T. Rex: “Electric Warrior” COURTESY OF RHINO RECORDS)
• T. Rex: “Electric Warrior”
Widely considered to Marc Bolan’s defining work, “Electric Warrior” introduced the world to T. Rex’s glam-rock swagger in 1971 with smash singles like “Get It On” and “Jeepster.”
Now, it’s been released as part of Rhino’s audiophile High Fidelity series.
Also recently released as part of Rhino’s High Fidelity Reel-to-Reel line, “Electric Warrior” crystallized Bolan’s transformation from cult folk hero to the godfather of glam.
The album topped the charts in the U.K. and was certified gold in the U.S., powered by the hit “Get It On,” which became commonly referred to as “Bang a Gong (Get It On).”
Deeper cuts like “Cosmic Dancer” and “Life’s a Gas” would become touchstones for each ensuing generation that would rediscover the group.
Working with producer Tony Visconti, the T. Rex built a sleek, groove-driven sound, one made up of equal parts grit and glitter that came to define the golden age of glam.
In the new liner notes, Visconti recalls how sessions for the album gained momentum when the band moved from London to LosAngeles, and finally New York, where they cut three songs in a day, including “Lean Woman Blues” and “Jeepster.”
“I could tell this was one of the best times of Marc’s life from how great these tracks turned out: They fully complemented the tracks we had just recorded in L.A. He was so happy,” he writes. “We knew we had a hit album.”
There’s also the cover art, designed by Hipgnosis, which was based on a photo taken of Bolan onstage in the spring of 1971. The iconic result sees an outlined, side portrait of Bolan, playing his guitar, next to a stack of amplifiers, glowing in metallic gold.
The Rhino High Fidelity release of “Electric Warrior” is limited to 5,000 individually numbered copies and available at Rhino.com as well as from all respectable retailers who carry vinyl online and in brick-and-mortar stores.
As a bonus, “Electric Warrior” has two 7-inch singles, “Hot Love” and “Bang a Gong (Get It On),” available to bundle.
To contact music columnist Michael Christopher, send an email to rockmusicmenu@gmail.com. Also, check out his website at thechroniclesofmc.com.