SLEATER-KINNEY ROCKS THE HISTORIC WILTERN THEATER
PHOTOS BY DANIELLE AGNELLO; WORDS BY ADAM GORDON
Sleater-Kinney has become a mainstay of riot grrrl and indie rock music, and for good reason. Despite changes in their roster and sonic style, they are a legendary band everyone must see. March 28th was the first of two Los Angeles shows and precedes their final week on their North American tour in support of their new album Little Rope. The fun doesn't stop here, though, as they will tour New Zealand and Australia before making their way to Europe. The band formed in 1994 in Olympia, Washington, and has garnered a reputation as a band's band, for good reason; they put on a great show.
Before Sleater-Kinney took the stage, we were treated to an opening set by Palehound. The members of Palehound were all masters of their instruments and held their own to a crowd who was there to see the headliner. Then at 9:10 pm, it happened: Sleater Kinney swooped onto the stage and opened with "Hell," a song from their new album. This sound can only be described as a return-to-form. Carrie Brownstein and Corin Tucker are not afraid to take up space; the stage is their playground. Even with the departure of long-time bandmate Janet Weiss in 2019, they can fill in the gap and do more than tread water; they're doing laps in an Olympic-size pool.
The set included a mix of fan-favorite tracks from their catalog and a healthy portion of their new album. This is always a treat because not every artist plays a ton of songs from their latest release, even if the tour is in support of it. Artists who have been around for 30 years, as Sleater Kinney has, often opt for a "greatest hits" show, but the way they did it is a perfect way to highlight their newest work and honor their legacy titles as well. A perfect snapshot of who the band is today in this current iteration.
This was not our first time seeing Sleater Kinney, so we knew we could expect excellence. With that said, the show was superb as ever, high-energy, and loud. The audience knew what to expect and there was no shortage of folks singing along to songs that presumably got them through the angsty high school years. Whether the band's music is a nostalgia trip or something new for you, their power as a band is something you should avail yourself of at least once.