By: Zelenny / Pink B
Babe ATX hosted its 2nd annual Babestock Festival at Cheer Up Charlie’s this summer on June 14 and 15.
The event featured two days full of female and gender-expansive DJs, performers, vendors, food trucks, and a Cybertruck piñata at the opening ceremony. I attended on Sunday, the second day, so I’m bummed to have missed the grand Cybertruck smash—but I got to observe the remnants up close, which was nearly as good.
Cybertruck piñata remnants
I arrived early in the evening. There was a light drizzle coming down, threatening the equipment that comprised the outdoor stage. To wait out the rain, I started at the indoor stage where some Babestock crew were taking their turn in the spotlight.
DJ Delusión and Ladybug transitioning between sets at the Babestock indoor stage
I danced under the Cheer Up’s disco ball to hour-long sets by DJs Delusión, Ladybug, and Lindzeetron. As the sky cleared up, I eventually split my time between the indoor and outdoor stages, since the outdoor performances were also heating up!
Anna Madewell sings to entertain the crowd before her DJ set
During a moment of technical difficulties, Anna Madewell burst into a song to entertain the crowd, then followed it up with an energetic, dubstep-infused DJ set.
DJ/music producer Mea Culpa took the stage as the sun started setting. Her electrifying set, along with a framed photo of Laura Palmer that accompanied her performance, moved me so much emotionally that I decided to purchase a T-shirt to commemorate my time at Babestock 2025.
Mea Culpa and Laura Palmer ring in the sunset
One of my favorite parts of this event was people-watching the audience at the festival. Part of the vision of Babe ATX involves reflecting the demographic of the audience within the lineup, and I’ve never felt that to be more true than at Babestock. Performers and audience members alike were colorful, diverse, and effortlessly cool.
The audience enjoying Mea Culpa’s set
Seeing performers with a variety of skill sets and backgrounds also inspired me to continue to practice my DJ skills. The representation at Babestock made me feel like I had a place of belonging in the Austin music community, and that my goals were actually achievable. I went home excited to play with my own music library in fresh, creative ways.
Pink B gets a new T-shirt
This was only the second-ever Babestock festival, so I’m excited to see it grow and become a staple of the Austin community. In this time of political upheaval with constant threats to the arts, I have hope this grassroots organization will continue its mission of fostering community, bringing joy, and representing diverse audiences in their festival lineups.
Friends who have moved out of Texas sometimes ask me why I stay in Austin. My answer is that I love the communities here. Communities like Babe ATX, KOOP Radio, and countless others are very special and reflect the true spirit of Austin and Texas to me.