Ani DiFranco is Happy
For the past few years, I have moved away from my Ani DiFranco fandom, maybe as a result of discovering new things I liked, or maybe in conjunction with becoming less passionate about everything, or maybe some combination of those things and sheer coincidence. Last night I was reminded of why I love her and her music, and why I should be keeping up with her new releases and dutifully feeding myself a steady diet of Righteous Babe-ness.
I just love her. She is such a kick in concert. I have to see if she's recorded any live albums. She must have, right? She's so unabashedly honest about everything: her actions, her opinions, her insecurities, her happiness. I loved all of her commentary on this happiness business. She mentioned that she'd been writing a lot of happy songs lately. "Hell," she said, "I figure it's a whole genre of music I have yet to explore." But she didn't mince words either, and she closed the show with a sad, angry ballad about gun control... er... I don't know if you'd call it "control" exactly. More like who we all ought to be turning the guns on.
She's such a presence on the stage. This tiny little bad ass, laughing, and blocking the light out with her hands so she can see what the audience is doing. And she's appreciative of her audience, who, in turn, adore her.
I love the turn out at an Ani show. Lots of college aged girls, but then plenty of the 30-something set, and a sprinkling of older folks too. Men and women. Queer and straight and in between, and everyone just beautiful.
By some miracle, the entire row in front of us was completely empty for the entire show. How could that be any more perfect? I kept joking to Dee that the seats had been reserved for the Siena Men's Basketball Team, which would be arriving any moment, but they never turned up.
Some way-too-cute woman opened for Ani. Let's see... Anais Mitchell was her name. She was over-the-top cute, but mainly because she had a very high pitched cutesie voice. I liked a couple of her songs enough to look them up when I'm done here. Her voice was so unique - sort of Kate BUsh meets Fran Drescher, with a side of Ani herself. Good guitar work. Not as good as Ani's. Man, that woman can use a guitar. That's what drew me to her first, as I recall. Her ruthless abuse of an acoustic guitar.
Before the show, I joined several friends and friends of friends at McGeary's for dinner and drinks. I haven't been to McGeary's in something like 5 years or more. It was full of Ani concert-goers, which probably gave it a better feel than it would on an average night. Anyhow, it was great. I liked the new people I met, although I didn't get to talk with them much. I look forward to another opportunity to spend time with them. I really enjoyed hanging out with my cool friends. I have cool friends. I really do. I think we're in a good age right now for all of us. Some people have their Cool Years when they are teens. Some people wait until they are in their 30's. I think the 30's is a good decade to be in. (Sorry Steve.)
Anyway, today I rescued my car from the mechanic, who rescued my car from ruin by replacing this and that for the tune of $500. BWAH-HAH-HA! I exchanged Steve's car for mine, since brakes are useful things to have and his car seems to be lacking in that department. I told Tom, the mechanic, that what we really needed was for a good sized tree to fall on our driveway. Unfortunately, I've looked around the yard, and I don't think that's going to happen any time this decade.
Because I get the undeniable urge to garden in January, I spent the afternoon sorting seeds and working on a garden plan. I can't wait. What in this world is better than growing your own food? Well, chocolate covered peanut butter, but aside from that? NOTHING.
I just love her. She is such a kick in concert. I have to see if she's recorded any live albums. She must have, right? She's so unabashedly honest about everything: her actions, her opinions, her insecurities, her happiness. I loved all of her commentary on this happiness business. She mentioned that she'd been writing a lot of happy songs lately. "Hell," she said, "I figure it's a whole genre of music I have yet to explore." But she didn't mince words either, and she closed the show with a sad, angry ballad about gun control... er... I don't know if you'd call it "control" exactly. More like who we all ought to be turning the guns on.
She's such a presence on the stage. This tiny little bad ass, laughing, and blocking the light out with her hands so she can see what the audience is doing. And she's appreciative of her audience, who, in turn, adore her.
I love the turn out at an Ani show. Lots of college aged girls, but then plenty of the 30-something set, and a sprinkling of older folks too. Men and women. Queer and straight and in between, and everyone just beautiful.
By some miracle, the entire row in front of us was completely empty for the entire show. How could that be any more perfect? I kept joking to Dee that the seats had been reserved for the Siena Men's Basketball Team, which would be arriving any moment, but they never turned up.
Some way-too-cute woman opened for Ani. Let's see... Anais Mitchell was her name. She was over-the-top cute, but mainly because she had a very high pitched cutesie voice. I liked a couple of her songs enough to look them up when I'm done here. Her voice was so unique - sort of Kate BUsh meets Fran Drescher, with a side of Ani herself. Good guitar work. Not as good as Ani's. Man, that woman can use a guitar. That's what drew me to her first, as I recall. Her ruthless abuse of an acoustic guitar.
Before the show, I joined several friends and friends of friends at McGeary's for dinner and drinks. I haven't been to McGeary's in something like 5 years or more. It was full of Ani concert-goers, which probably gave it a better feel than it would on an average night. Anyhow, it was great. I liked the new people I met, although I didn't get to talk with them much. I look forward to another opportunity to spend time with them. I really enjoyed hanging out with my cool friends. I have cool friends. I really do. I think we're in a good age right now for all of us. Some people have their Cool Years when they are teens. Some people wait until they are in their 30's. I think the 30's is a good decade to be in. (Sorry Steve.)
Anyway, today I rescued my car from the mechanic, who rescued my car from ruin by replacing this and that for the tune of $500. BWAH-HAH-HA! I exchanged Steve's car for mine, since brakes are useful things to have and his car seems to be lacking in that department. I told Tom, the mechanic, that what we really needed was for a good sized tree to fall on our driveway. Unfortunately, I've looked around the yard, and I don't think that's going to happen any time this decade.
Because I get the undeniable urge to garden in January, I spent the afternoon sorting seeds and working on a garden plan. I can't wait. What in this world is better than growing your own food? Well, chocolate covered peanut butter, but aside from that? NOTHING.