Localized: Shecock With a Vengeance

Pride isn’t just a celebration, it’s a protest. Let out your rage against society and stigma with Shecock With A Vengeance’s passionate glam-rock and DoomCupcake’s nu-metal mania at June’s Localized performance, with an opening punk-rock set by False Dykotomy. Sponsored by Riso-Geist, this Kilby Court show on Thursday, June 13 opens at 7:00 p.m. and costs just $5 for entry.

Shecock With A Vengeance is a glam-rock, dance-punk band from Salt Lake City founded by Sofia Scott, also known as The Rock Princess. The Rock Princess was a solo act, which attracted a couple of people who wanted to make the same music — but together, as a band—and thus Vengeance Tampon came about.

Sofia and Squid Crawford played together as Vengeance Tampon for a few years, up until the pandemic started. When their drummer wanted to leave the band, Sofia started to get messages from a trans woman who wanted to start a similar band, and so the group unanimously decided to revive the band. Two years later, Shecock With A Vengeance is thriving. The name is meant to be both a sequel and an homage to the prior iteration of the band.

Shecock’s sound is influenced by bands like Faith No More, Nine Inch Nails, Slayer, Stone Temple Pilots and Deftones. It’s very grunge-rock and very Riot Grrrl—the feminist rock music movement of the late ‘80s and ‘90s led by bands like Bikini Kill and 7 Year Bitch.

“We don’t really comment on it anymore. When we’re on stage, we exist, and that’s enough. Representation and making space for ourselves is super important,” Sofia says on the subject of being part of the LGBTQ+ community.

“Music is a language that speaks to a lot of people.”

As the frontwoman of an all-transgender band, Sofia says that for her, Pride means representation, as in simply existing as a trans woman in music spaces. It also means celebrating how LGBTQ+ people got to this point in time of peace and pride, as well remembering and acknowledging those who fought and died to get us here. “We’re honoring people by still existing, being visible and refusing to hide again—Pride is keeping us visible,” Squid says. Being on stage as a trans person is a protest in and of itself, and it shows more than words can say. Being who you are genuinely and wholeheartedly is as powerful and punk rock as it gets. “We want people to see us and think they can do it themselves,” says Sofia.

There’s a really strong queer community in Salt Lake City that has been there for the band and vice versa. The band enjoys spaces like Aces High Saloon, where both the staff and regular attendees are welcoming and kind. They also like Funk ‘n Dive and ABGs in Ogden and Provo, respectively.

Some of Shecock’s favorite tracks they’ve created include “Riot,” “Pink is Punk” and the yet-to-be-released track “Rock Jail,” a nickname for the worn-out warehouse in which the band records. Shecock takes inspiration from the largely femme and queer local artists they perform with, including Form Of Rocket, Magda Vega, Die Shiny, The Plastic Cherries, Talia Keys and P.S. Destroy This.

“Music is a language that speaks to a lot of people,” Squid says. Shecock uses music to communicate and release emotions. It’s art that speaks to a raw part of what it means to be human. When it comes to what inspires them to create, it’s dealing with their emotions and letting them out, sharing messages of acceptance, being who you are and not giving a fuck about what others think. Squid talks about how music is an art form—music is the way they speak to others in this world. It can transcend cultures and languages, touching the human soul intimately—and that’s what Shecock strives to do on stage.

“We don’t really comment on it anymore. When we’re on stage, we exist, and that’s enough. Representation and making space for ourselves is super important.” 

Shecock With A Vengeance’s future plans are to keep playing shows and creating music. They love what they do and have no plans to stop. You can find Shecock With A Vengeance on Instagram at @shecock.band and visit their website shecock.band. Their music can be streamed on Spotify and Bandcamp. Catch them at SLUG Localized at Kilby Court on Thursday, June 13.

Read more from the LGBTQ+ Pride Issue here:
Localized: DoomCupcake
Bold & Beautiful: Matrons of Mayhem