As a Black woman who spent her 20’s writing about the pop-punk scene, I know all too well how dominated it was and still is by straight, white men. No matter how many BLM or rainbow-adorned tees Hot Topic sells, there are still problems brewing in that scene, and bands like Bullpup ain’t about standing around and doing nothing about it. This Massachusetts-based band hopes that one day “Veronica Sawyer’s Big Day Out” is as irrelevant as AIM, but for now, it’s a song that should be played as loud as can be.
Paying homage to Winona Ryder’s character in the ‘80s cult classic, ‘Heathers,’ “Veronica Sawyer’s Big Day Out” is about taking a stance. Intertwining elements of Emo, screamo and that punk rock spirit with lyrics that are like a battle cry isn’t anything new but 10 or so years ago the subject matter wouldn’t have existed. Emo always championed the underdog but in many ways overlooked the bigger issues when it came time to sing a song. As fans of bands like The Used, My Chemical Romance, and Senses Fail have grown up, too have their outlook on life and from that, and their own experiences Bullpup has delivered a song that shines a light on the unfortunate homophobia, transphobia, and sexual assault in the scene they’ve come up in.
They call out the boys clubs and lament about how we can all be better people in a song that today would be a refreshing moment underneath the blistering sun of Warped Tour. If that annual festival still existed. Alas, ”Veronica Sawyer’s Big Day Out” can and does exist on all major music and streaming platforms now. So check it out today and hopefully one day we can look back on it as a stepping stone towards better days for all.
Written by Kendra Beltran
