CroneLines 2025 💃🏾
“I love you will you dance with me?”
The world’s first afternoon menopause disco with our Crone DJs playing crone music, and some crone spoken word to kick us off too.
With thanks to Tramlines Trust and Nik and Jon at 99 Mary Street who supported us.
The event is sold out! 100 women in midlife and beyond are congregating from all over the UK at the uber cool 99 Mary Street in Sheffield to celebrate each other and our transition into our third act of ‘becoming a crone.’
One third of those tickets sold are women coming to a nightclub on their own, not knowing anyone. All of whom, stayed, danced, laughed, cried and made new pals for FIVE HOURS!! (And many until, erm 2am 😳).
On the walls we installed an exhibition by photographer Laura Page from her award-winning positive ageing exhibition, Hidden Depths, as well as the crone-sweary-bunting made by Crone Kath Wilson at our January meet up.
We ran a workshop at the maker shed in Hillsborough Park in our January meet up with volunteers helping make crone-related outfits and crone bunting for the event.
Outside the crone crowd is starting to muster. On OMG what a cool crowd of croneage if ever I did see one!
I spot a familiar face. It’s Crone Ann with the Brighton Crones. We connected on Instagram over a year ago, and she’s made the trip up from Brighton with two of her best crone pals. We’ve since worked together on some Tits to the Wind articles and she’s been a source of great support, but it’s the first time we’ve met ‘in real life’. Like many of the out-of-town crones who have travelled from far and wide, they’re making a weekend of it!
Brighton Crones come up to Sheffield for the first time and make a weekend of it.
And they aren’t the only Crones to travel to Sheffield from Crone Lands far, far away! There are Crones from Bristol, Derby, London, Manchester, Scotland, North East and one who had even flown in from Dingle in the Ireland of Ireland! Two Crones I’d met at the Durham Miner’s Gala the previous year came up from London for the weekend too!
On the door, our greeters hand each ticket holder a set list which contains a Tena Lady. For obvious reasons! Came in useful, PLUS they also became a menopausal badge of honour, with many sporting them on their lapels.
Crone Carol proudly sports her Tena Lady.
A CroneLines reveller later posts about the joy of receiving a Tena Lady in the set list.
It’s now 2.30pm and it’s time for the official start and the playing of the ‘Crone Anthem’ - ‘I Am Woman’ by Helen Reddy. Some older crones climb onto chairs and are waving their arms back at me as we sing along: “I am woman! Hear me Roar! In numbers too big to ignore! And I know too much to go back and pretend…”
A room full of crones belting out ‘I am Woman’ by Helen Reddy. Pic credit Laura Page Photography.
For those not familiar, this track was adopted by the ‘women’s movement’ in the 1970s. Some who played a part in that movement are in the room today and it feels like a fitting way to honour them. These are the women who fought tirelessly for the rights of every single one of us. The right to get a mortgage without a husband. The right to a legal abortion. The right for equal pay.
Brighton Crone Ann says in her Instagram post:
”Walking into a room full of older women, all belting out Helen Reddy’s ‘I am woman’, watching the most beautifully curated performances, tearing up the dance floor and bond with a bunch of truly excellent women including my own homie croneies… it was just magical. Please let’s do it again. Then let’s take over the world.”
Younger women are moved too. DJ Clare from Sheffield’s Disco Choir tells me later, she also had a tear in her eye, as her mum (RIP) was a feminist and Helen Reddy was the soundtrack of her childhood.
To get us into the spoken word section, we kicked off with Maya Angelou performing ‘Phenomenal Women’ which had been one of the many sources of inspiration for the event.
And then came the live spoken word performances! 😮
First up, was my Neurodiverse Crone Sista, Vicky Morris, founder of Hive Young Writers and responsible for nurturing the young talent of the crones of the future, (often at the detriment of her own personal health).
This day was not only to celebrate our own transition to cronehood, but to honour ALL the women who have influenced us in our lives. Some had sent pictures to include in the video which was projected onto the wall as we danced.
Vic started with a poem she’d written called ‘Adult Assessment’ about our neurodiversity diagnoses that we both got in our 40s. She then sets the tone for the day beautifully reading a much-shared Crone Club classic by Mary Oliver, ‘Wild Geese.’
“Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting–
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.”
Next up is Crone Cathi Rae, the Instagram body positivity model, poet and campaigner against ageism in the world of fashion. Cathi’s been a member of Crone Club since being a book at our Crone Human Library back in 2022.
Crone Insta legend Cathi Rae performing at CroneLines.
She’s pissed off when she arrives from Leicestershire, as she’s been fined by the clean air act and is rightly raging at the cost of parking. She’s a poet and a model, but like many working class, creative women ‘of a certain age’, she has to do shit loads of other jobs just to pay the bills.
It’s not surprising then, that one of the pamphlets she brings is entitled: ‘Your Cleaner hates you.’ (You can buy it here or DM her at CathiRae on Insta to buy this and other collections).
Cathi wears her age and style with a pride that can only come with the fierce crone acceptance of your ‘third act’, and she’s a wonderful spoken word performer too.
She delivers a fantastic set that bring the house down. “Fearless and so honest, and great to see such a stylish older woman, defying stereotypes.” said Miranda afterwards. “I found her dry wit super inspiring.” said another. “Beautiful, moving poetry that really captured the joy and the struggle of womanhood.”
The cheering from the crowd moves even this strong and feisty crone to tears.
Cathi says in an Insta post later:
“I realised how rarely I’m in a public space where there are so many women my age and older… in a space where all the performers were older too… quite often, I’m the oldest person on the stage, but yesterday, I felt amongst my tribe… a beacon of light in a world that says at our age we should be quiet and take up less space. And a huge thanks to possibly the nicest audience I’ve ever had… so many of you bought books and supported an older creative.”
She ends her post summing up the joy of CroneLines:
“You’ve got to love an event where when you say you can’t stay on into the evening because you don’t drive in the dark, everyone just nods with recognition and empathy.”
Next up is Crone Joy France, all the way from the wrong side of the Pennines. I loved how she’d slipped into the room with the unremarkable invisibility that ‘nanans’ have, but then after her set, was pursued by a constant trail of adoring fans.
The Fearless Joy France and ‘that’ Unicorn’s head. Pic credit Laura Page.
With a warm Lancastrian voice and that Manc-mastery of telling a tall tale with ease and mischief, Joy starts to explain how she got into the often misogynistic underground world of battle rap, ten years ago.
The crone crowd are literally GOB SMACKED by battle rapper Joy France. “Thank God we got a Tena Lady on the door!’ said one, “so fking funny!” “When I grow up, I want to be Joy France” said another.
The resulting years of her Battle Rap experiences have recently been captured by Northern Heart Films in ‘Joy Uncensored.’ You can watch it on You Tube here. (Warning, includes darkly misogynistic content from some of her male opponents).
Here’s a taste from her set live at CroneLines, a poem dedicated to the owner of Bic Biros, on the ingenious creation of a pink pen with a delicate shaft, ‘just for the ladies’.
All the way from Stockton for the day, Crone Kazza’s fab Crone Definition top. Check out her wonderful shop of beautiful handmade things @kettleoffishdesigns
Manchester Crone Music Legend Una Baines - founding member of The Fall, then ‘Blue Orchids’ (allegedly named by John Cooper Clarke) who were the backing band for the Velvet Underground’s Nico on a European tour in the early 80’s.
“It was brilliant to work with Nico. I admired and was a little in awe of her. Patti Smith had given her the Indian pipe organ she played and she let me sound check it for her!”
{Interview with Una Baines and @winterviewz, 2012}
A woman still hugely active on the feminist, activist and Manchester music scene, Una is at the helm of her all-female band, ‘Poppycock’ (“Well, there is one fella in it,” she says… “but that’s okay.”).
And now aged 67, Una’s on the TransPennine ‘Express’ from Manchester, on her way to our first ever afternoon crone disco with spoken word, CroneLines.
“This is a very special year, because 13 being, you know, sacred, magical and bits of the goddess divine feminine and everything. So lots of great things will happen for us. We had an album released last June. It took us all that time to, you know, all the ups and downs of bands and everything. And we finally got it out there.”
Thirteen years for the making of an album. What could be more Crone as Fk than that?
Then it’s onto the DANCING!
Crone Angelina kicks off the dancing teaching us some kick-ass moves.
Angelina is a dancer and choreographer living in Sheffield and founder of @mulembasdafricadance @global_tr1be. She got us moving with a dance based on her Angolan heritage, where “ancestral spirituality guides you through each movement allowing you to release the energy, expand the soul and embrace the roots.”
She then, rather bravely, led us in a lesson to try it for ourselves.
Then it was onto the Crone DJ sets!
“What an event! It was completely magnificent. The sheer joy of dancing with women to music made by women, celebrating the wonder of being women was just mind-blowingly brilliant. I loved every minute.”
- CroneLines Feedback 2025
“All the DJs were fab and it was just brilliant to see one woman after another behind the decks spinning the tunes.” CroneLines feedback 2025.
So here’s a taster of some of the DJ playlists and a few of their DJ highlights from the day.
DJ Juzza
Share some tracks from your CroneLines Playlist…
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0PAGMmfiNDtdzMbaBHOpiT?si=qx63dFDXRAuDX7coEcsvxA
Share a DJ highlight…
“We lost our wonderful Dad last year, and we were musical soulmates, so seeing my Mum dancing to Nina Simone’s ‘Aint Got No’, despite mum having a full knee replacement booked for the following week, has to be a highlight! Also looking out from behind the decks after dropping ‘Like Sugar’ by Chaka Khan and seeing my little sis grooving to our fave sibling track. My sis has chronic fatigue/ M.E and what makes her energy even more special is I know this burst of support will cost her several days in bed. Also, seeing a good friend dance for three hours, despite still being in chemo for breast cancer AND recovering from a broken ankle - ‘Three hours of dancing seemed to cure the neuropathy in my foot though,” she told me later.
DJ Crone Lyn
Time for a quick DJ Lesson with DJ Kitty. It was Crone Lyn’s first go on the decks and she was ruddy awesome! DJ Lyn we love you!!! All the DJS were women in peri-menopause or apres meno, playing exclusively crone music sets. Pic credit Laura Page.
Share some tracks from your CroneLines Playlist…
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0E9oldMBmyJOHIzvARuztw?si=e46C1aEBTxu2x8HSn6UQHw
Share a DJ highlight…
“As a volunteer and attendee it was a great experience- I never thought I'd learn how to use DJ decks at my age and so that was very inspiring. Really felt like opportunities for older women to affirm and celebrate each other are not common enough and this is such a great way to do this.”
Not only, but also…
When she’s not pulling on her big crone pants to DJ in front of a crowd with a mere 10 minute DJ lesson, Lyn does shed-loads of other interesting stuff including successfully getting her arse in gear to attend music gigs, producing The Philip Larkin Society Podcast with her husband Gav, and being a great support at Crone Club too. 🙏
DJ Disco Clare
DJ Disco Clare and DJ Moonrise sparkle on! Pic source - sorry, I’m not sure who sent me this, but 🙏
Share some tracks from your Cronelines Playlist…
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2vW6lsF1raYibwF7FPcHBW?si=jNcNTUU1QtumYIXGxhCz5g
Share a DJ highlight…
“The Helen Reddy track ‘I Am Woman’ at the start was a real highlight for me - it is a great tribute to my mum. I grew up with such positivity and music and Mum really championed the arts. Another highlight was when I played ‘I Am What I Am’ by Gloria Gaynor and the Disco Choir gang went mental, which was just so infectious!”
Not only, but also…
Clare is our sparkly leader of Sheffield’s new Disco Choir which is attracting crooning crones by the cauldron! The Disco Choir is now FULL, but contact clare@discochoir.co.uk to join the waiting list. 🪩
We are hoping that next year there may be a performance at CroneLines.
DJ Moonrise (AKA Crone Sarah Louisa of La Luna)
Share some tracks from your Cronelines Playlist...
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2kEInlPzFMpbWYUgw74TyZ?si=cYg78vuKRX-MDfmL1DE1Dw
DJ Moonrise aka Sarah Wilson shares her playlist below, but would like to stress that on the day she played some exclusive re-edits NOT available on Spotify!
Share a DJ highlight...
“What a bloody amazing day! I’m still feeling the warmth and energy of all the amazing, nay phenomenal women. Such a privilege to be part of it.”
Not only, but also…
Sarah runs and DJs at La Luna Social Club (with her husband Dean), Sheffield’s original early start, early finish club night. They also donate their profits to charities. Find out more here: La Luna Social Club | Twitter, Instagram, Facebook | Linktree
When she’s not DJing, Sarah teaches yoga. She has an upcoming full moon online gathering. Details here: Yoga Moon Magick - Yoga and Wellbeing Sheffield
DJ Kitty
DJ Kitty supported us all throughout the day. (So sorry for breaking for your headphones mate 😬)
Headlining at CroneLines was a Sheffield DJ who should need no introduction, DJ Kitty. Her band, Speed for Lovers are truly magnificent (their next gig is at Sidney and Matilda’s on 12 July, you can buy tickets here). Many will also know Kitty for her exceptional audio visual work - especially, creative soundscapes and podcast production. Check out her fab work on her website here.
DJ Kitty plays us out at CroneLines with a ‘proper’ club set, including Moloko’s ‘The Time is Now’ (see below). And best of all, it’s only 6.30pm.
With the words of Roisin ringing in our ears, the more feral amongst us tumble out of the venue and head to the nearest bar - the hugging and the loving hanging jubilantly in the air, along with the sticky scent of Oestrogell.
“Let’s make this moment… last.”
“I made more friends tonight than in three years I have lived in Sheffield.”
“It was delightful to see such collective happiness, openness, and admiration for each other; everyone comfortable in their own skin - and in their own shoes, not a pair of high heels in sight! Fabulous. I wanted every woman I love to be part of it - so next year we’re definitely gonna need a bigger room!!”
“I came on Saturday to the disco and fell in love with the energy of all those present.”
“You’ve inspired me & given me a glimmer of hope ... thank You so much ♀️”
“I laughed and laughed. Felt so ‘seen’ and validated. And it was brilliant dipping outside and seeing the young men driving past, with their jaws on their chest in disbelief at such a large noisy gathering of delightedly happy, chatty, dancing women - of a certain age!! ”
“We need a space where older women can party, have fun and make friends. Not aware of anything like Cronelines being available for us.”
“Really impressed by the high level and professional organisation of the whole event. Couldn’t get over how friendly everyone was from arriving and until I left. Felt very welcome. Thank you for creating something quite unique. ”
“It was amazing, found my tribe and felt really empowered, seen and heard.”
“Joy is an absolute inspiration powerhouse and breaks all boundaries of what is achievable as a curious crone. ”
“A wonderful bit of respite from the world, a way to experience new things and a chance to have it confirmed that growing older aint what it used to be!”
“From the moment I walked in, though I knew nobody, I knew I’d found my tribe of powerful fun beautiful women. I welled up!”
“I think the fact that lots of women came on their own says it all. I was with a couple of friends but if they hadn’t been there I would have enjoyed myself just as much. And it’s so important that as we age we’re able to go on having FUN! And that women can meet together in a completely supportive environment, free of politics, trolling, and the intense faction fighting that I remember from womens’ groups I’ve had involvement with in the past - and which is still very evident.”
“In a world where older women are at best ignored at worst reviled, walking into a venue where age isn’t a badge of shame but cause for celebration feels radical, empowering and joyful. This was a unique event, beautifully held and curated. It felt like coming home.”
“CroneLines is needed because women like us need to not fade into the background anymore than we did when we were young women, holding our space and shaping our world. It’s lonely to keep pushing on your own.”
“So so vital for women at what can be a challenging time to feel empowered and have a strong voice to drown out patriarchal and marketing ideas of what older women are. We are FAR from invisible!”
“It was a fab afternoon, hats off to you for bringing together all those inspiring women. I kept looking round the room and was in awe at the talent, knowledge, expertise and experience of the women there- and that’s just the ones I know. Just what I needed to see at this point!”
“I realised how rarely I’m in a public space where there are so many women my age and older… in a space where all the performers were older too… quite often, I’m the oldest person on the stage, but yesterday, I felt amongst my tribe… a beacon of light in a world that says at our age we should be quiet and take up less space. And a huge thanks to possibly the nicest audience I’ve ever had… so many of you bought books and supported an older creative.”
“What an event! It was completely magnificent. The sheer joy of dancing with women to music made by women, celebrating the wonder of being women was just mind-blowingly brilliant. I loved every minute.”
“Thank you soooo much for a magical, alchemical empowering experience last weekend! Aside from the tequila shots, my twerking and general mischief it was a truly beautiful and soul nourishing experience.”
“I really see how powerful it is for wise menopausal women to hear their own voice and feel validated, strong and empowered. I feel it’s a voice that needs to shout louder above the voices of the patriarchy and the marketeers keeping us down and using menopause as a fearmongering marketing opportunity to sell youth and ‘stuff’. Instead, the quiet voice I know in myself was amplified in that room by other crones to a roaring crescendo of confidence and wild liberation. Leaving me with a quiet reinforced power of the tribe that I carry in my being and will be dishing out liberally to other crones to hold up and empower.. it’s infectious!”
“Great to see such a stylish older woman, defying stereotypes.”
“Fancy deciding when you’re 60 to embark on battle rap for the first time! Love how she is completely herself in a genre where you would not expect to find an older woman.”
