Sleater-Kinney- Crocodile Cafe, Seattle 1997

If 2014 was considered the year of the reunion, 2015 may be even a better year for more anticipated reunions, at least for my fav bands I've followed through the years. Juliana Hatfield has reformed, the Juliana Hatfield Three group that recorded (under the "Juliana Hatfield Three" name) , Become What You Are, back in 1993, to record a new album and a tour that begins very shortly. I even contributed some PledgeMusic cash to help fund the new album, Whatever My Love and as much as I would like to see the JH3 live, I'm not up for a mid-winter road-trip to Minneapolis for a live tour date.

Also on tour (and hitting Minneapolis) is the reunited Sleater-Kinney who really didn't break-up, but we're on extended hiatus while the band members explored other projects. Drummer Janet Weiss performed on two Stephen Malkus and the Jicks albums and some tours, Corin Tucker released two solo albums and Carrie Brownstein formed Wild Flag who recorded an album in 2011. Carrie has been the most active, post-Kinney, writing an excellent column, Monitor Mix for NPR and has found much mainstream fame and received accolades for her work on the TV series, Portlandia, she co-created with Fred Armisen. Portlandia has just begun it's 5th season and while it's quirky and unconventional, it's also very smart and very very funny! I'm a huge fan of Carrie's, casually following her career since I first heard Sleater-Kinney and through her so-called acting career. I remember watching her and Armisen's internet sketch comedy videos as ThunderAnt (pre-Portlandia) and instantly thinking, she's a little raw and inexperienced, but she does have comic skills and is comfortable acting. I was very happy to see this lead to the more widely-known project, Portlandia.

Sleater-Kinney this week (January 20, 2015) will be releasing their first album in 9 years, No Cities To Love and from what I've heard through an advance listening, they haven't missed a beat. This could easily could have been a follow-up to The Woods, as the songs rock and though they are as accessible as their later albums, they are intense and relevant and definitely not just a nostalgic reunion album. The tour begins February 8th in Spokane and keeps the band on the road until a three show finale in Seattle, May 7-9. S-K plays Minneapolis, February 14th, and like many of the shows on the tour, it's sold out.

Any band that pays homage to the Kinks is cool with me.

The recording I'm posting is from a tape trade I received in the late 90's. I transferred it from cassette and to be honest, I hadn't played this tape since I got it. When the news of the reunion was announced, I dug up my S-L tapes and burned cdr live recordings and had a re-listen. I chose this show because the sound is pretty good (audience recording) and captures the band in a smaller venue, the Crocodile Cafe with enjoyable results. The first Sleater-Kinney album (CD) I bought was Dig Me Out, which remains my favourite S-L album and this show was from the tour for Dig Me Out, so for obvious reasons I like this. I'll try to post more S-L shows before the tour and if they come to your town...see them!
Enjoy!

SLEATER-KINNEY
Crocodile Cafe
Seattle, WA
June 8, 1997
AUD

Trade> Maxell XLII-90 Cassette> Aiwa tape deck> ADS Instant music>
usb> Nero SoundTrax> WAV> Direct WAV splitter> FLAC> rar

01. Intro Instrumental
02. Dig Me Out
03. Call The Doctor
04. Little Babies
05. The Drama You've Been Craving
06. I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone
07. One More Hour
08. Instrumental
09. Heart Factory
10. One Song For You
11. It's Enough
12. Jenny
13. Turn It On
14. Words & Guitar
15. I'm Not Waiting

Encore
16. Stay Where You Are
17. Be Yr Mama

SLEATER-KINNEY- 1997-06-08 Crocodile Cafe, Seattle, WA FLAC. rar