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 By Dave Rosen
Ani DiFranco
Continues to Evolve and Hopefully America will too
“She is trying to evolve,” Ani DiFranco sang at the Joint in the Hard Rock Hotel
on June 24. “I got more and more to do, I got less and less to prove.” The song,
“Evolve,” one of many hits from her almost two decade long career, was a high
point at the concert, and it's words were the absolute truth. At this point,
DiFranco, as much a humanitarian as she is an amazing
folk-singer/songwriter/guitar virtuoso, has nothing left to prove, yet she
doesn't slow down for a second.
Ani DiFranco
Photo courtesy of http://www.myspace.com/anidifranco
Currently touring behind her first career retrospective (after all, how can a
disc full of songs the average Joe Schmo has never heard before be called
“Greatest Hits”), “Canon,” DiFranco is at a new stage in her career. The
feminist icon has never been one to shy away from controversy, and it's now, at
the dawn of one of the biggest elections in our nation's history that she is as
important as ever.
“Who am I voting for,” she asked the sold out crowd. “Obama, comma, Barack.” The
cheers proved that her fans share the love of not only her music, but also of
their very own superwoman's political views. The presidential election wasn't
the only non-musical topic touched on by this concert. Next to the merch booth
(which featured a dozen “official” bootlegs of some of her best shows, a real
treat for Ani fans), was a table set up to get people to vote, inform people
about various causes such as the situation in Darfur, and to give out
information about Amnesty International and the Peace Corps. This all builds
towards the fact that Ani is more than a musician, and is truly a political
force.
Ani DiFranco
Photo courtesy of http://www.myspace.com/anidifranco
Back to the music, however, Ani DiFranco is a truly amazing artist. Songs like
“Both Hands,” and “Napoleon,” show off her guitar skills, which are pretty much
unparalleled in popular music. Rolling Stone magazine was recently criticized
for featuring an article on the Top 50 guitar players of all time and not
including any women. The real crime is that they didn't include Ms. DiFranco.
She uses a fast, finger-picking style that gives her a sound all her own that
needs to be witnessed in the live concert atmosphere. Her lyrics and voice match
her guitar style perfectly. I went to the show with my girlfriend who may just
be Ani's biggest fan (and the person who introduced me to the artist), but after
seeing her live, I have become even more intrigued and have found myself
listening to her CDs on my own.
Which also brings me to another point. The common stigma that keeps people away
from Ani DiFranco is that it is man-hating, ultra-feminist, lesbian music and
that men should stay away or face certain danger... Well aside from the
ultra-feminist part, that couldn't be more untrue. But what's wrong with being a
feminist? Most of all, the singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer is
charismatic but introverted, successful, yet humble, metaphorical but
straight-forward. All of her many attributes are just as balanced as her music,
and it should be heard and enjoyed by everyone.
Ani DiFranco
Photo courtesy of http://www.myspace.com/anidifranco
Ani DiFranco is currently working on a new album to be released this year, her
first since 2006's “Reprieve.” If we're lucky, she'll come infiltrate the enemy
territory (Las Vegas isn't exactly the feminist capitol) again soon. And
depending on the results of this years' election, it will be interesting to see
how Ani and her music has evolved.
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