My first experience with other Sleater-Kinney fans was seeing the block-long line outside the sold-out Metro at about 5:30 pm on June 6th. I was glad it was mostly chicks. I know a lot of guys like them, but for me Sleater-Kinney more of a chick thing. I don't know if I can explain. Anyway, there wasn't much time before they opened the doors and we all filed into the venue.

As soon as I got up the stairs I made a beeline for the stage. I had a feeling it would pay off later. A bunch of chicks had surrounded the stage and taken their bras off, so I settled for a couple steps back from them in the second row. It wasn't so cramped at first, but I still refrained from smoking because it was hot.

Versus, an indie-emo sort of band, set up first. All of a sudden all these guys came out of nowhere and cut in front of me. I fought my way back to about the third row of people by the time Versus's set was over and readied my tape recorder. Still, there were about three really tall indie rock boys in front of me.

I amused myself by eavesdropping on their pretentious conversation and trying to avoid brushing against the girl next to me who had lost her bra now. I noticed she was recording too.

Then I glanced up at the stage to see Janet setting up her drum kit. I couldn't believe it at first. She was doing it herself. No roadies? Soon, Corin and Carrie came out and set up among scattered cheers. I was standing directly in front of Corin with only two people in between.

They began undramatically after a few sound-tests with "The Day I Went Away", then broke into "Get Up". Most of us in front were rocking out but I didn't see any dancing, which I heard happens a lot at Sleater-Kinney. I wanted to dance, and I could tell everyone else did too, but were a little uncomfortable, especially with the recent cutting-in of all the guys.

I was surprised that they played a lot of stuff from Call the Doctor instead of their new album, The Hot Rock. Corin's guitar strap pulled the anchor out of its socket and didn't want to go back in, so Carrie entertained us with a humorous narrative about how she went to the Blues Festival for some "Me Time" and asked if we went swimming. Somebody threw a book to her and she read it aloud for a little while. Corin's guitar difficulties were taking a long time so Carrie apologized nervously and she and Janet played "The Size of Our Love" for the first time live.

Then they played "Start Together" but Corin's guitar fell off again and she traded it for a different one. By this time the excitement in the room was really high, and at the breakdown in "Heart Factory" we all broke into a jumping mosh type activity, to the dismay of the indie rock guys. I made sure my boots came down on their heels a few good times. My tape recorder fell out of my pocket and somehow survived being kicked around. A very nice girl with a red bra found it for me and I gave her a big hug.

After lots of more dancing, Sleater-Kinney finished out with "Dig Me Out" and another one I didn't recognize, and the show was over. I was dehydrated and exhausted, but really, really happy. I conversed with Heather, a girl with red bihawks on my way out. She said that Sleater-Kinney was always the best to see because of the sisterhood. "Better than L7."

It didn't even matter that my car didn't start, because when I headed back to the Metro to use the phone, I ran into the girls from Sleater-Kinney, who talked to me for a little bit and said they were sorry about my car. I got them to sign my copy of "Foxfire" by Joyce Carol Oates even though I was sad that they hadn't read it. All in all it was a fantastic show, and I can't wait to see them again.