Fatty Cakes and the Puff Pastries
Fatty Cakes and the Puff Pastries is a punk band from Fresno, California, formed in 2011 by Amber Fargano. It grew to include Vishinna Turner, Audrey Paris Johnson, Victoria Crow, and Staci McDowell. Their music blends queercore, feminist pop, riot grrrl, and punk, and they perform with electric ukulele, bass, drums, synth, Glockenspiel, and Omnichord. The band aims to empower fans and create safe, welcoming live shows, often building a strong sense of community at their concerts.
The members come from diverse backgrounds: Fargano and McDowell are white; Crow is Chukchansi; Turner is Black with Choctaw and Blackfoot ancestry; Johnson has Black and Mexican heritage. They write songs together and focus on themes like feminism, anti-racism, and fat positivity. Songs like “Panic Attack” grew from a bass riff Turner played, and “Best Friend” celebrates the bonds among the band members.
Their self-titled album, released in 2018 on Emotional Response Records, was produced by Alice Bag and recorded in Echo Park. It’s described as a strong, empowering work that reflects the band’s political and personal voice. They have toured widely in the United States, played DIY venues and larger spaces such as the Great American Music Hall, and participated in events like Girls Rock Camps on the West Coast, Weirdo Night, and the Folsom Street Fair in 2022 and 2023. They even performed at the Bob Baker Marionette Theater with puppets and supported Fresno’s LGBTQIA community through collaborations like the 2021 constellating care networks show at Fresno City College.
The band chose the name to put a positive spin on the word “fat” and remains connected to Fresno with pride and a DIY spirit. Members also collaborate with other local groups—Vishinna Turner and Audrey Johnson play in Squid Ink, and Johnson has worked with Needy Evie, La Luz, Teri Gender Bender, and others. Fatty Cakes and the Puff Pastries continues to promote friendship, safety, and solidarity within their community.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 10:50 (CET).