Rebecca (left) and Deanna posing onstage before sound check.

These photos are of my band members right before the best show we ever played. We are Pins & Needles, and we’ve been playing shows in Toronto since we were 14. Being both young and female musicians in a male-dominated scene, we’ve struggled to be taken seriously. Now we’re 18, and our audience has watched us grow through our music. With the launch of our album, Mystic Woman, we realized that we have created a space in which we can own the stage. —Sabrina Carrizo Sztainbok

Deanna’s guitar and my bass with some of our favorite stickers.

Deanna tuning.

I told them to look serious.

It didn’t really work.

Nastasia’s sparkly socks, which she stole from her friend to wear onstage.

Nastasia (left), me (center), and Deanna in front of the Rivoli sign. Rebecca took this photo.

A shot from the side stage.

Our friend Kailas backstage.

Sabrina Carrizo Sztainbok is an artist and musician living in Toronto. Find her on Instagram.