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I almost lost hope. But then, 2 songs into Sleater-Kinneys second encore they began the riff for "Joey Ramone." Though I stood in the over 21 area I jumped and squealed the same as I had when I was watching a performance of that same song when I was 16. The ticket anxiety, the waiting, this made it all worth it.
 Overall Sleater-Kinney’s (second-to) last show was a faithful rendition of the musical talent of a band, a fitting final show. However, it was not their best show. The crowd was appropriately excited. The ladies gave their thanks as well as their energy and especially skilled guitar and drum playing. But it was also a sad day. And that feeling was in the air. You could tell that the older fans were distracted by the memories of smaller clubs and that raw energy that comes with a band still struggling to make it.
Personally, I had hoped they would play my personal favorite, and sadly appropriate, Good Things. When they did not, I consoled myself with the fact that I have indeed heard it live and that I would go home and listen to their full 7 albums on repeat for the next week or so. And, aside from their first album, which really was rough enough that it might not be that much fun to play from anymore, the band did play tracks from all their albums, even if the Chainsaw released "Call the Doctor" received only 2 highlights. Neither new nor old fans could complain with the performance last night and I’m sure tonight’s performance will be both as lively and as sad.
So let’s toast Sleater-Kinney, enjoy their last show with the knowledge that they will certainly have a reunion tour, and that all three members will surely pursue other creative avenues for audiences to enjoy. And lastly, I plead for pictures, just another spot of memory I hope I can post and share. […]
The last days are drawing nigh. That’s right, Sleater-Kinney’s last two nights on stage will occur this Friday and Saturday in their own beloved Pacific Northwest. Though I know folks from far away are flying in to join the locals as well. It will be a weekend to remember and I am apt to cry at any song from “Call the Doctor.” I have written many times on this beloved queer-positive band that began on a street outside of Olympia, Washington over a decade ago, so there is little more to say now than, we will miss you terribly. But for more reminiscing, reviews and highlights peruse this entry from June’s announcement.
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Start your calendar engines ladies and gentlemen. I have a whole host of wonderful activities for you this month courtesy DJ Puppet. And yes, this Monday is especially special because, as predicted, several Homo-a-gogo acts will venture a bit south to grace our fair city.
 Monday, August 7
JUICY presents… Addicted2Fiction
Towne Lounge: 714 SW 20th Pl, Portland, OR – $5-$10
This is a post Homo-a-go-go production set to feature some of our great out-of-towners and expose them to some of our local talent. Check out this line-up:
Angel Le’ (pdx)
Addicted2Fiction (LA)
LotSix (Philly)
sugar short wave (pdx)
Valiant Steed (Dixon, CA) <-- Just Added!
DJ Boy (Church of Girl)
followed by a dance party with DJs Dragnfire and Puppet
Hosted by Kelly Moe
Thursday, August 10
Booty: Queer As Ye Be www.bootypdx.com
Special first-time Guest DJ Set It and Forget It lootin’ alongside DJs Puppet, Stormy and MoRocca.
Tuesday, August 15
Meet Dept. presents… TRASH www.meetdept.com
Towne Lounge 714 SW 20th Pl, Portland, OR – $2
 Thursday, August 17
Booty: Queer As Ye Be www.bootypdx.com
Special returning Guest DJ Solomon scallywaggin’ alongside DJs Puppet, Stormy and MoRocca.
Wild Card Makeover Mayhem August 18
Friday, August 18
WILD CARD: Makeover Mayhem www.wildcardpdx.com
ACME: SE 8th and Main, Portland, OR – $5
What will Splendora and Max do this time? Join us for Portland’s most amazing variety show with fun contests prizes and a charity raffle for the Q Center!!
[…]
 Once again it looks like I’m going to be missing the festival of homo music a mere 2 hours to the north of us. Homo-a-gogo only happens once every 2 years and yet somehow I am foiled every time. For those of who who can make it up there, peruse the full schedule of events and decide how much sleep you need, because everything is worth going to. However, I am especially disappointed to miss presenter Vaginal Cream Davis tomorrow, then later a show featuring The Gossip and Jenro. Saturday’s show, featuring Lesbians on X and Michelle Tea should also be fabu.
 But if you are like me, indeed, there is hope for you yet. Several of the musicians are local and will play here soon, like The Gossip at the Wonder Ballroom Aug 31st, or Swan Island this Saturday at Mississippi Pizza. Artists from far away may take the opportunity to play Portland as long as their going to be in Olympia. So far I only know of two, Hey Willpower at Holocene Friday (I’ll get to that show in a minute) and the amazing one-woman show of Lenelle Moise, Saturday at the Blue Monk. But I’ll keep my eyes and ears open for more.
Besides, we’ve got some of our own fun stuff anyway (nyah nyah). Booty rocks Acme as usual Thursday. I hear last week was record numbers to it’s sure to keep the your Augusts nights hot. Also, Homo-happy Holocene will present a CD release party for DnD (Do’n’Dudes) this Friday. I wouldn’t want to miss a bad with a description like this:
[DnD] is all about crazy positive dance vibes, dudes ripping their sweaty shirts off, and freaking your neighbor down and dirty to the floor…
DnD will be joined by queer electro group Hey Willpower from SF and DJ Cloud aka songstress Tara Jane O’Neil.
So in or out, it’s up to you…
[…]
Summer 1996 was one of the first times I saw Sleater-Kinney, so named for the now infamous road just outside Olympia, Wa. It was a festival for SPRGRL Conspiracy, and convention I helped put together and to see these 3 women on be a part of the same thing I was a part of was exhilarating, amazing, overwhelming. They were an integral part of the Portland/OlyWa queer community then and one of Chainsaw record’s flag ship bands. Girls swooned at their feet and a newly born internet was giving rise to an entire community around riot grrlz and queercore in the NW. (See what I’m talking about in this earlier post).
 And though they have evolved over the course of 7 wildly diverse albums they have still maintained a top stop in my list of the best bands ever. And now I’m pretty glad I put away my “I saw them when…” hipster pride and actually attended their last Portland show this December because…
They broke up today.
According to their website they have gone on an “indefinite hiatus.” Now I have to say I am sorry that I have stopped keeping my ear to the queer rock scene gossip ground nearly as well as I used to.
I did not see this coming.
 Granted Corin Tucker has kids now, and Janet Weiss keeps busy with her other popular band Quasi but neither of this is new and they seemed to be doing well. They were getting some real media attention (I even saw a video of theirs playing in American Eagle Outfitters, not that that is ncessarily a measure of sucess…) and their music is as fantasticly evolving as ever. Their latest album, The Woods (see my review last year) was odd yet incrediblyenticing. Would that I had more informtion to help explain why this travesty is occuring. I will certainly let you know more if I can ferret it out. I hope the hiatus is shorter than they think because I have been always been a fan, and this blog has continued to care for them. Goodbye SK. We’ll miss you.
More QPDX SK posts:
— The Woods Album review
— Sk and Ladyfest
— SK on the L Word
— The importance of Chainsaw records (SK’s first label) […]
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