Last year, a new festival held their first event in the Bay Area in California. Doll Fest describes itself as “a celebration of the feminine energy, friendship, and community gathering together in support of one another.” This year, Doll Fest is back! Volume II will be held in Oakland, CA on March 28th and 29th with a pre-party on the 27th. And the lineup this year is just as jaw dropping and inspiring as the last.
We wanted to get in on the action, so we’ve asked the amazing bands a handful of questions about the festival including who they’re stoked to be playing with and what they think a festival of this caliber means to our scene.
We chatted with Jen Carlson of Build a Rocket about Bay Area roots, the powerful sense of solidarity that makes Doll Fest feel different, and how seeing a lineup full of femme musicians can make anything feel possible. They also reflect on trusting your instincts, letting the work speak for itself, and why this year’s festival feels like a full-circle moment. Check out the interview below and grab your tickets to Doll Fest today!
Interview
What does playing a femme-only festival like Doll Fest mean to you personally?
It means a lot. I grew up in the Bay Area, taking BART to shows before I could drive. That scene shaped who I became as a musician.
Getting to play Doll Fest now—with bands like Bad Cop Bad Cop and Black Gold Sun on the same day—is genuinely surreal. There are so many incredible people on this bill. It feels like a celebration of the community a lot of us came up in, and I can’t wait to see everyone there.
How does playing a festival like this shift the energy—on stage or in the crowd?
I went to Doll Fest last year just as a patron, and what stuck with me was the solidarity between the bands and the crowd. It didn’t feel like a typical festival where everyone’s doing their own thing. People were genuinely there for each other. Being on the lineup this year is a dream. We’re going to get up there and give it everything we’ve got.
What would you want a younger version of yourself to feel seeing this lineup?
My younger self would have been over the moon. When I started out I was a drummer just trying to figure out where I fit—in bands, in the scene. Fronting my own project wasn’t something I ever pictured. Seeing a lineup full of incredible femme musicians would have made it feel like anything was possible. The idea that I’d be on that stage myself one day would have seemed pretty unreal.
What does “taking up space” look like for you as a femme musician?
Just showing up and giving it everything you’ve got.
Who are some femme artists—past or present—who have inspired you?
The list is all over the place. Lucinda Williams for her songwriting and storytelling. Chrissie Hynde from The Pretenders. Dolly Parton is one of the greatest songwriters of all time, full stop.
Karen Carpenter has always meant a lot to me—a drummer who also wrote songs. Karen O, Shirley Manson, Mia Zapata from The Gits, Kim Shattuck from The Muffs. Lately I’ve been deep into Courtney Barnett.
Sierra Ferrell is an incredible songwriter and visual artist. And Ecca Vandal blows my mind—the music, the visuals, the production. Some of the best stuff I’ve heard in years.
How does your identity influence your music and the stories you tell?
At heart I’m still a drummer who happens to play guitar and write songs. A lot of years in punk and alternative scenes, so the perspective comes from someone who’s been in a lot of rooms and lived through a lot of chapters.
Before this I was the drummer in a band called Angry Amputees with Stacey from Bad Cop Bad Cop. The whole band lived together in a warehouse in SoMa we called Camputee. That time gave me a lot of stories that still show up in the music.
These days I’m out in the Delta and spending time in the desert. Those places find their way into the songs—characters, landscapes, people trying to figure their way through.
How does your lived experience show up in your lyrics or live performance?
Most songs start somewhere real. A situation, a person, something that actually happened. Sometimes those real moments get blended with fiction—a person becomes a character, a place becomes part of a larger story. When we play live, the goal is for it to feel genuine. Less like a performance, more like sharing something people can recognize pieces of their own lives in.
What’s one local band you want the world to know about?
Two come to mind: Atomic Tide and Like Roses. Both Bay Area, both incredible live. They’d fit perfectly on a Doll Fest lineup.
Have you experienced moments where being a femme artist shaped how you were received?
Absolutely. Early on there were moments where people seemed surprised you could actually play, or that you were the one running things. Over time you learn to trust your instincts. You keep doing the work, and the work speaks for itself. Hot Water Music has my favorite lyric “Live your heart and never follow.” Just do that.
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