Last night was a long one, so I was admittedly unprepared as I descended the precarious staircase to Lit’s lower dungeons for a Gotham Girls Roller Derby jeerleaders fund-raiser show. These ladies put together a group of pirate-themed bands and donned aquatic accessories for last night’s shindig, and though I only caught one of the four acts, it was still a whale* of a good time.

The band in question were the Ruffian Arms, and though they reminded me of early Siouxsie & the Banshees and the Slits, I can’t say I loved them as much as either of those touchstones. Not to say the show was a loss, as the band combined early punk rock fury, scandalous semi-nudity, and pure sassy fun for an entertaining experience through and through. Well, that is, until beer was accidentally thrown in my face on its way to the stage, which prompted me to seek safer ground and watch the remaining numbers from afar.

Turns out the Ruffian Arms were a convenient choice of band for a jeerleader event, as the band coincidentally had their own sets of pom-poms primed for a fight song, easily the highlight of the night. There was even a choreographed routine to go along with the number. Otherwise, their set concluded with a hybrid version of the Ramones’ ‘Beat on the Brat,’ as both male and female appendages and extremities threatened to burst from their unstable confines. Fun for the whole family!

Otherwise, let me conclude by saying that these jeerleader lasses know how to have a good time, and are keen on throwing a series of enjoyable fundraisers. You can catch these ladies in action at any regular Gotham Girls Roller Derby event, but there’s also a Las Vegas-themed fundraiser in the works for July 20th. No bands on the slate, but it’s guaranteed to be a bona-fide fun time all the same!

*this is the last nautical pun I’ll make in this article, I solemnly swear.