Every day, women experience hardships due to misogyny. Within the local alternative music scene, it is no different.
“Misogyny is alive and well,” says local musician and vocalist of Peachy Spleen, Star, 26.
Star is from Illinois. Prior to their move to Evansville, Indiana, Star attended film school at Southern Illinois University. They later withdrew from the program to pursue cosmetology. Upon calling to register for classes at their local cosmetology school, the receptionist informed them the elevator was on fire. Therefore, they would have to call back later when the issue had been resolved. Taking this as an omen, Star called The Salon Professional Academy in Evansville, Indiana, and registered. Today, Star is a licensed cosmetologist and the lead vocalist in a band called Peachy Spleen.
There are two other band members: Nervous, a 22-year-old drummer, and Kolbi, a 26-year-old guitarist. Star is also the organizer of a punk house called Lezagna House, established in 2025, whereas Peachy Spleen was established in 2024.
As a newly formed band in 2024, Peachy Spleen began to search for venues to play in surrounding areas. Peachy Spleen features a blended alternative music style. Each band member draws from different inspirations, all sprouted from feminism.
Despite their talent and capability, Peachy Spleen was not welcomed with open arms by many venues. This was due to the fact that the band is run purely by women who identify as queer. To add to this, they were also new in the area. Even with the many advancements in the rights of women and LGBTQIA+ people, there are still many issues that have yet to be overcome.
Prior to the opening of Lezagna House, Peachy Spleen played at a local venue where an incident occurred. During the second or third set of the show, Star felt strange. As they looked out into the crowd, they realized someone had drugged them. Upon this realization, another discovery was made: Star didn’t know who they could trust other than their own bandmates at that moment. This distressing moment was part of what sparked the opening of their own venue, Lezagna House.
Oppression of women and queer-presenting individuals is nothing new. Fighting oppression is not an easy task, but it is a major issue that must be consistently addressed. The lack of feminism and inclusivity is not the only issue Lezagna House is tackling.
To attend a show at Lezagna House, a $3 donation is encouraged but not required. The profits of Lezagna House go to revamping musical equipment and to charities. Profits never go directly to the pockets of the band members themselves. With each show, the fight against oppression continues.
Lezagna House also continually extends its resources and kindness to other local artists. Shows often feature pop-up artists, live drawings, merchandise shops and other forms of locally made art for sale.
All in all, Lezagna House is nothing short of an extraordinary organization.
“We’re hoping that the more events we do the more community we form, not just with music. We’ll hopefully be able to build a platform for causes in our area,” said Star.