Sleater-Kinney Concert Review Archive / 2001-2006

By Takakura Keiko

In Tokyo, there were more people at the show. The venue of 300-400 people was almost full. I heard that S-K didn’t have that many people the last time they came. Obviously they are getting popular here. I barely could get in the first row…

Eastern Youth openend up. They are a well-known Japanese underground rock band and have toured the West Coast a couple of times. They highly respect S-K & looked more energetic and emotional than usual in their performance that night. This band always leaves a strong impression.

At the end, the vocal guy talked how much he is into S-K. I found out there’s so much in common between us… like we put a poster of S-K in our rooms, we subscribed in KRS mailing list and so on… he was a funny MC.

S-K played a couple more songs than in Osaka, one of which was “Start Together.” When the riff began, I started screaming real loud. One of my most fave S-K songs. The audience was pretty responsive, I think. There were so many sing-alongs in songs such as “Words & Guitar,” “Dig Me Out,” “YNRNRF.” It was the coolest moment in my life that so many of us screamed “YOU’RE NO ROCK’N'ROLL FUN!!!!” altogether. We were so crazy, Carrie was laughing. The ladies didn’t speak much on the stage. I guess they thought we didn’t understand what they speak or they usually don’t speak on the stage?? I don’t know… But still they were great!!

I like both the Osaka & Tokyo shows.. definitely the best shows in my life. But it seems like Tokyo was better than Osaka because the audience in Tokyo was bigger and louder and funnier. I live in Osaka and my friends kept telling me “You are going to Tokyo? Why?? Just one show is enough. You shouldn’t spend 25,000 yen (=210 USD ) for only two shows!!” But I’m SO HAPPY I could make it for both shows!! There’s nothing to regret.

It was really awesome S-K fans from all over Japan got together and shared such a wonderful time together.. Plus, luckily I have made friends with two S-K fans and been in touch with them. Thank you so much Sleater-Kinney for coming to my country!! You gave me such an unforgettable memory!! I’ll cherish it!! I love you!!!

Set List:

O2
Oh!
Start Together
Little Babies
Far Away
Remainder
Youth Decay
Light Rail
Turn it on
All hands
One Beat
Hollywood
Words & Guitar
Sympathy
YNRNRF
Step Aside

Encore:

End Of You
Call the doctor
Dig Me Out

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By Takakura Keiko

“Freak that I am / live in Japan / let’s rock with the tough girls / in this part of the world / take a photograph…” I’d dreamed of this for three years and it finally came true!! Yes, we finally rocked out!!

I went to both the Osaka & Tokyo shows. In Osaka, there were actually two “S-K” shows as the opening band was Shonen Knife. I had never seen Shonen Knife live, and for me these two female bands playing together was like a dream, so I was so excited!

Shonen Knife was pretty good. They ended with the song “Buttercup.” It was good to hear my favorite Power Puff Girls song. When the show was half over, the girl next to me said, “Hey look, there’s Carrie!” She was watching Shonen’s performance for a few minutes and then taking pics of them from the backstage.

After twenty minutes or so, Sleater-Kinney showed up!! I was in the first row and Corin was right in front of me. I just couldn’t believe it… I was like “Oh, Corin is singing… she is real.”

Needless to say, the show was awesome, but it finished like in a minute!! I was impressed that Corin looked eye to eye to us for the whole show. She even glanced at my show-me-your-riffs t-shirt when starting the first song “Oh!”

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These pictures were taken by Katie.

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By Adam Fumo

Bracode
Screamfeeder
Sleater Kinney

Never having heard (of) Bracode before, they were a most welcome suprise. Their songs seemed quite tight and punchy, with imaginative lyrics. I picked up their EP ‘Over the Shoulder Boulder Houlder’ which I am keen to give a proper listen to. I’ll always have a soft spot for ppl in uniform and these girls looked great in their cop uniforms.

Screamfeeder delivered a typically solid set. Good stuff.

I had been waiting to see Sleater Kinney for a few years now. They did not disappoint me last night, in any sense of the word. They played a very energetic selection of songs from their fine repetoire. Janet played an awesome drum solo. Carrie bounced with an abundance of rock ‘n’ roll enthusiasm. Corin delivered the goods too, proudly displaying the most powerful voice in rock (says me). They played a number of older tracks such as ‘I wanna Be Yr Joey Ramone’, ‘Dig Me Out’, ‘Words + Guitar’ as well as more recent tracks (to be honest, I’m not the best with the names on the new album ‘cos I mainly cain it in my car tape player and thus am slow to pick up on the names of tracks). My personal favourite of the night would have been ‘Get Up’ cos it’s such a beautiful, liberating song.

I waited for about an hour after their set and Corin appeared and so I quickly ‘mobbed’ her. All the advice I’ve read on the ‘net about talking about shoes and the such flew out of my head as I was genuinely flabbergasted by standing so close to someone whose work I have such regard for (in both HTB & SK). I asked her to sign my copy of my ‘All Hands on the Bad One’ poster which she politely did. It was wonderful to see them perform. I wish there was something I could do to have a positive effect on the lives of those who have had such a positive effect on me.

Much love to Sleater Kinney. All the best with the continuing tour. Don’t be shy in coming back to Sydney.

Thanks to anyone who bothered to read my rant.

What did other ppl think of the set?

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Nhi Tree has a bunch of pictures on her LiveJournal.

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These pictures were taken by Katie. Thanks Katie!

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Kraa went to the show, did an interview, and wrote all about it here.

Setlist:

01 Oxygen
02 Oh!
03 The End Of You
04 The Remainder
05 All Hands On The Bad One
06 Get Up
07 Far Away
08 One Beat
09 Start Together
10 Light Rail Coyote
11 Yr No Rock n Roll Fun
12 Combat Rock
13 Turn It On
14 Sympathy
15 Hollywood Ending
16 Words & Guitar
17 Step Aside

Encore:

18 I Wanna Be Yr Joey Ramone
19 a cover
20 Call The Doctor
21 Dig Me Out

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Isaac Burwell sent in these red, red photos:

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By Isaac Burwell

Well the second night of s-k in a row was as brilliant as the first.
But for different reasons…

I was very pleased when carrie said just as they were about to begin that they would be playing different songs tonite since they recognised about half the people from Friday night.

I wouldn’t have minded if they had played the same set, but was an absolute bonus to hear different songs.

They ended up playing about half same from Friday night and half different ones. I would be interested if someone from this list was one of the people
who grabbed the setlists at the end.

The highlight for me was the encore, where when they walked back on stage a couple of people right up the front started screaming there heads off for good things…..and they delivered. It was great, and it became even better when they went straight into call the doctor…..it was amazing.. Call the doctor went for probly 7-8 minutes with an awesome jam at the end and then that segued into dig me out as their last song.

All up they played about half of one beat, including one beat, which they hadn’t played on Friday night…..3 off all hands, incl 2 not played on Friday….only 2 off hot rock, 1 new one….probly 5 off dig me out, with 2-3 new ones and then 3 off call the doctor. Again about 80 minutes.

Janet told a joke, which wasn’t particularly funny, and corin thought two people might have been fighting in the front row, but they were just hugging or something - obviously we here in nz do that differently……

All in all a fantastically successful weekend for s-k in New Zealand, and they seemed very impressed, so hopefully it all bodes well for a return in the not-too-distant future.

Would be interested in hearing someone else’s opinions on the show(s), and of course photos, as there were lotsa again on Saturday night.

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By Isaac Burwell

hi, thought i’d send an amil of my views of the s-k gig here in auckland,
nz last night….

well they were amazing!!! obviously….

i made a special trip up from christchurch to see them play the 2 nights that they are playing at the kings arms, and it is already worth it from last night.

i came up alone because none of my friends are big enuf fans of s-k to pay several hundred dollars just to see them play, but luckily i met an american guy in my hostel who was interested in going….

so we cruised along at around 9pm as it said that the show (incl 2 openers) would start at 9pm sharp….and the place was pretty empty, but title tk by the breeders was on the stereo so i was pleased….i noticed the s-k girls sitting at the back of the bar having a drink, but i left them well alone and we ordered a beer and went and sat down outside.

at about 9.30 the first openers began (fake purr), and luckily by this time the bar had filled up nicely. fake purr were 4 chicks who played pretty rough…they had some really good music, but the lyrics weren’t particularly inspiring. but by the end of their slot i was really enjoying them.

next up was xanadu, an all male 3 pieice. unfortunately these guys who plagued with problems and had to abandon their set midway. but from what i heard they are very interesting….the lead guy plays a guitar keyboard thing like the guy from psuedo echo, and he was getting some crazy noises from it…..first off his first keyboard thing wasn’t working proply…so he says that he’s gunna try his
other one, out pops this normal keyboard with a guiatr strap on it…it was crazy…..but that still wasn’t really working, so he went to guitar for a song and that went well and then back to keyboard, but it was still fucked….so they left…..but i hope they get all their gear sorted for tonites gig, cause i’m very keen to hear them play when they are all set up.

by this time the venue was pretty packed, and i was suprised by how many tall guys were there. the stage is only about 1 foot off the ground and i am 6ft2, and i was struggling to see the stage from about 6 rows back.

so sleater-kinney come on at about 11.10pm to some phenomenal screams from this one girl up the front…she seemed to go on for about a minute.
i liked how they just look so normal when they walk on stage. they look as thought they’re off to work, which i spose they are, but still. they said all the usuals about how great to be here blah blah…..and then ripped into one of the songs of one beat…..i apologise, but i can’t remember a setlist order… and the crowd just goes instantly crazy….everyone up the front is dancing and moshing and shit….it was crazy.

they played everything from one beat apart from prisstina and one beat and 3-4 from hot rock (get up, end of you, burn don’t freeze (??), and another one) and 4-5 from dig me out (words and guitar, dig me out, one more hour, turn it on, and maybe heart factory??). i was hoping they would play something from call the doctor, but they didn’t…hopefully tonite they will….

the drum solo was great and the extended versions of a couple of songs also worked very well. but they just sounded so fucking amazing.

the guitars were so clear and the vocals were pitch perfect. carrie was just going crazy all the time, dancing round stage, flinging her guitar everywhere.
but i was simply amazed by janets drumming…she is amazing to watch…..she looks so calm as she is ponding out these amazing beats…..she is the best drummer i have ever seen.

people were dancing to every single song and the mosh pit was going fucking mental. carrie said after oh! that she liked eveyone dancing cause lotsa places don’t even dance in the states, and i can see why they liked it cause they were just buzzing off the crowd reaction….they really looked like they were hazing a fucking blast. the dancing was getting a bit crazy at one point so carrie had to ask if everyone would take one step back to as not to crush these 2 poor
girls up the front.

they also said that they’re gunna have to come back to new zealand more often cause of the reaction they were getting, to which the crowd also went crazy.

they played for about 80 mins and did a 2-song encore and finished with dig me out and off they walked - well actually they just sat on the side of the stage, which was nice to see.

lotsa people had cameras and were snapping away. annoyingly however, they all were using their flash, so the girls were getting blinded every 5 seconds by all these flashes going off. so maybe someone on this list has some piccies. for tonites gig i am taking my camera, but ain’t gunna be using my flash, and i’ll post any good ones.

the guy who i went with had never heard of sleater-kinney and he was blown away. he was really impressed, and i think anyone going there last night would have been hard pressed to have been unhappy. it was fucking amazing.

so all-in-all and amazing night, and i can’t wait for a repeat tonight.

and then this morning as i was walking round town i saw corin doing some shopping on karangahape road. she doesn’t look so short when she’s on stage…..explains why they were a bit tricky to see. wonder if she found anything interesting.

well that was rather long and rambling….nevermind… i’ll post another little review of tonites gig as well, but it should be a shorter spiel.

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