Fresh from filming an episode of Austin City Limits earlier this week, the women of the veteran Pacific Northwest rock band Sleater-Kinney roared into the Granada Theater on Thursday night to launch the new leg of their North American tour.
As packed as we've ever seen it, the Granada provided the kind of intimacy that allowed players to feed off the giddy energy of diehard fans up front. As a result, the show felt electric from first note to extended encore.
For those of us who hadn't yet witnessed live performances of songs from the band's stellar eighth album No Cities to Love, released in January after a 10-year recording hiatus, it was exhilarating to get the one-two punch of "Price Tag" and "Fangless" right away. Judging by the thunderous applause after the second tune, we weren't the only ones who'd listened to the new album in the car too many times to count.
And while the new LP is already "on 10" when it comes to vocal aggression and tempo, the members of Sleater-Kinney found a way to take things to 11 with their performances Thursday.
Singer-guitarists Carrie Brownstein (also known as a star of the IFC comedy series Portlandia) and Corin Tucker nailed their respective vocals throughout the evening, Brownstein pushing out her punk-perfect staccato chants and Tucker wailing in a style somewhere between harsh and cathartic. Drummer Janet Weiss produced a variety of beats but, like any rocker worth her salt, sped up and slowed down slightly whenever she saw fit. It was her occasional off-the-rails vibe that added some magical unpredictability to Sleater-Kinney's set.
The trio was rounded out by a new touring member, Katie Harkin, who handled extra guitar and other instruments when needed. But for the most part the three originals showed why they've earned Sleater-Kinney's reputation as one of the most vital rock bands of the last few decades.
Brownstein was especially entertaining to watch, from her karate kicks to her lead-guitar shredding (those refrains on "Bury Our Friends," wow). Tucker shouldn't be overlooked for her yeoman's work on the axe, either. Without a bass player to fall back on, she's a crucial contributor to the band's rhythm.
Photo gallery:
The tracks from No Cities to Love and several from 2005's The Woods got the biggest reactions from the audience, whose close-together heads never seemed to stop bobbing. Several times I saw messes of hair moving uncontrollably, as if the spirit of Beavis had taken over.
In case old-school fans are wondering, Sleater-Kinney didn't just stick to newer stuff -- the crowd heard songs from 1997's Dig Me Out (including the always fun "Little Babies"), 1999's The Hot Rock, 2000's All Hands on the Bad One, and 2002's One Beat as well.
In the end it was an epic 23-song experience that left the full house wanting more. These women can't come back soon enough, but until then we'll wait with bated breath for that Austin City Limits episode.
