London, UK · anarcho-punk · post-punk

Rubella Ballet

1 upcoming festival

UV-painted anarcho-punk that insisted the movement didn't have to dress entirely in black — day-glo defiance since the Crass days.

Rubella Ballet formed in London in 1979, emerging from the circle around Crass and Poison Girls and playing early shows on that network of squats and benefit gigs. Vocalist Zillah Minx and drummer Sid Truelove have been the constant presence across the band's various line-ups.

Musically they sat at the edge of anarcho-punk, with a lighter, more melodic and post-punk-inflected sound than many of their contemporaries, and they became equally known for their visual approach: fluorescent clothing and UV lighting set against a scene that largely dressed in black. Their early output included cassette and single releases before the album At Last It's Playtime, and the band has continued to perform and record in the decades since.

anarcho-punkpost-punk