After an initial ten year run of consistently brilliant records and blistering live shows, Olympia, Washington’s Sleater-Kinney went on a near decade long hiatus, which ended just five months ago, in which time they have produced a universally praised album and once again assumed their role as one of the most potent live acts in popular music.
PINS, an all female quartet from Manchester, are up first and have the unenviable task of making their mark on a hyped up capacity crowd, many of whom are in the beginning stages of idol worship over tonight’s headliners.
Quite clearly they are fit for the task, unleashing a brew of swampy grooves and pop melodies that, by the time their last song segues into ‘Girl’s Just Wanna Have Fun’, gain the appreciation of the crowd.
As the house lights dim to herald the arrival of Sleater-Kinney, the noise made by the swollen crowd tells that this is a show a long time in coming, which the band politely acknowledge before tearing into a feverish ‘Price Tag’ that seems to render the crowd in a state of catharsis.
What comes after is 90 minutes of rock’n’roll fun that hits peak after peak, as classics old and new are deployed with the same sense of purpose and joyous endeavour that has always set them so uniquely apart.
Throughout the set it’s clear that the newer material stands side by side with the old, although it’s the older cuts that get the biggest receptions, especially the fan favourites ‘Little Babies’ (dedicated to Zayn Malik and his grieving fans), ‘You’re No Rock N’ Roll Fun’ and ‘I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone’, which in solidarity with another fellow rock goddess has its ‘…Thurston Moore…’ line changed to ‘…I wanna be your Kim Gordon’.
In what seems like no time, the encore is upon us, which begins with Corin Tucker’s feminist rallying cry of “Gimme equality! Gimme respect! Gimme love!” before the band blaze through some of their finest work, including the sweet ‘One More Hour’, an uplifting ‘Modern Girl’ and a scorched ‘Dig Me Out’.
When it’s over, the crowd is left in no doubt that this is a band emboldened with a renewed sense of vigour, and with Carrie Brownstein, Corin Tucker and Janet Weiss sounding as vital as ever, it’s hard to imagine it will be long before we see them again.
However if they decide to take another hiatus then I’m sure the memory of tonight’s show will sustain me for another ten years.
Words: Brendan Sloan
Photos: Sean Campbell
