Midlands Art Centre Outdoor Arena, Birmingham, England4th July 1997 |
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After a day off, it's the final show on the UK leg of the European Tour. It's Independence Day, and the sun's come out at last ! This is a good thing, since the MAC arena is outdoors - a small, circular, Roman milli-ampitheater type of venue, with a babbling brook running down the back.
The show starts at 7:45 and it's going to be light for a couple of hours, so everyone can see ani, and ani can see the whole audience of around 400, either seated in the central area or sat on the steeply sloping arena sides. "It's so wierd" she says, after opening with My IQ, and tells us it's going to be a family set. Buildings And Bridges follows - the third verse being delayed while ani tries to remember the words, finally being prompted by Andrew (The Goat) Gilchrist, who is introduced to the audience and takes a slight bow.
32 Flavors, Willing To Fight, and Gravel (the only "new" song played during the evening) are delivered perfectly, and received with warm, but somewhat restrained applause. During Letter To A John, the price varies from $5 to 10 pounds to $10. The Slant and Face Up And Sing come next, followed by Sorry I Am, which is interrupted by a load scream from outside the arena. "Don't be afraid - it's only folk music" replies ani immediately, to much amusement.
A wonderful Worthy and Overlap are next songs to be played. Anticipate again includes the Get Up, Stand Up tune. After Both Hands, Andy and Jason desert ani, who plays a quite amazing Not A Pretty Girl unaccompanied. Even the PA is turned off for part of the song.
During Cradle And All, some of the audience finally get to their feet and start to dance. By the end of Shy, most of those who were seated in the central area, are now dancing. ani had earlier done her "silly dance", just so we wouldn't "feel stupid". Shameless completes the set and is met with great applause.
The first encore, In Or Out, ends with ani posturing Hendrix-like, wringing feedback from her guitar, strings hanging loose. for the second encore ani produces a drum and with Andy, performs Not So Soft. Cries for more are in vain, and the show is over at 9:15.
So it's back to the bar for more refreshment. About half an hour later, ani, the band, Heidi and the rest of the crew walk into the crowded bar and just begin chatting and mingling. ani leaves about 10:30, but the others stay behind until well after closing time.
It will be a long time before we have a better week than this one. Hmmmm ..... now where's that timetable for the Hull-Rotterdam ferry ?