Chris Attridge (left), who took to the social media platform Reddit to find new friends, with fellow members of the London Metal Ladies

PUNK music fans have something of a macho reputation, but when metalhead Chris Attridge took to the social media platform Reddit to find new friends, she wound up with a group of more than 40 women who share her love for everything emo.

“A lot of my friends are getting engaged or buying houses, they’re staying in and settling down and they don’t want to go out any more – but I still do,” said professional body piercer Ms Attridge, 33, who got into emo and metal music when she was at secondary school and the “original emo era” was just kicking off.

When Ms Attridge posted an appeal for like-minded women on Reddit, she was shocked by the response.

“I was struggling to find friends to go out with, so it was initially just to find other people that were in a similar boat to me,” she said, adding: “I was a little embarrassed – I feel there’s a stigma about looking for friends on the internet, but the internet is there to connect people so I just decided to go for it.

“I thought I would just get a couple of people, but I got nearly 50 responses, and loads of women saying ‘I’ve been looking for something like this for ages’.

“Now there are about 40 of us in a WhatsApp group.”

And though it is still early days, many of the members have already found firm friends through the new community of London Metal Ladies.

They have a programme of events – some suggested by members themselves – lined up for the months ahead, including nights out at metal emo punk party Voodoo in Angel, Scala’s long-standing Face Down and metal karaoke at The Dev in Camden.

The group also organises daytime events, including an Emo Craft Night in a Euston cafe and a trip to the Satanic Flea Market at Electrowerkz in Angel – four floors of mostly handmade goods from taxidermy and wicker statuettes to masks and tarot readers.

“I just love the music, honestly, and there’s a massive sense of community within the metal and alternative scene in London – everyone is really friendly,” said Ms Attridge, who spent her teenage years in Camden during its punk heyday and has been going to Scala’s Face Down night since she was 18.

“Especially since Covid, I feel a lot of people struggle socially – but life’s too short,” she added. “It’s easy to doubt yourself and overthink things, but you should never be afraid to put yourself out there because it could end up being one of the best things you’ve ever done.”