Last Thursday's Sleater-Kinney + Dead Meadow show was the first time in a while I was actually excited for Roseland - not just the bands, but the venue itself. I'd seen S-K there once before, but that was before the arena-ready sound of The Woods. They've said their new direction was inspired by the large-venue shows they did with Pearl Jam, and I was looking forward to hearing the new songs in a big room. Dead Meadow's sludgy rock was more than ready for the part as well - they're a band you almost want the sound a little muddy for.

Of course, muddy only begins to describe it for when Dead Meadow kicked things off; it sounded like the band was playing at the bottom of a metal drum (in the best of ways) - the drums thudded, the basslines shuddered, and the solos were extra echoey. The extra guitarist new to the band for Feathers was missing on Thursday, but the core three definitely killed it. In fact, I may even prefer the smaller lineup; with more space to stretch out, and the drum fills were a little looser and the basslines more rubbery. Though the endless riffage usually keeps my attention, I found myself focusing more on the rhythm section this time. It was nice to hear the faster Howls From The Hills version of "Everything's Going On," but the setlist seems secondary with Dead Meadow. It's just a ton of fun to watch them jam.

But make no mistake, Sleater-Kinney were the headliner. There were lots of bargers in the house, making it plenty tight by the time S-K walked out to chirping birds and dropped into "The Fox." The setlist was very heavy on The Woods, and I thought the new songs sounded fantastic live. Only "Night Light" went unplayed from the new album, and only "Steep Air" felt flat live. The interplay between Carrie and Corin drives S-K's older material, but the new stuff is Janet, Janet, Janet live, and her fills never let up. Carrie and Corin still shone though, especially on "What's Mine Is Yours" and the megajam that bridged "Let's Call It Love" and "Entertain" at the end of their set. That segue was a nice surprise, topped only by "Dig Me Out" popping out the back of a second encore cover of Danzig's "Mother." (Alas the "Mother" cover works better on paper.)

The band didn't touch The Hot Rock, Call The Doctor, or All Hands On The Bad One on Thursday, and that sort of sucked, but I also half-expected it. There's a real divide between S-K's old and new sounds, and it's difficult to reconcile the two on stage. It might be why a ragged "Light Rail Coyote" didn't come together till near its end, and why "One More Hour" sounded rough. That's not to say the old tunes should be off limits - "Sympathy" and "Dig Me Out" were two of the night's best songs - but I think the band is still figuring out how to strike the best sonic balance. And I'm more than happy to hang on for the ride. I expect big things from Sleater-Kinney shows, and this one delivered as usual.

Check out Flickr for more Dead Meadow pics. Sadly, my camera died during "The Fox" - this always happens to me at Sleater-Kinney shows! Sigh. For more on the show, visit Fluxblog, Statute of Frauds, and Jukebox Graduate.

SLEATER-KINNEY'S SETLIST (via Fluxblog)

The Fox / Wilderness / One More Hour / Rollercoaster / Light Rail Coyote / Modern Girl / Sympathy / Everything / What's Mine Is Yours / Steep Air / Far Away / Jumpers / Let's Call It Love -> Entertain

ENCORE 1: Oh! / I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight (Richard and Linda Thompson) / Step Aside / Words + Guitar
ENCORE 2: Mother (Danzig) -> Dig Me Out

Dead Meadow: