It’s proof that a concert has motivated you to live up to your potential when you can go home and write the review immediately just because you know that the longer you wait, the less of the show you’ll remember and the more it will suck.
Firmly on the list of things that don’t suck, however, is Ani Difranco.
I arrived at the show shortly after she started and didn’t spend much time looking for the friends I knew were in the theater somewhere. It was a weeknight concert and I just wanted to chill out and listen before I went home to crash. And if you can’t listen to an Ani concert alone, with all her individual-empowering vibes, what is there left in this world to enjoy solo?
As I settled into listening mode, I was immediately glad I hadn’t skipped this one. Her guitar playing, captivating on record, was nothing short of impressive live. The band, especially the xylophone player with Einstein hair, also sounded good and were fun to watch. The combined effect had me grooving subtly with the packed McDonald audience, despite my tiredness. As I swayed in the back and brooded about schoolwork and various responsibilities, Ani slowly worked into my subconscious with her effervescent personality and poignant lyrics.
Eventually, her strategy worked and I decided such worry was useless if I was a Woman In Charge, not pretty and definitely not a fucking Napoleon. Instead, I zoned out while people watching for a while. Lots of girls high on estrogen and quite a few men, too, trying hard to look unthreatened. A couple of drunk, clingy chicks annoyed me for a while, but they eventually faded out into the audience. The overall mood was good and definitely more about the music than any sort of cause.
Ani brought my attention back to the stage with an, er, interesting song about the divinity of atoms (actually, it’s a good point – they are mighty powerful and inflict the burdensome punishment of nuclear waste when you try to destroy them). Then she said a few words to the effect of “patriarchy… damn it… nobody even says it enough, patriarchy!” I’m not really sure, I was starting at her boobs.
Just kidding! A highly recommended concert for people of any musical and political persuasion. It will get you back on your feet and leave you with catchy riffs in your head all week long.

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