In the wild world of 80s hair metal and an emerging punk scene not long arrived in the US, came L7; an undocumented reaction to the state of the world from a female perspective in a scene dominated until then, by men. Like them or not, these ladies played a crucial part in the punk rock landscape that we take for granted today; their sound defied categorization – they happily resonated with Metal Heads, Grunge aficionados, and Riot Grrrls alike. But their true home was the Punk scene.

Tonight, Brisbane’s Tivoli Theatre is playing host to the 31^st anniversary of the band’s seminal piece of artistry, Bricks Are Heavy, and the crowd was a healthy mix of alternative genres, paying testament to the influence they have had over the years.

Purple Zain opened the night as the only support, and while their musical chops were well refined, the vocal ability of both singers on stage left much to be desired. One punter was overheard asking his mate if the band were legit, or if they were a musical improv troupe. Regardless, they put on am entertaining set that kept the crowd engaged.

After a brief interval, L7 stormed the stage, Brisbane erupting with cheers. Donita Sparks, the fiery frontwoman, wasted no time in greeting the audience with her trademark no-nonsense attitude. “Howzit going Brisbane, far the fuck out?” she shouted, setting the tone for the night. Without skipping a beat, they launched into the ferocious anthem ‘Wargasm’, Sparks reminding us all that there’s always a war raging somewhere in the world.

As the relentless beats of ‘Scrap’ reverberated through the venue, Jennifer Finch unleashed her powerful bass, sending electric pulses down everyone’s spines. And then came the moment everyone had been waiting for – the absolute banger ‘Pretend We’re Dead’. With a mischievous grin, Sparks declared, “Usually bands save their biggest hits for last, but not us, you better lock the doors!” To which the crowd erupted in cheers.

The unstoppable force that is L7 charged through the rest of their iconic album ‘Bricks Are Heavy’, dishing out flawless licks that prove experience really does come with age. The crowd, completely engulfed in euphoria, sang their hearts out to anthems like ‘Everglade’ and ‘Shitlist’, their lungs expanding with pure rock ‘n’ roll fervor. L7 didn’t stop there; they blessed the audience with additional tracks, unleashing the raw energy of ‘Andres’, ‘Fuel My Fire’, ‘Stadium West’, and ‘Non-Existent Patricia’. They kept the momentum going with ‘Fighting the Crave’, ‘Human’, ‘Bad Things’, ‘Shove’, and ‘Mar-A-Lago’, leaving the crowd in a state of rock-induced delirium.

All in all, it was a phenomenal set from L7, and they have clearly kept their skills well maintained over the years. The band rocked the Tivoli, leaving every fan in awe and craving more of their unapologetically badass sound. As the lights dimmed and the echoes of their final notes faded away, the crowd was left with an overwhelming sense of gratitude for witnessing true rock ‘n’ roll brilliance. L7 proved once again that they are the queens of punk, and their reign remains supreme