Sleater-Kinney returned to Revolution Hall for the second night of their Portland stop, and the eager crowd was ready from the moment the lights went down. Carrie Brownstein did her best to explain to the crowd how hard it was to balance the setlists across the two nights, the band struggling to decide whether the nights should be completely different, or if they should assume the crowd was only going to be at one of the shows. 

Either way, they opened with “Start Together” and “Bury Our Friends,” two songs that set the pace for a night that was loud, tight, and full of fire. And speaking of fire, next came “Hell,” which always seems to be appropriately bathed in red lighting. “A New Wave” and “Words and Guitar” had fans singing along, while tracks like “This Time” and “The Center Won’t Hold” showed the band’s range and how their newer songs fit right in with the classics.

The main set closed with “Jumpers,” but the encore was the real highlight. A cover of the Ramones’ “Judy Is a Punk” brought smiles across the room before the band launched into “Dig Me Out,” “Modern Girl,” and “Be Yr Mama.” They finished with “Entertain,” a song that still hits as hard as it did the first time they played it on The Woods almost twenty years ago.

This was my third time photographing Sleater-Kinney, and what stood out most was the connection between the band members themselves. Between songs they shared small smiles and quick looks that showed just how much fun they’re still having on stage together. Night two didn’t feel like a repeat—it felt like a celebration, both of their music and of the bond they share with Portland.