Music on Mondays – Angsty Chick Music

aka Lilith Fair edition. Has anyone been to Lilith Fair? I have – twice, actually. Not bad considering that the tour only lasted 3 years. I didn’t go to the first concert, but I don’t recall why. I do remember the hype surrounding it, though, and a lot of singers I like were headlining. By the second year, I was listening to more and more music that was or could have been featured at Lilith Fair, so I looked into tickets. Not being an avid concert-goer, I had no idea how much tickets would cost, but I was surprised to find out that they were general admission tickets. For only $35, I could get tickets to see up to a dozen different singers. That sounded like a bargain to me, so I bought a ticket for me and my mom.

It was far, on the southern end of the state, and as anyone who’s ever been to a concert knows, parking was a mofo. But this concert exceeded my expectations as soon as I got through the gate. Free sampler CDs were being handed out to the first thousand people to walk in, so I snagged one of those, which quickly became, and still remains, one of my favorite compilation albums. I checked out the map and set up my plan. It wasn’t going to be possible to see everyone that was playing that day, since with three different stages there was bound to be some overlap. If I could do it over again, I’d have spent more time at the tiny village stage, where the least known artists were performing. Bic Runga was there, and I didn’t become a fan until I had an A-HA! moment listening to the free handout CD, which included her song Sway. Some of the artists I did see, however, were:

Chantal Kreviazuk – I’ve written about her before, as she’s one of my favorites. When I attended Lilith Fair, I had a CD of hers, but didn’t really pay much attention to it until I saw her perform. She puts on an amazing concert.

Abra Moore – I like her music, but her performance left a lot to be desired, especially since she followed Chantal. Stick to her albums, since she’s much better in the studio.

letters to cleo – I love their music – so much fun! I was already a fan since they’re a Boston Band. I saw Kay Hanley hanging out between sets and managed to get her autograph. (Note to self: catch up on Kay Hanley’s solo stuff!)

Aimee Mann – I’ve liked her since Til Tuesday, and I like her solo stuff even better. A great songwriter who perseveres despite Big Record Company pressures.

Kendall Payne – I haven’t kept up with her more recent stuff, but wow, what a strong voice this woman has. She’s better known in Christian music circles, but if you’re not into that, her stuff is still worth checking out since it’s not preachy at all.

Then of course there’s all the ones you are familiar with: Sarah McLachlan, Jewel, Natalie Merchant, Sheryl Crow, etc. Most of the music I heard at Lilith Fair, both the new stuff and the stuff that got me there in the first place, is music that I still listen to today. I wish Lilith Fair or something similar was still touring today, because it was such a great musical event. Oh, and I’m sure you’re wondering – What’s with the Angsty Chick Music label? Well, that’s what Boyfriend calls it. It’s fitting, don’t ya think?

Other Posts Like Me:

• Got Music?
• Musical Memories
• Christmas Songs That Need To Go Away
• The Music Project, Continued
• The Lost Files