“Even in this modern age, there are still risks. As a woman, that fear is real.”
Band supporting Foo Fighters on their ‘Everything or Nothing at All’ UK tour confront the realities of being a female-fronted a rock-band in 2024.
Iconic rock band Foo Fighters are set to embark on their Everything or Nothing at All UK stadium tour next week, visiting Manchester, Glasgow, London, Cardiff and Birmingham to showcase their latest album But Here We Are.
The band will be supported by a variety of artists during their UK stint, 70per cent of whom are female fronted outfits or solo artists.
Ahead of opening for arguably the biggest rock band on the planet, Welsh alt-rock band, Chroma, have contributed to a discussion about the ongoing misogyny and abuse faced by women in the music industry, and called for more to be done to create a safe working environment for female musicians.
Speaking ahead of their date with Grohl-and-co, the lead singer of the ‘Ask for Angela’ band, Katie Hall, shared things she has been subjected to. This included the occasion where male members of the band were approached by an unknown man during a show and told that he was ‘going to have sex’ with Ms. Hall.
Recalling the incident, Katie said: “This bloke had come up to both of you [Zac and Liam] and said, ‘I'm going to have sex with Katie after the show’. The boys came up to me and said, Katie 'do not go near that man'. I know the boys have got my back a hundred percent, but it's still wild.”
‘Knowing what we can do better.’
The band were speaking as part of the Welsh Government’s flagship campaign to end violence against women, aptly titled ‘Sound.’
Sound was launched in 2023 as a community-led platform encouraging young men to take personal and collective responsibility in ending violence against women and girls.
Bassist Liam Bevan and drummer Zac Mather, spoke about the responsibility of men in the industry to take a zero-tolerance approach to misogyny and abuse, and the importance of working together to make the industry safer for female counterparts.
Zac said: “It's about knowing and learning how as men we can do better to respond to individuals when they say something that doesn't flow right.”
He added that it’s important men can respond safely and call out other men, if they say or do something inappropriate.
“It’s important to have those difficult conversations with men without feeling like you’re putting yourself in a dangerous position where they may become violent with you, or disregard what you’re saying.
Katie said: “It’s the only way things can really change, in terms of misogyny and men calling out other men’s bad behaviour. It is important to sound it out because that person might not be aware of the full picture or aware that they’re even doing it.”
‘That fear is real.’
In 2023, the band released an album called ‘Ask for Angela’, named after a campaign which has been implemented across bars, clubs and other licensed businesses across the UK, including Wales. It allows people who feel unsafe, vulnerable, or threatened to approach a member of staff and ask them for ‘Angela’, indicating to staff that they require help.
Katie said: “I saw the campaign poster on a toilet and thought it was interesting because it recognises that even in this modern age, there are still risks for everyone.
“As a woman, that fear is real. Every time I walk home from a friend’s house which is only down the road, they’re anxious and say to text them when I get in.”
Over the years, the band has ensured they have conversations around women’s safety and on how they can support women.
Liam said: “Since we’ve been going, there’s been a lot of conversations we’ve had. There are things I have never had to think twice about before as a man.
“It’s only when you are in those environments again, you have that fresh angle on what could be happening around you that you might not have clocked before.”
To see Chroma’s video and to follow the Sound channels
Instagram: www.instagram.com/soundcymru/
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@soundcymru
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@soundcymru
