Sleater-Kinney
April 29, 2015
Marquee Theatre- Tempe, AZ
On Wednesday April 29th Sleater-Kinney performed at the Marquee Theatre in Tempe, Arizona with THEESatisfaction. Opening band THEESatisfaction, an R&B/hip-hop duo from Seattle, offered a smooth introduction to the rock-your-face-off sound that is Sleater-Kinney. THEESatisfaction captured the audience’s 
attention, and brought a great balance to the show. Fans filled the venue, packing both the floor and balcony with excitement for the return of Sleater-Kinney. The band, composed of Corin Tucker (vocals/guitar), Carrie Brownstein (vocals/guitar), Janet Weiss (drums/vocals) and featuring Katie Harkin (guitar/keyboard) emerged as a key component of the Riot Grrrl movement in the 1990’s and may be described as hardcore feminist punk rock. The band dissolved in 2006 and reemerged in 2015 with the recording of their newest album No Cities To Love which sparked their current U.S. tour. Due to this hiatus, hoards of fans filled the venue for the long-awaited return of Sleater-Kinney.
The Marquee was buzzing with excitement the moment the band stepped on stage and immediately plunged into their first song off their new album with no introduction Price Tag. The set consisted of many of the songs from the new album including: Fangless, No Cities to Love, Bury Our Friends, and Hey Darling just to name a few, as well as some old favorites. Carrie Brownstein could be seen jumping/moving around stage and at times rocking out on the ground. Brownstein was hypnotizing to watch as she thrashed around stage, capturing the attention of the viewers. The energy in the venue was intense to say the least, with loads of dedicated screaming fans. Corin Tucker and Brownstein could be seen meeting in the middle of the stage facing one another while playing. The set didn’t consist of much talking, but instead the band focused on the music. Tucker’s intense vocals commanded attention over the catchy riffs. With fans pressed up to the bottom of the stage the band reached out to the crowd at the end of their last song before encore and again before walking off stage for the last time. Fans threw their hands up in hopes of getting a chance to high-five these amazing musicians. As people funneled out of the venue, the merchandise station was crowded with fans eager to purchase t-shirts in hopes of having a reminder of the legendary show they just witnessed. The No Cities to Love tour will be heading up the West Coast and is sold out in most cities; do not pass up the opportunity to witness the energy and intensity that this band has to bring to the stage.
Review by: Meghan Lee
