In a surprise move that electrified the underground music scene, the pioneering feminist punk duo Heavens to Betsy recently performed their first live show in 32 years. The reunion took place at an intimate community venue in Portland, Oregon, following a series of cryptic, hand-made flyers posted on local telegraph poles. Despite the lack of an official online announcement, fans quickly secured every available ticket, proving the enduring legacy of the band that helped define the riot grrrl movement.
The duo, consisting of drummer Tracy Sawyer and singer-guitarist Corin Tucker, first emerged in the early 1990s. Their debut performance occurred 35 years ago this week at the International Pop Underground Convention in Olympia, Washington. Reflecting on that initial two-song set, Sawyer, now 52, recalls being overwhelmed by nerves, thinking only that the performance needed to end quickly. In contrast, the recent summer gig offered a different perspective, as the pair performed before a younger audience that mirrored their own age during their initial rise.
Tucker, 53, noted that the modern crowd demonstrated a deep connection to their music, singing along to every track with intense enthusiasm. Following the performance, Sawyer shared that younger fans, some as young as 20, approached her to express how they were learning to play drums by studying Heavens to Betsy records. This connection to a new generation highlights the lasting impact of their early work, which addressed themes such as body image, sexual abuse, abortion, and worker exploitation.
The band’s resurgence is marked by the release of Baby’s Gone, a new LP that compiles a rare 1992 demo tape alongside two 7-inch EPs. The original demo was recorded by Bratmobile’s Molly Neuman using a four-track recorder from Evergreen State College and was limited to roughly 100 self-dubbed cassettes. Kill Rock Stars, the band’s original label, initiated the project last autumn, much to the surprise of Tucker, who believed the physical master recordings had been lost years ago.
Active between 1991 and 1994, Heavens to Betsy stood alongside Bikini Kill and Bratmobile as a cornerstone of the riot grrrl movement. Their only studio album, 1994’s Calculated, showcased a grungier sound, while the new collection digs into earlier, more raw material. Tucker, who went on to achieve global recognition with Sleater-Kinney, described the process of revisiting these songs as a powerful experience, noting that the music speaks to the clarity and conviction of youth.
The duo’s relationship had been distant for decades as they focused on their lives as mothers, but the reunion has allowed them to reconnect. Tucker admitted that while she was initially apprehensive about performing songs written in their teens, the process of rediscovering their specific musical voice has been energizing. They credit their early success to a commitment to creating their own world and believing in their creative vision, a philosophy that resonated with audiences from the start.
The influence of their work continues to echo through the DIY underground, reaching later cultural touchstones like Tavi Gevinson’s Rookie magazine and modern artists such as Olivia Rodrigo. As they prepare for a US tour, the band members are embracing this unexpected second chapter. For Tucker, the opportunity to bridge the gap between her past and present, while getting to know Sawyer again, feels like a genuine gift. The report also notes that a cut-and-paste photocopied flyer began appearing on telegraph poles around Portland, Oregon, promoting a DIY show by an apparently defunct band at an intimate community space, b ack in June. The report also notes that the festival also featured the likes of Fugazi, Bikini Kill and Melvins; meanwhile Heavens to Betsy had practised only a couple times. The report also notes that before an audience of about 100, Sawyer was so terrified that all she could think was, “This has to be over soon.”. The report also notes that looking out on kids the same age that Tucker and Sawyer were when they started the band, this summer’s gig was less frightening. The report also notes that “They knew all the words and were screaming them at the top of their lungs.” After the gig, Sawyer, 52, recalls from her yard in Oakland, California, “20-year-old kids came up to me and said, ‘I’m learning to play drums by listening to Heavens to Betsy records.’”. The report also notes that turning their spare setup into an extreme sound, Heavens to Betsy made songs that were emotional, fearsome and dead serious. The report also notes that “I will decide my life / No man is gonna rule my life,” they declared on Decide.