THE BAND

Skip The Needle is an Oakland-based queer female quartet made up of Bay Area superstars; Vicki Randle, Shelley Doty, Kofy Brown and Katie Cash who fashion punk, funk and soul influenced rock they like to call black dyke rock. As the name implies, they are musically diverse and bring a biting, socially conscious message, delivered with radical joy. Formed in 2014, Skip The Needle has released two full-length albums and two EPs - Octavia Of Earth, Volume 2, inspired by black feminist icon Octavia E. Butler, released by Soulectric - A division of Little Village Foundation and digitally released by Side Hustle Records in 2024 and their latest, Wake Up Wake UP Wake Up, written for the Local Sirens Residency grant they received from Women’s Audio Mission, released on Soulectric in 2025.

Though playfulness and exuberance are an integral part of Skip The Needle’s performances, reflections on issues of justice and equity, especially black, queer and women’s rights are the driving force behind much of their collective writing. The songs on Wake Up Wake Up Wake Up reflect the idea that socially conscious music can edify, inspire and rejuvenate. Four distinctly different voices and musical styles coming together as one spawned the name Skip The Needle and their messages of hope and inspiration, delivered with driving, infectious funk, rock and soul.