Sleater Kinney, Roundhouse
90s feminist punk-rockers Sleater-Kinney to release a new album, and are set to play a nostalgic gig at one of London's best music venues, The Roundhouse, in March.
© Sleater Kinney
For the ten years between 1996’s Call the Doctor and universally adored The Woods (2005), Sleater-Kinney were the most impressive punk band in the America. Never putting a foot wrong, the trio of Corin Tucker, Carrie Brownstein and Janet Weiss released album after album of intelligent yet incendiary music, addressing feminist and left-leaning themes while never deigning to rock. Then, in 2006, they announced an indefinite hiatus. It seemed like we would never see them again – their marathon final concert seemed the death knell, delivered as they stood at the height of their career.
Yet in October 2014, without advance warming, Sleater-Kinney re-emerged. The band had covertly regrouped and recorded a new album, No Cities to Love. While some acts reform for cynical reasons, there’s no doubt that Sleater-Kinney have returned because they have something to say. In their decade of silence, all three perused successful projects. Singer and guitarist Tucker, whose desire to raise her children led to the split, released two highly acclaimed solo records; drummer Weiss lent her talent to Quasi, Wild Flag and Stephen Malkmus. And Brownstein, as well as leading Wild Flag, wrote an upcoming tome on the changing music industry while co-creating and starring in hipster sketch comedy Portlandia with Fred Armisen.
From the thrashing blast of their early work -which looked to the riot grrrl movement; an underground feminist punk scene in the 90s- to the uncompromising classic rock of The Woods, Sleater-Kinney delivered music as high energy as it was perceptive. In face of their career’s consistent magnificence, picking out highlights is a thankless task. Weiss’ powerhouse drumming underpins Brownstein and Tucker’s squalling riffs and fiery vocals. New single ‘Bury Our Friends’ shows that the trio’s creativity and urgency shows no sign of diminishing, with witty lyrics and sharp, stuttering propulsion. There can be no doubt that their single date in Camden’s Roundhouse will be among the live music highlights of the year.
Yet in October 2014, without advance warming, Sleater-Kinney re-emerged. The band had covertly regrouped and recorded a new album, No Cities to Love. While some acts reform for cynical reasons, there’s no doubt that Sleater-Kinney have returned because they have something to say. In their decade of silence, all three perused successful projects. Singer and guitarist Tucker, whose desire to raise her children led to the split, released two highly acclaimed solo records; drummer Weiss lent her talent to Quasi, Wild Flag and Stephen Malkmus. And Brownstein, as well as leading Wild Flag, wrote an upcoming tome on the changing music industry while co-creating and starring in hipster sketch comedy Portlandia with Fred Armisen.
From the thrashing blast of their early work -which looked to the riot grrrl movement; an underground feminist punk scene in the 90s- to the uncompromising classic rock of The Woods, Sleater-Kinney delivered music as high energy as it was perceptive. In face of their career’s consistent magnificence, picking out highlights is a thankless task. Weiss’ powerhouse drumming underpins Brownstein and Tucker’s squalling riffs and fiery vocals. New single ‘Bury Our Friends’ shows that the trio’s creativity and urgency shows no sign of diminishing, with witty lyrics and sharp, stuttering propulsion. There can be no doubt that their single date in Camden’s Roundhouse will be among the live music highlights of the year.
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| What | Sleater Kinney, Roundhouse |
| Where | Roundhouse, Chalk Farm Road, London, NW1 8EH | MAP |
| Nearest tube | Chalk Farm (underground) |
| When |
On 23 Mar 15, Doors 7pm |
| Price | £25 |
| Website | Click here to book via the Roundhouse’s website |