by Jon Turner
Sleater-Kinney shook the fog loose at Stern Grove this Sunday, headlining the third weekend of the summer-long festival with a fierce, career-spanning set. The power chords howled, the urgency was palpable, and a mosh pit broke out in the mist — classic Grove, just a little louder.
Formed in 1994 by Carrie Brownstein, Corin Tucker, and Janet Weiss, Sleater-Kinney helped define the sound and spirit of the riot grrrl movement — a feminist, queer-inclusive shake-up to the hetronormative world of ’90s punk. After a long hiatus (2006–2014), the band returned with three new albums, including Little Rope (2024), their second since Weiss’s sudden departure in 2019.
These days, Sleater-Kinney plays as a five-piece: Brownstein and Tucker still swap vocals and weave guitar parts, and they are joined by Angie Boylan (drums), Toko Yasuda (guitar, bass, synths), and Katie Harkin (guitar, keys).
Opening duties went to Sacramento’s Destroy Boys, who lit the fuse early with a rowdy, full-throttle set. Fans lined the rail in band tees, shouting lyrics and throwing elbows — a punk picnic in the trees.
The 88th season of Stern Grove Festival continues next Sunday with the annual appearance of the San Francisco Symphony, led by Edwin Outwater, with an opening set from ukulele virtuoso Taimane.
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