Sleater-Kinney in Amsterdam

In 2000, I went on a trip around Europe. On that trip, I listened to a tape of Sleater-Kinney's All Hands on the Bad One...until my Walkman was stolen in Italy.

Anyway, at some point, we ended up in Amsterdam. I had checked some bands tour schedules before leaving the States and knew that Sleater-Kinney was scheduled to play Amsterdam sometime during our stay. It turns out that the show was that night.

I walked up to a ticket counter at the visitor center just outside the main train station in Amsterdam. I asked if there were tickets for the Sleater-Kinney show. The woman behind the counter had no clue as to what I was talking about, but she looked on the computer anyway. I was able to get two tickets for that night's show, 3-4 blocks from out hostile.

The show was in this old performance hall. The main room was primarily used as a dance club. For rock shows, you climbed upstairs to a rather dingy room with no chairs and a tiny stage.

Mary Timony opened. She was good, good enough that I bought her debut solo album at the show.

Sleater-Kinney was incredible that night. I was surprised by all the Americans in the audience, but enjoyed the show despite them. This was the first time I ever saw Sleater-Kinney.

I went to Anne Frank's house the next day.