The riot grrrls of Sleater-Kinney closed out 2016 with a New Year's Eve show at The Masonic on Nob Hill, and while photos prove that I was there, I have to admit my memory of the evening is a bit hazy. I've got vivid flashes of the trio: Carrie Brownstein, stomping energetically as she played, Corine Tucker, loud and defiant on vocals, and Janet Weiss smashing away on drums. I also clearly remember the countdown to midnight, which came after the group played "Entertain" with Brownstein standing on top of Weiss's drums at one point.
Fortunately, there's video evidence of other highlights from the night to jog my memory. The group ended the show with, first, a tribute to the late George Michael, with Kathy Foster of Portland's The Thermals subbing in on bass to play "Faith." And finally, joined by Hutch Harris, also of The Thermals, and Britt Daniels of Spoon, they played "Rebel Rebel" by the late David Bowie.
While "For Auld Lang Syne" is more tradition, these were welcome exceptions.
Last, there's good news for those who weren't able to attend the NYE show or who, like me, might need a refresher on what Sleater-Kinney sounds like live. The group has just announced that their first live album, Live in Paris, is available for pre-order as of today.
