I hesitate to discuss the “edginess” of all-girl bands because I find myself stumbling along the fine line of making clichéd gender comments and completely disregarding the abnormality of an all-female group in the music industry.
After listening to Vanity Theft, however, I am convinced to make an exception. Want to hear it for yourself? Check out Vanity Theft when they return to Dayton to perform at the RiverScape MetroPark Pavilion as the first band in the First Friday @ 5 concert series.
According to their website, the Dayton natives spent five years booking their own tours and propelling themselves into the Midwestern music scene. Their loyal fan base reflects their hard work; in 2009, a grassroots effort won them the local-band slot in Cincinnati’s Warped Tour lineup.
Vanity Theft’s sound is a descendent of The Donnas’ legacy — assertive, sassy, girl rock. While the band was the only all-female outfit of the 227 selected to play in Cincinnati’s 2009 MidPoint Music Festival, they held their own and ended up filling the room. The girls haven’t relented yet — the New York Post described its live shows as being “eardrum-slobbering.” Yes, that’s a compliment.
While recording its October 2010 EP, “Anatomy,” the trio met former Disney child star Lalaine. (You might remember her from her the tween show “Lizzie McGuire.”) When the band needed a new bassist, members auditioned Lalaine and the four instantly clicked.
This February, Vanity Theft released their new album, “Get What You Came For.” The songs I sampled from the album (you can stream a few tracks here) definitely lived up to the band’s no-holds-barred reputation. With lyrics like, “Maybe I don’t want you for your mind; Can’t decide,” Vanity Theft makes it clear they are in control. And maybe, based upon its success already, that’s how it should be.
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The concerts are part of the First Friday events and will feature additional bands on August 5 and September 2. The concession will be open and beer will be sold from 5-7 p.m. The concerts will wrap up in plenty of time to head to the galleries and other arts venues taking part in the First Friday art hop. The First Friday @ 5 summer concert series is presented with additional support from Heidelberg Distributing, the Oregon District Business Association, Clear Channel Dayton Radio and Culture Works.
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