so you wanna be entertained?

Sleater-Kinney
@ Roseland Ballroom, June 23, 2005.

Set list: The Fox, Wilderness, One More Hour, Light Rail Coyote, Modern Love, Rollercoaster, What’s Mine Is Yours, Faraway, Jumpers, Let’s Call It Love, Steep Air, Sympathy, Entertain. 1st Encore: Oh!, I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight, Step Aside, Words And Guitar. 2nd encore: Mother, Dig Me Out.

Trapped in a decade when many female indie pioneers such as Liz Phair and Tori Amos have traded in their feminism for flat-ironed hair, husbands, and babies, I have to admit I was slightly nervous when the sound of chirping birds filled Roseland Ballroom as Sleater-Kinney took the stage. Okay, so maybe the indie women have gone soft and sold out, but not Sleater-Kinney, right? Right!

True, the last time I saw them perform they were opening in enormous venues for beloved arena rockers, Pearl Jam. And yes, I even witnessed Corin rock out like it was 1991 as she joined Eddie Vedder in a chilling rendition of the Temple Of The Dog grunge classic, “Hunger Strike.” Still, Sleater-Kinney remains true to their riot grrrl roots, with their latest album, The Woods. Complete with tree ring album art and guitar solos long enough to span the entire length of the 1970s which inspired them, the album offers an autobiographical history of the band. Clearly, their sound has matured. No one’s sporting radical sharpie-scrawled slogans across their liberated midriffs, but guitarists/singers, Carrie Brownstein and Corin Tucker have stuck with their familiar formula of screaming, raw guitar riffs, and punk rock attitude, maintaining the riot grrrl credibility they have carried with them from the long gone days of short-lived careers with Excuse 17 and Heavens To Betsy (undeniably two of the best bands to ever come of the North Western movement).

Playing the entirety of their new album (give or take a few songs), Sleater-Kinney proved that they are both talented and interesting enough to keep adding to their loyal fan base even while they stray away from their older material. I probably wasn’t the only one vying for an old school anthem, like “I’m Not Waiting” to feed my hunger for teen angst nostalgia, but I also wasn’t the only one completely enthralled by the new songs which offer a women’s modern take on traditionally vintage male rock. Um, did I mention Janet Weiss played the cowbell?! The fact is, Sleater-Kinney could play it safe for years, indulging their fans in danceable favorites like “I wanna be your Joey Ramone," but the women of Sleater-Kinney just don’t seem satisfied with that sort of safety. Besides, any band who can keep cool while performing guilty pleasure covers (i.e. Boston’s “More Than A Feeling” and Danzig’s, “Mother”) is a band born to take chances.