When most people hear about an all-girl band they probably expect a pretty standard formula; a few cute songs about boys, some girl-power banter, and a few basic chords. But for all the things Eau Claire-based band Kaptivating Kate is, the Spice Girls is not one of them.

“We can rock harder than most guy bands,” says Britt Thays, who contributes vocals and guitar to the all-female quartet.

Kate started last February, when the girls met through mutual friends, and have only been playing in their current configuration for about four months.

“Us all being women has actually helped,” said Hannah Stage, who plays bass. “We were originally intimidated, but we just clicked so well right away.”

That initial chemistry is definitely visible in their live show, where varying ages and influences (from Rush and Boston to the Deftones, Ryan Adams, and American Head Charge) make for an awesome experience.

“We are from different generations; Annie with the 70’s, Pierce with the 80’s, and me and Britt from the 2000’s,” said Stage. “It gives us a good mix.”

“I just feel lucky to be surrounded by such talented ladies,” says Stage.

“I could actually be their mother,” Kate’s drummer, Annie, added at a benefit show for the local independent film Fenris Unchained at The House of Rock, where they also played for the New Year’s Eve Bash. And a growing audience at other rock venues around Eau Claire keeps that momentum going.

“We’re the only female rock band in this area,” says Pierce, who plays lead guitar and was the initial catalyst for starting the band. “I think it’s really refreshing for this scene.”

    There is, however, at least one more all-female band in Eau Claire. Members of the bands Travisty and Chic Tracy recently joined forces to become Adjal. But, like Adjal, not only is Kate’s gender a refreshing change of pace for the area, but their sound is definitely a different direction than most of the bands in the Valley.

“I’d say it’s hard rock with a soft edge,” says Hannah. “We’re still evolving; it’s getting heavier as we keep playing.”

And Thays does have that classic hard-rock growl you don’t get to see much from an all-female outfit, and it makes for an intense live show. Check out tracks like Morphine at a live show to hear that growl at it’s best, or Fallen November on the girls’ Myspace page.

Kaptivating Kate hopes to get in the studio sometime in the near future, but, for the moment, they have been focusing on live shows with their moniker “All female, all original.”

“Come check us out, come to a show, download,” encourages Pierce.

Listen to the rough demo, Dirty, on their Myspace page, www.myspace.com/kaptivatingkate, where they encourage fans to download free tracks. The ladies will also be hitting Stones Throw and House of Rock in the next few weeks, touting their own ideas about what girls and music are all about.
“Live easy, rock hard; that’s my life motto,” says Hannah. “It probably works pretty good as a band motto, too.”

  Kaptivating Kate + Nevermind at Stones Throw, 304 Eau Claire St., Jan. 31 at 10 pm.

    Mid-Winter Music Meltdown at House of Rock, 422 Water St., Feb. 7 at 9 pm.