Punk Heaven: The Pinky Rings Tape Release

By Harriet Bernard
Local Music Journalist

Feels So Good Records hosted a tape release for local girl punk band, The Pinky Rings, on Friday, Feb. 10, 2023. Opening bands Bodyplan and Transy Warhol started the night out with a bang and got the crowd geared up for the main event. The record shop, located in south Austin, is a large warehouse that has a variety of records, tapes, vintage apparel and knick-knacks as well as a bar and stage for hosted shows. It’s the perfect space for music lovers to get together and get a taste of Austin’s infamous musical talent.

Bodyplan is a local noise punk band that carried the first third of the night. Performing some of the songs from their first official self-titled album, Bodyplan gave their audience a high energy show. Each song of their set bled into the next, creating a smooth and ecstatic flow of music, allowing those who had just arrived to grab a drink and find a spot in the crowd. The track titled Fold was a good display of the band’s overall sound with a mix of their experimental noise style. You can find them on Instagram: @b0dypl4n.

The second band on the night’s bill, Transy Warhol, gave a sassy performance that rocked the crowd. Lead singer Ruby del Mar threw in some comedic interaction with the audience between tracks before effortlessly annihilating the stage. The track Boy Toy was a rapturous trans-masc adoration piece and had the company dancing. While the band currently has only two tracks on Spotify, they treated us with an adequate set that left me feeling elated. Transy Warhol’s performance offered a great transition to the night’s final act. Find them on Instagram @transywarhol.

The Pinky Rings emulated girl power and feminine rage from their performance of their debut album, The Pinky Rings. After a lengthy intermission, you could almost feel everyone’s excitement carrying over from the last performance. It wasn’t long before the band’s lead singer motioned their crowd closer to the stage for their first song (which we did with due diligence).

Shortly after their second track, “Potential Spam,” there was a large push from the back of the crowd and – before I knew it – a mosh pit had formed. Looking around the enthusiastic crowd, it was hard to spot the dozen or so attendees that were smashing into each other to the beat of the music. The red lighting expressed the rage and intensity of the scene, bringing a unique and exciting vibe to the event.

Our headliners ended the night with their track, “Girl Creep,” and had the crowd chanting. Discovering current girl punk bands is inspiring to me because of groups like The Runaways and Bikini Kill that gave us unadulterated punk and edge from a feminine standpoint – making monumental strides in history.

Going out and supporting bands will grow your community and expose you to new talent. To know what events are coming up go to www.fsgprints.com and check out The Pinky Rings on instagram @whoarethepinkyrings.