Hasidic Rock Band Thrilled With Attendance At Women's Only Concert
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Fans were blown away by a rock concert at a Lower East Side venue Thursday night that was reserved for women only.
As CBS 2's Hazel Sanchez reported Friday, Arlene's Grocery, the popular Lower East Side music venue, banned men from entry as they hosted Bulletproof Stockings – an all-female Hasidic rock band.
The group told 1010 WINS on Thursday that they follow traditional Orthodox rules about not performing in front of men.
Women of all faiths rocked the place.
"It was really amazing. There was such a diverse crowd. They were all, like, super happy," said band member Dalia Schusterman. "Even when we pulled out the Hasidic stuff they were, like, totally dancing."
"It's really exciting to be able to share that with people and show them, like – yeah, we're Hasidic women, and we can be mothers, and we can have a home, and we can also rock out, and we can also have jobs. I mean, it doesn't just end there, you know?" added band member Perl Wolfe.
Fan Chriss Williams said she was thrilled by the performance.
"Oh my God, it was amazing. It was just amazing," she said. "I'm so excited for them to see them in a secular venue. It was packed."
It was the biggest New York City gig yet for the band from Crown Heights, Brooklyn, and spectators thought a women-only event had some benefits.
"It's very exciting because I feel, as a Hasidic woman, I feel like this is a great outlet for women to be together express their creativity and in, like, an open environment," said fan Alanna Duskin.
The all-girl band and audience was a first for Arlene's Grocery. Bulletproof Stockings convinced venue managers to take them on after they launched a concert campaign collecting a list of women who promised they would come to the show.
" It's amazing that Arlene's gave us the chance to prove ourselves, and the women really are the ones that brought this out, you know, that made it happen, because they came out, packed the place, and proved to everybody that we're ready for something amazing and something that's for women specifically," Wolf said.
Band followers said all-girl concerts may not be a novelty for long. They are confident that it is the wave of the future.
Band members said they are not trying to be anti-men, but they just want to build more environments where girls can be themselves.
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