So last week we went to Chicago’s Riviera Theatre to see Sleater Kinney. They’re touring in support of their new album, The Woods. There was a minty little copy of The Woods waiting for me when we returned from Vactioning in pdx, olywa and vancouver, so it’s been on rotation in the car. Until the show, I was feeling a little undecided about their latest release. It’s definitely a departure from previous endeavors. No surprise there; everything they’ve said publicly about their new album says that they wanted, needed to go a new route with this album, their 7th.

And it has been said many times that this record is more popular with male audiences than was true previously. Does this somehow mean that they’re sell-outs? No longer feminists? S-K has never actually claimed to be feminist specifically, though they’ve definitely been considered “trail-blazers” for women in rock. They only claim to be themselves. And as evolving people, one must expect and embrace change. Who wants 10 copies of Dig Me Out anyways? Does S-K have to be explicitly feminist to be feminist? I don’t think so. Their unwillingness to compromise their own ideals, whatever they be; their commitment to quality music, whatever it sounds like; their joy in their work; that’s what makes them a feminist band to me.

They put on a hard-working show. The new music makes total sense, having seen it performed; felt- heard it crash over all of us in waves. Janet Weiss is fucking amazing. Her precise beats drove the new album relentlessly into the crowd, accompanying Carrie + Corin’s threshing guitars. The audience (pretty equally male/female, by the way..lots of punkers, queers, young people and all) loved it: bringing the band back for 2 encores. And they seemed to enjoy putting on the show for an appreciative crowd; especially Carrie Brownstein, who so obviously loves being a rocker, and oozes this joy out of every pore and lick, leaping and bounding and grinning into the mike. Her chemistry onstage with Corin Tucker, whose voice burns right through your heart, is still palpable; the three of them together are magical.

It was a good mix of old songs sprinkled through the new album. They played my son’s favorite: “little babies”, and my favorites: “end of you”, “words + guitar”, and “light rail coyote”. We had front row, balcony seats; an excellent view, without the crush of the floor. The Riviera is a beautiful old theatre, a lot nicer than The Metro, which is a bit grimier. And the sound seemed much better at the Riviera, too, but that may have been due to my location.

So seeing the show, and spending more time reading the words to the songs has solidified my appreciation. It’s the same kick-ass S-K I’ve loved since hearing them on my friend’s stereo..still political, if you know how to read (some criticism has claimed they lost their political bite). It’s all there: fuller, gnashier, louder, harder, and just as hott as always.

Maybe their sound is more masculine, or whatever..ha ha. I don’t know. All I know is that when I listen, my response is, simplistically: “hell yeah, they rock!“

So last night, Neko Case (and her Boyfriends) played here in town at the Englert Theater, a great old icon of Iowa City that was closed for 5 years for remodeling.

Neko was the first show I’ve gone to in the new digs. I’ve been to two community forums, but had not yet been able to marvel at the amazing acoustics available. And whoa! Neko was a great way to baptize the ‘lert! The woman has quite a set of pipes..really, the records do not do her voice justice! She’s charming, spunky, and has a dark sense of humor that invades her music. Not that she wasn’t upbeat, though. At one point, she started laughing and couldn’t stop.

See the Penn State t-shirt in the picture? Her story is that she left her bag in a cab in NYC and had no shirts; the only place open was a sports shop, so she got the Penn State shirt which she now wears constantly because she had to pay $40. for it. When someone in the audience heckled her about the shirt, she said,

“What?? I don’t give a fuck about Penn State! It’s got this pretty lion! I love the pretty lion! Who cares about sports?? Where are we here, the frat house?”

Said to much applause from the 99% IC townie audience. Which was another great thing: The audience was truly Iowa City’s community. The people that come out after the students leave for the summer, and it was a nice feeling of camraderie. A fabulous show, nice people, a bueatiful theatre..and that sound..oh!

Neko did old songs, new songs, and a couple covers. My favorites were a gospel song sung as an encore, during which the Boyfriends’ banjo player totally rocked out..an unusual move for a banjo player, in my experience. It was so savory. And the title track from The Tigers Have Spoken was wonderful as well. I was hoping she would do her version of “Poor Ellen Smith”, but it wasn’t to be. Nevertheless, one of the better shows I’ve been to, right here in my hometown; Thanks, ‘lert!

Here are some Pictures by Noah.

Click for pix of Noah visit’s Anne + Amit’s creek.

Noah’s here! Thus begins a month of cavorting like tumbleweeds. Much fun and adventure to be had.

On Monday we went to our friends’ farm and ran up and down their creek. we played in the mud, washed rocks and watched zillions of crazy tadpoles crash into our legs. It was one of the best days I’ve had in a long time! I find that I really need to get outside more. I’m far too citified.

Tomorrow we head to the comic book shop!

Keep your eyes out for pictures. And when I get a chance, I’ll post about me ‘n erin’s recent trip to the Northwest coast.