Mike Salsbury/The Olympian
Sleater-Kinney's Carrie Brownstein (left) moves toward Corin Tucker on stage at the Capitol Theater on Sunday.

Sleater-Kinney brings it home

Olympia-bred rock group has Capitol homecoming

ROSS RAIHALA, THE OLYMPIAN

Originally published Monday, March 11, 2002

OLYMPIA -- After a year and a half away, Sleater-Kinney can still draw a crowd.

And Sunday night, the acclaimed Olympia-bred trio did just that -- nearly filling the Capitol Theater with friends, fans and curious newcomers eager to hear what the group Time magazine dubbed "America's Best Rock Band" has been up to.

When group leaders Carrie Brownstein and Corin Tucker took the stage at 10 p.m., they announced they were going to play 13 new songs and they proceeded to do just that. The first largely familiar tune -- "You're No Rock N' Roll Fun," from the band's 2000 album "All Hands on the Bad One" -- arrived a full 40 minutes into the set.

The concert marked the first time Sleater-Kinney has played in its hometown since Ladyfest in August 2000.

Life on hiatus

During that time off, Tucker gave birth to a son, Marshall Tucker Bangs, while drummer Janet Weiss recorded and toured with her other group Quasi. Brownstein, meanwhile, changed her status as the sole remaining Olympia resident in the trio when she moved to Portland, home of Tucker and Weiss, in December.

Among those who caught Sunday's show was Sen. Karen Fraser, D-Thurston County.

"I've heard and read a lot about them," Fraser said. "I think it's pretty neat there's a great rock band named after a thoroughfare in Lacey. And they have such a tremendous reputation."

Sleater-Kinney lived up to that reputation with its new material, which ranged from the bristly punk rock that made the band the darlings of the underground, to confident, muscular anthems that sound like crowd pleasers in the making.

Because of the sheer volume of unfamiliar songs, the evening felt more like an informal practice session than a polished rock show. Brownstein and Tucker chatted with the audience, asking what new restaurants Olympia had to offer and asking dancers in the audience to be careful of their neighbors.

Sleater-Kinney will enter a Seattle studio at the end of the month to record many of the songs heard Sunday night for its sixth album, tentatively scheduled for an August release on Olympia's independent label Kill Rock Stars. A full North American tour and, most likely, live dates in Europe, Japan and Australia will follow.

On the Web:

- Photo gallery: Olympia Sleater-Kinney Concert

The Olympian Copyright 2002

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