I haven't been to a concert in a long time. Not a real sit-in-a-theater-with-the-lights-down-low concert anyway. Not in a while. Last night I was reminded, again, that it is unacceptable to let too much time pass without experiencing music live, raw and in the moment. As someone who dedicates himself to music as much as I do, it is really, really unacceptable. I devote hours out of every day to music. Okay, maybe not every day, but most. A day without music, to me, is not a full day. But letting too much time pass without live music is, well, just wrong. Criminal.Last night I saw Mizz Difranco at the Merrill here in Portland. It's the third time I've seen her and the first concert of hers I've seen in at least ten years. Just two songs into the set, I thought to myself, "Idiot! Why has it been so long?"
The long and short of it is she's an absolute force of nature and witnessing her perform is a goosebump inducing experience. When I've seen her in the past it was always from afar, in not-at-all intimate venues (I'm looking at you, Tweeter Center in Mansfield, MA). Merrill Auditorium is a beautiful theater. Perfect for a show like this. I bought my ticket the moment I found out she was coming here to lil' ol' Portland back in November. I managed to get a great seat, seventh row, aisle. The view was fantastic. The sound was perfect. I always worry a little about the sound. I've been to my fair share of shows where the sound was awful. The rhythm section was surprisingly good. The amazing Todd Sickafoose on bass, firecracker Allison Miller on drums and a new favorite, Mike Dillon on vibes and percussion. Mike does amazing things with the vibes. Some of the sounds he created were out of control. Melissa Ferrick (I'm not a big fan) even came out to play trumpet on a few songs.
The crowd was the usual audience I've come to expect at an Ani show. Lots and lots of screaming young women, some sharing a little too much of their devotion with the rest of the audience. There were lots of folks of all ages too, women and men, which pleased me. Looking around at smiling middle-agers in the crowd, I felt a little more relaxed. It reminded me that I've grown up listening to this woman. She was there at the end of high school when my sister first got me listening to her. All through college she was a sort of building soundtrack, a foundation of sound and support during that wonderful and confusing part of my youth. The last ten years, her output has had less of an effect. But her last few efforts have reeled me back in. The last two LPs are as good as anything she's done, in my book. Like any musician I've stuck with over the years, Ani feels like an old friend. One I've never known personally, but someone who helped shape and mold me. We're also of the same generation. Maybe there's something to that. I dunno. It just felt familiar and good to see her again.
Ani managed to read my mind and play some of my favorites, including Marrow, Paradigm and Napoleon. Most of the set consisted of happier tunes but that didn't bother me. Her performance was remarkable and her band was tight. I left the show enthused, inspired and wishing it had lasted an hour longer. Of all the art forms, music is what feels most alive. I was reminded of that last night. No other medium can feed our souls like live music. It's time I started seeing more shows again. Where the hell have I been?
