It was a rainy night at the huge Penn State Univ. main campus, and parking was
hard to find (or get to). Once we did, however, we began our long, wet walk
to Eisenhower Auditorium-- That wasn't the most fun.. After seeing the
concert, though, I realized I would have walked 10 miles in the rain just to
see it!
The opening band was Fenner and... Someone else. Some guy and some girl...
I personally didn't enjoy them, but it seemed like a lot of people did. It
was good music, I just wasn't into the gal's voice. I may have liked them
more if I wasn't so excited to see my favorite musicienne take the stage!
When Ani finally came out, the sold- out crowd (of about 3,000)?? took to
their feet and stayed there the rest of the show, some of us pausing to take
tiny sitting breaks during non-danceable songs or songs we didn't prefer.
I forgot my pen and paper to write down the setlist so I really hope someone
else will help me with that. I will try to get though all the songs I can
remember:
1&2 The two opening songs were NeW! I don't know the name of the first one
but I believe the second was titled Heart-Shaped Hat.
3, 4, & 5: (in any order- I don't remember the sequence) As Is; Little
Plastic Castle; and Two Little Girls
6, 7, 8, &9: Letter to a John, Up Up Up, Cradle and All, Every State Line
(again I can't remember the sequence)
10: I believe this is the point when she started talking about a fan(?) named
Lance- a "giving, i-don't need-nothing-back-guy" that gives the band BOOKS all
the time! She showed us a book of poetry by Tony H. (can't remember his last
name), then proceeded to read a poem of his! It was amazing; it was amusing
but sad... It discussed a congressman who couldn't bring himself to say the
word "homosexual"... When Ani said the word she did it in the cutest little
voice! :-) The crowd went wild at the end of almost every line, and after a
particularly loud outburst, Ani said "hey you really don't want to miss the
beginning of this next fucking stanza!" (which of course launched aNOTHer
outburst!)
11: Swan Dive. This song was my favorite part of the whole show... The poem
was so beautiful that I already had tears in my eyes, and then once she began
playing this touching song, the tears just started rolling!
12: Come Away- Another new song that she said she's writing as a part of a
series about loving someone who is "annihilating their lives with substances"
13. Umm.. Anticipate? (then again this may have been played after Cradle and
All)
14. Another poem by TONY, but not until Ani discussed peoples' afterglow when
everyone can tell the person just got 'some action.' She then introed the
band, asking each if they had any action lately... Andy and Jason both said
no, but when they got to Julie Wolfe (is that her name?), the band started
talking about her big afterglow and Ani told her that she will have to become
band slut now because Ani's getting tired of it!
She then read the poem, which dealt with that subject..
15. Next was Shameless, which also went along with the subject of the poem.
The beginning of Shameless was done in a completely new way, much softer,
etc... But then around the middle of the song they broke into the normal
upbeat, aggressive song.
I believe this was the 'first end' of the show.
She then came out and did an encore:
16: Gravel
and then another:
17: Both Hands- which seemed to be a favorite of the whole crowd's.
Then the show was over... (I hope I didn't forget anything!) It was one
hell of an experience, and definitely the best concert I've ever seen. Ani is
the cutest, most energetic, "giggly, wiggly" performer...
She also talked a lot, which I know everyone always enjoys.
A few things I remember:
Her talking about was State College (where Penn State is)...she was like "I'm
really having a problem figuring out where exactly we are... You know when
you go to a place called State College, you're going to find like, a scene.."
Also, throughout the concert she made references to her bra straps falling
down and how she hates that and how women have those things to worry about.
She also talked about photo shoots and not knowing how to dress herself, etc.
When she was talking about Tony the poet, she said "he's just blowing my tiny
mind" and someone yelled "it's NOT tiny!" and she was like "you'd be
surprised." Then when she said "well, I'm going to read one of his poems
instead of one of my... poems- see I was going to say snivelling there but
well..self deprecating remarks aren't (good?)".. Heehee.
Ani is such an amazing woman! Everyone go see her if you haven't already!
Amanda