Soft Play brought their fierce energy to Chicago on April 22nd, selling out the Bottom Lounge with support from the equally ferocious punk band Babe Haven. Meet your newest favorite bands.
Babe Haven is a badass queer punk band from Durham, North Carolina that needs to be on your radar if they are not already.
Best described on their Bandcamp, “With a mission to elevate femme-presenting individuals, people of color, and members of the LGBTQ+ community, they transform each show into a sanctuary of empowerment and acceptance. Their sound can be classified as early 00s nu-metal rebellion meets riot grrrl sass – a sonic assault that grabs you by the ears and refuses to let go.”
Babe Haven released Nuisance on June 21, 2024 and is easily one of the top ferocity femme albums of the year. Every track is a certified banger that you can shamelessly put on repeat.
Their live performance is equally nothing short of stunning; with a stage presence reminiscent of Kathleen Hanna and Kat Bjelland, vocalist Lillie Della Penna scowls aggressively, shouting for “GIRLS TO THE FRONT” and calling out men who cat call during “Can’t Call This Cat”. Between the take-no-shit energy, their song lyrics, and the fact that we all were wearing leopard print clothing, I felt seen by Babe Haven and the feeling of being in a supportive environment with other femmes was powerful.
The band just finished their tour supporting Teen Mortgage before making their way from Texas to Chicago to support Soft Play’s short stint of North American shows (most of which are now sold out!) so if you were not quick enough to snag tickets, you’ll have the opportunity to still see them for their recently announced tour of the South West.
English two-piece punk band Soft Play has taken the world by storm since their release of Heavy Jelly on July 19th, 2024. It is the first album Soft Play has put out under their new name (they were formally known as Slaves) and was in my top picks list of 2024.
Soft Play recently released an expanded version of the album, appropriately titled Heavier Jelly, adding six new tracks to the original album. The new single “Slushy” features English singer-songwriter Kate Nash and is an absolute bop.
Soft Play’s aggressively unique sound has another exceptional trait; not only is the drummer the lead vocalist, but Isaac Holman also plays while standing up. Topped with guitarist Laurie Vincent’s quick dashing jumps and robust riffs, Soft Play has proven themselves to be a sonic energy not to be reckoned with.
They played a lot of crowd favorites, including “Mirror Muscles,” “Act Violently,” “Punk’s Dead” and “The Hunter”. The song “John Wick” was also played which is all about being…John Wick. They recently posted an open letter to Keanu Reeves asking him to play bass in the song at this year’s Coachella music festival with the band.
We may only be early into 2025, but this easily is one of the top concerts of the year. Soft Play is slated to play more shows throughout Europe this summer before returning to North America in the fall for several festivals, including Shaky Knees, Furnace, and Riot Fest.
Check out the full galleries of Babe Haven and Soft Play below, and don’t forget to give them some support!
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