DiFranco's dynamism doesn't disappoint
MAUREEN SMITHE
Scene Music Critic
In one word, Ani DiFranco's show at the Morris Performing Arts Center last night was amazing.
However, DiFranco's artistic might cannot and should not be summed up in a single word. In fact, the entire English-language dictionary probably could not supply the vocabulary necessary to fully describe her all-encompassing stage presence.
In the first show of her winter 2002 tour, DiFranco took control of the audience just like she took control of her own destiny by starting her own record company, Righteous Babe Records, more than a decade ago.
Her success rests in her intricate braiding of melody, emotion and obsession into one authentic artistic experience. She knows that pleasing herself must be of the utmost importance; the rest will just fall into place.
DiFranco's commitment to an organic concert atmosphere brought her fans to their feet the moment she slipped into the light.
The diverse crowd's unrestrained enthusiasm welcomed her to the stage, where she opened her 17-song set with her "Welcome to the Freak Show" mantra alongside keyboardist Julie Wolf.
With miles of traveling the concert circuit already behind her, DiFranco's seasoned stage presence was well groomed. She said that waiting for this latest tour felt like forever.
"Well, this is the first hit of the tour … It feels like 30 years," DiFranco said. "Total amnesia. Total menstrual amnesia."
Bringing in songs off her new album, Revelling/Reckoning, as well as some "resuscitated" tunes off Dilate, Not A Pretty Girl and Out of Range, DiFranco aimed to please new and old fans alike.
In many ways, Tuesday's concert fused her tidy folk history with a distinct experimental yet experienced funk sound. Horns, courtesy of Todd Horntime and Hans Teuber, were present on nearly every song, as was a choppy retro organ.
As always, her familiar bassist Jason Mercer and hearty drummer Daren Hahn kept all these members in friendly accordance. Working together to create a tantric mix of high and low, this quintet busted out tunes impregnated with the soul of a music genre all their own.
Her first song, "Diner" (originally off of Out of Range), introduced DiFranco's new horn sound with thoughtfulness, piquing the audience's interest.
The cult classic "32 Flavors" was more funkified and breathy than the album counterpart, due in part to Wolf's retro organ humming in the background. Despite the slight change from the norm, the audience had no problem singing along with their favorite riot grrl.
The new songs proved to be carefully chosen. "What How When Where (Why Who)" was no exception. In a breathless echoing race, DiFranco and her bandmates fought out through the song, leaving the audience gasping for air along with them.
Also off the new album, "Marrow" proved to be a heartfelt, genuine song in concert. Its lullabye prose silenced the audience. DiFranco tells stories. Like kindergarteners, her fans wait patiently for recognition or resolution or revelation. She is a selfless teacher of street wisdom and female ingenuity.
Her new song, "Here for Now," brought in a captivating Latin beat unique to DiFranco's tried and true sound. Fierce and energetic, DiFranco considers it to be "all about all of us playing as fast was we humanly can."
DiFranco also brought back "Hour Follows It," in an attempt to satisfy her "mission to resuscitate some older tunes." An honest, heartfelt and grasping song, DiFranco carefully pondered unspoken issues, all the while incorporating the audience in her soul search.
Putting down the guitar is a rare event for DiFranco. Known for her muscle-building strumming and skin-burning finger picking, she is quite the master of her craft.
However, she joined Wolf on the keyboards for "Oh My My," one of her new songs. A funky, retro beat kept the audience entranced even though their shining star left center stage.
There wasn't a silent voice in the crowd when DiFranco introduced a rockin' version of her much adored "Napoleon." With a gospel organ in the background and fierce instrumentation throughout, this Dilate champion filled an overflowing show over the top.
Shrouded in aquamarine light for most of the show, Difranco seamlessly floated from one favorite to the next. Appeasing a rather desperate audience, she played an impromptu version of "Fuel," the first in line of her brave reflections on the ugly sides of contemporary American culture. Followed by "Subdivision," it seemed as though the audience knew "Fuel" deserved to precede.
DiFranco is known for her courage to spit in the face of normalcy, and this willingness to step outside the box gives her an unparalleled ability to reflect on her perceived inconsistencies of Americana. She led Tuesday night's audience on a journey through her tortured brain and the resolutions she has created.
The boys exited the stage while Wolf left her keyboards to join DiFranco up front. With Wolf on accordion and DiFranco on guitar, "Educated" turned out to be an excellent new song.
Bathed in a rainbow white ethereal glow, the two nicely blended their separate talents to create a potential future fan favorite.
DiFranco's solo strumming on "Names and Dates" melded her acoustic talent with thoughtful lyrics. The audience remained silent while she fiercely fingerpicked her way through a tense batch of words.
The concert tied up nicely with "Done Wrong" from Dilate and a jam session version of "In The Way" in which the band was introduced. By the time they took their bows after "Jukebox" the audience was already prepared to usher in the encore.
What ensued was a beautiful version of "Joyful Girl," in which DiFranco coyly reflected on the past year.
"I don't know about you, but the new year that just occurred was so cathartic," she said as she brought the show full circle. "We are fixin' to attach so much meaning."
If possible, their encore version of "Joyful Girl" was more soulful and reminiscent than the album version. Slowed down and restrained, it proved DiFranco's stamina and focus.
She recognizes her grassroots upbringing, and she knows the impact of a powerful live show.
Word of mouth may be responsible for DiFranco's current fame, but the words from her mouth are the substance behind the phenomenon.
All Scene Stories for Wednesday, February 20, 2002
