Texas Union Ballroom, Austin, TX 14th November 1997

Setlist Photos Tape SETLIST Wanted YES

Shanna's review

"Awesome" was the word on the lips of fans as the streamed out of the Union Ballroom Friday night. Over an hour before, Ani Difranco emerged out of the shadows and launched into "Gravel" a new song on "Living in Clip." Although she looked anything but sleepy-eyed, she conversed with the excited crowd, "What a nice way to wake up...I probably still have lines on my face..."

She was obviously full of energy, exuberant. She created total inspiring, empowering bliss. Perhaps not what you'd expect from a self-proclaimed "folksinger," with a constant, glowing smile, long bluish-purple semi-dreaded hair on top of a tiny, muscular frame, complete with her ever-present Kiss boots. Her stage presence was powerful. Between the passionate, personal songs that rocked the crowd, she'd break into train-of-thought ramblings that are what make her so special to her fans; she is very real.

Amazing concerts have been what Ani's loyal fans have come to expect. She's self-produced nine albums, and heads up her own label, Righteous Babe Records, out of Buffalo, New York. In the earlier years, Ani's publicity was word-of mouth. These days she's showing up on magazine covers and on television. Now, you only have to type in her name on the internet to find dozens of sites; her fans have created their own search engine. Ani's music is a secret so good, you have to share it. Ani has become one of the 50 top-grossing acts, something she has achieved without ever having to sacrifice her art, or answer to anyone else.

She also has a bit of a connection to Austin, even calling herself "possessive"; she's lived here and toured here often. She recorded her album, "Dilate," In late 1995 and early 1996 at the Congress House Studio. Austin has also been an inspiration for some of her songs. Friday night, with her return to Austin, she found a receptive crowd when she spoke, "I'm really f...ing pissed off about this whole MTV thing," referring to the recent Sports and Music festival, and possibly "Austin Stories." After bringing it up several times, and asking the crowd if they got the whole snow boarding thing, she finally said. "I guess I just need to get over it."

Most of what Ani played Friday night was from "Living in Clip;" a double-CD collection of some Ani's best songs. She played "Shameless," "Anticipate," "Shy," "Joyful Girl," and "Napoleon," and others. "Every State Line" became anthemic, with the whole audience chanting along. She also did a montage of her songs, playing excerpts form several that she blended seamlessly together. She let the crowd have a preview of a beautiful, and offbeatly funny, new song, "Swan Dive" which will probably appear on her new album in February of next year.

The band including Ani, Andy Stochansky on drums, Jason Mercer on Bass, could be quiet and intimate in one second, and break into funk the next. Ani, at the forefront, constantly switched between acoustic guitars and an electric for several songs. She even played banjo on one song,"Most of the Time," a wonderful tribute to Bob Dylan who she recently toured with, and spoke highly of.

When Ani sang "Untouchable Face" a small group in the audience was intent on screaming out the chorus, not exactly something you would say to your mother. After it repeats twice in the song, Ani stopped singing and took on the role of grammar school teacher. She prefaced a lecture on the subtleties of language as expression, with "You know how the teacher could always read with the book facing away from her?" Once she began playing again, it was obvious that the elite group just hadn't gotten it, and kept screaming the chorus.

Other moments were even more subtle. When Ani broke into a personal spoken word, without a warning, the audience began quieting each other with soft "shhhs."

There was one moment that was especially awe-inspiring. Ani sang "Letter to a John" forgetting the lyrics a little bit, which went unnoticed by the enraptured crowd. Toward the end of the song, she took her acoustic guitar and by shaking it, swinging it, and banging into her chest forcefully, she created feedback, unlike anything that has ever come out of an acoustic.

After a very intense show she came out for the final of two encores and played "32 Flavors," after which she smiled gave a small wave, and reemerged into the shadows, leaving the fans ecstatic, with smiles on their faces.

Shanna Howard