Big Joanie Announces FIRST EVER North American Tour | Unveils “Cactus Tree” Live Video

Big Joanie are a London-based Black feminist punk band who combine the fury of nineties riot grrrl with synth-heavy post punk. Formed by Stephanie Phillips in 2013, who posted online asking for bandmates with whom to start a black feminist punk band after becoming frustrated with the lack of intersectionality in the scene.

Following their 2018 debut album ‘Sistahs’ on Thurston Moore and Eva Prinz’s label Daydream Library Series, the band secured a coveted run of support slots playing with Bikini Kill, Gossip, Sleater-Kinney and IDLES. Ahead of their second album, set to come out on Daydream Library in the UK and Kill Rock Stars in the US, Big Joanie are ready to bring their unique brand of feminist punk to the entire world.

For the first time since the band’s inception, the bad ass punk Queens have announced their FIRST EVER North American tour. They’ll make stops in Philadelphia, DC, Denver, Chicago, Salt Lake City, Seattle, Nashville, Los Angeles and, after selling out Union Pool, have added an additional New York City show at Baby’s All Right. Today, they have released a brand new “Cactus Tree” live performance video filmed at Hermitage Works Studios, offering fans a taste of their dazzling live show.

Big Joanie released their new album Back Home, November 4, 2022 via Kill Rock Stars (US) and Thurston Moore and Eva Prinz’s Daydream Library Series (UK). The album earned widespread acclaim spanning NPR Weekend Edition, FADER, Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, Afropunk, Stereogum, Consequence, Alternative Press, KEXP, WNYC, The Talkhouse and Under The Radar. It was dubbed “Best Album of 2022” by Rolling Stone, Bandcamp and The Quietus and album track “Sainted” was also highlighted on Andy Bell of Ride’s Top 20 Songs of 2022 list for BrooklynVegan. With their boundary-breaking approach to punk, radical politics, and an appreciation for earworm melodies, Big Joanie are set to become important voices for a new generation of punks.

Outside of Big Joanie, all three band members manage a formidable array of solo projects. Stephanie is a freelance music writer and became a published author last year with Why Solange Matters. Estella works with Good Night Out campaign, the music program Girls Rock London and is part of the collective behind Decolonise Fest with Stephanie. Chardine is a prominent voice in the LGBTQ community, is working on a book about Black feminism and was the vice chair of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee at Musician’s Union in 2021. “Fall Asleep” off the band’s debut Sistahs is also featured in the new animated Netflix film, Wendell & Wild featuring Jordan Peele, Keegan-Michael Key, Angela Bassett & Lyric Ross.

As accomplished creatives and an acclaimed punk band who champion “punks of color”, we can’t wait to see what another 10 years brings. Our only complaint is that they won’t be paying Las Vegas a visit during their tour – but maybe we can change that!

North American Tour Dates