How a Phoenix punk singer launched a fight for reproductive rights: 'My heart hurt'
When Echo Breen learned of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, the landmark decision of 1973 that established the constitutional right to abortion, she knew she had to figure out a way to put what she was feeling into action.
"My heart hurt. My stomach hurt. I felt sick. I felt really depressed. I wanted to help but didn't know exactly how," said Breen, who fronts a Valley-based post-hardcore band called Bite the Hand.
She's never been good with words, she said, just actions. And she knew she had a platform through her music. So, she started making calls to rally other women on the local scene to join her in staging a benefit for reproductive rights.
Smash the Patriarchy! will take place on Saturday, July 9, at the Crescent Ballroom in downtown Phoenix.
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'The only way things change is action'
"I remember stepping outside one morning," Breen said. "I had my coffee and I had a long talk with my husband about how the only way things change is action."
First she ran it past her bandmates, who Breen said have always been very supportive of women's rights. Then she reached out to Crescent Ballroom.
As a former employee, Breen already had a good rapport with the people who book the downtown Phoenix venue and she noticed there was nothing on the schedule yet for Saturday, July 9.
"I said, 'What do you think if we did a reproductive rights benefit show, get everyone together to support the cause and get people informed?"
"They were absolutely stoked to do this," she said.
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Who will play Smash the Patriarchy!?
They went through a bunch of different names for the event before landing on the title.
"There was Voices for Choices and some inappropriate names that we thought were funny, but they didn't really hit the mark," she said.
"It was Angela from Crescent who was actually, was like, 'Yo, I'm just gonna name it Smash the Patriarchy!' I thought it was very fitting. Very punk rock. It's kind of a punk rock show. Most of the girl bands are punk."
In addition to Bite the Hand, the lineup she assembled features fellow female-fronted artists Pleasure Cult, Wallace Hound, Veronica Everheart and Lilac Cadillac.
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Playing for change isn't new for Bite the Hand
For Breen, the battle for abortion rights is not a red or blue thing. It's more personal than that.
"I've had an abortion," she said.
"And that choice for me was so important. My financial situation is not the best and I have a lot of mental health issues. Do I want to bring a person into this world? Or do I want to make sure I'm OK first? It's important for women to have choices."
With the Supreme Court overturning Roe V. Wade, she said women are "feeling a little less than human right now."
This isn't the first time Breen and Bite the Hand have gone to bat for their beliefs. Last year, they donated a portion of the proceeds from their shows to Arizona women's shelters.
During the pandemic, their donation-based livestreams on Twitch raised more than $500 for employees of local music venues forced to close for social distancing.
But this is the biggest undertaking for Breen and her bandmates so far.
"It's just very important as far as me being a woman in a male-dominated industry, especially rock 'n' roll," she said. "I want to have a voice and I want the bands that are also playing, all women-fronted, to have a voice as well."
All proceeds from the benefit will go to the Abortion Fund of Arizona.
"What the Arizona Abortion Fund does is it gives resources to clients in need of financial assistance with abortion, resources for therapy afterwards and then if anyone is coming from out of state, they will also give resources and funding as well," Breen explained.
"So, it's just overall, I feel, a good organization to have on board and to be recognized, They've been doing this for a while now. So it's nothing new. I just think they need a little extra help right now. I want them to stay afloat for as long as they can."
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A space where everyone can have a voice
The stage behind the bands will be decorated with art.
"I am collecting art from not just women, but supporters of the cause," Breen said. "I wanted everyone to have a voice without necessarily being on the stage. So their contribution to it, as far as how they feel, artistically, I want it to be showcased."
Anyone interested in contributing art to the eventcan contact Breen through Instagram at @ziaxqueen.
"That's how everybody's been contacting me, because I posted at TikTok and it went viral," she said. "TikTok's crazy. It's just such a unique form of social media that I'm still adjusting to. I just put my location in Phoenix. And now I've had over 16,000 views, over 200 comments and 200 shares, and everyone's been reaching out. It's been amazing."
Representatives from the Abortion Fund of Arizona will be getting up between the bands to talk.
"They'll be communicating with the audience about what they do, and maybe some steps to take to keep our rights our rights," Breen said.
She's hoping this event provides protestors an opportunity to come together in a safe space and reflect on how they feel.
"Right now, I'm not gonna lie, it's really hot out," Breen said. "When we're out protesting downtown, it's really hot, but we're out there doing it. And this gives everyone a cool place to maybe just not scream their head off for a second and have important discussions about their feelings, maybe share their stories."
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Smash the Patriarchy!
With: Pleasure Cult, Wallace Hound, Bite the Hand, Veronica Everheart and Lilac Cadillac.
When: 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 9.
Where: Crescent Ballroom, 308 N. Second Ave., Phoenix.
Admission: $10.
Details: 602-716-2222, crescentphx.com.
Reach the reporter at ed.masley@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-4495. Follow him on Twitter @EdMasley.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Crescent Ballroom hosts a punk rock benefit for reproductive rights
