"This summer's going to be a girl riot." Or so supposedly said Jen Smith, original Bratmobile member in response to the Mount Pleasant riots of 1991. Soon after, Riot Grrl was born - 20 years later, the CUSU Women's Campaign presents for your delight: "Rebel Girl - A Riot Grrl Celebration".

Riot Grrl was an all female punk movement that began in the nineties, mostly in the North-East of the US but with pockets in classically alternative Portland, too. Women began coming together in reaction the hyper-masculine atmosphere of the punk rock scene; Kathleen Hanna, the ultimate riot grrl icon, wrote at the time: “I feel completely left out of the realm of everything that is so important to me. And I know that this is partly because punk rock is for and by boys mostly”. Over a few short years, their influence spread and many similar groups formed.

As well as producing some sick music, riot grrl became an entire subculture, associated with zine-making, art and political activism. These women saw what they wanted and they made it happen for themselves - the Women’s Campaign wants to celebrate their badass DIY attitude. Riot Grrl is important because it demonstrates the power of female solidarity. These women had a seriously no bullshit attitude, but at the core of their mentality was an attempt to foster the diversity and difference of feminist expression. They massively raised the visibility of queer culture and they also sent out the message to every teenage nineties dirty girl that their voice mattered.

Riot Grrls were basically so cool it hurts – an early boyfriend of Tobi Vail of Bikini Kill, a certain K. Cobain, would go on to comment in light of their relationship: "The future of rock belongs to women." Considering the stratospheric success of Nirvana, and the relative amnesia of Riot Grrl, it perhaps would seem that the history books could do with a little re-writing... There’s going to be four live acts, interspersed with a few readings and then a serious chunk of dance time – prepare to basically end up running around overcome with excitement. There’s also gonna be two for one cocktails, zine-reading, the chance for everyone to come together and let off some steam, and oh lord, have mercy on our souls, £3 Jagerbombs.

Dare we say it… prepare to have your preconceptions of the mean hairy feminists of Cambridge shattered. All proceeds are going to Cambridge Rape Crisis Centre, who over the past couple of years have continually had their funding cut - they are an absolutely indispensable resource to the women of Cambridge and we want to do our bit to support them.

Entry is £3 and doors open at 9pm, with the live music kicking off at 9.30. The Fountain, November 17th – be there.