Our featured Local Artist for August is Sweetie, a Chicago-based lipstick-punk band with a femme fatale ferocity and a French attitude, thanks to frontwoman Birdy Vee, who blends her francophone background with her fervor for punk and drag. Voted first runner-up for Best Punk Band in the Chicago Reader’s Best Of, Sweetie commands the stage at punk and drag shows alike, including venues such as Metro, the Green Mill, Seat Geek Stadium, Reggie’s, the Egyptian Theatre, and Liar’s Club.
Their debut album, Bad Thing Sweet Thing, was released in 2020 and is soon to be followed by their second album, with a projected release date of late 2024.
Festival appearances include War on Xmas, Motoblot, Battle Creek Pride, Elgin Pride, and Hands Off Our Fest, organized by frontwoman Birdy Vee to showcase fellow femme-fronted bands. The three-piece has shared the stage with Suzi Moon, Chi Chi LaRue, The Soap Girls, Koffin Kats, The Lawrence Arms, The Dollyrots, Sorry Mom, and Hayley and the Crushers.
Sweetie holds a residency as the house band for the Rocky Horror Picture Show at the Egyptian Theatre in Dekalb, and continues to collaborate extensively within the drag community.
Check them out on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, and listen to their music on Spotify.
