Backstage at Sleater-Kinney’s First Show in 9 Years: Exclusive Photos
In August 2006, Sleater-Kinney said farewell to their loyal fans with a scorching show in their Portland hometown. Nine years later, they finally took the stage again in the Northwest, this time headlining Spokane's Knitting Factory in Washington. Last night at the trio's anticipated comeback gig, the group — singer-guitarists Carrie Brownstein and Corin Tucker and drummer Janet Weiss — held nothing back. After starting off with their ferocious new album No Cities to Love's opener "Price Tag," the band played 22 more career-spanning tracks, building up to an encore that included "Dig Me Out," "Gimme Love" and "I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone."
"Carrie was like, 'If we're gonna do this, it's gotta be a total renewal,'" Corin Tucker recently told Rolling Stone. "All or nothing. We just went for it."
In that spirit, the band allowed our photographer unprecedented access as they prepared for (and played) their first reunion show, letting RS capture everything from their first trip aboard their new tour bus to the last precious seconds before they took the stage. Here's a day in the life of America's fiercest punk band — back to reclaim its title once again. Photos by Chona Kasinger
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(Words and) Guitars
Image Credit: Chona Kasinger A tall stack of Sleater-Kinney's gear.
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Stretching Out
Image Credit: Chona Kasinger Carrie Brownstein gets limber during soundcheck.
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Testing
Image Credit: Chona Kasinger At around 3 p.m., Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein soundcheck.
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Microphone Check
Image Credit: Chona Kasinger Corin Tucker launches into her vocals, making this soundcheck unusually riveting.
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Don’t Look Back
Image Credit: Chona Kasinger Carrie Brownstein turns around, looking for input from her bandmates.
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Binge Watch
Image Credit: Chona Kasinger Entertainment for the long tour ahead.
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Buffering
Image Credit: Chona Kasinger Janet Weiss and boyfriend Drew Grow watch sports online.
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Forever Young
Image Credit: Chona Kasinger Corin Tucker shares a laugh with touring member Katie Harkin. Tucker joked that when she hits the road, she reverts to a more childish state.
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Bunk Up
Image Credit: Chona Kasinger Corin Tucker makes her first visit to the bus that will carry her and her bandmates across the country.
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R&R
Image Credit: Chona Kasinger Corin Tucker enjoys some downtime after dinner.
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Last Looks
Image Credit: Chona Kasinger Carrie Brownstein gets ready to hit the stage.
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The Girls Are Back in Town
Image Credit: Chona Kasinger Sleater-Kinney return to the stage for the first time since they ended tour supporting The Woods in 2006.
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Spotlight
Image Credit: Chona Kasinger Janet Weiss is just getting warmed up.
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Cities to Love
Image Credit: Chona Kasinger The crowd, awaiting the band's return for nearly a decade, goes expectedly nuts.
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Whiplash
Image Credit: Chona Kasinger Carrie Brownstein takes it up a notch.
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Turn It On
Image Credit: Chona Kasinger Corin Tucker does the same.