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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (April 8, 2004)
Ani returns to Eugene, her 'little plastic castle' The iconic songwriter's Eugene concert included songs both new and classic By Aaron Shakra Pulse Editor Ani DiFranco must have a special affinity for Eugene. Consider this: She has toured around the world for more than a decade straight, yet both of her live albums — 1997's "Living in Clip," and 2002's "So Much Shouting, So Much Laughter" — include songs performed in the Emerald City. Eugene, - in turn, was rniurcDT p°sitively UUIlbUl I effusive in ft IE V S IE W welcoming - the little folk singer — for those who could get in, any way. Crowds awaiting admission into the McDonald Theatre spiraled around the block, where a tempo rary subculture had spawned. Two women sang their home-brewed songs of dissent, petition signature gatherers preyed on potential voters like ravens and just about everyone who wasn't in line to get in was looking for a ticket because the show had long since sold out. The evening began with a perform ance from New York-based guitarist/ songwriter Tony Scherr. Scherr, who gushed over Eugene's clothing venues, played a jazzy set of music to a bois terous, conversational crowd. These voices were a distraction from anyone trying to listen, but it's hard to blame them — bodies were tightly packed from the front of the theater to the back, making the energy in the theater nearly palpable. Toward the end of Scherr's songs, applause grew louder, but whether it wSi in anticipation of DiFranco's ar rival or for Scherr's music is a matter of interpretation. When DiFranco finally did arrive, the crowd noise became nearly deaf ening. While she frequently self-iden tifies herself as the "little folk singer," it doesn't really do justice to the re sponse her music provokes in listen ers. Let's just say it isn't little. While she has been performing solo for the past few years, this time around DiFranco was joined by dou ble bassist Todd Sickafoose, who added a punch to her songs without losing the intimacy of a solo per formance. The duo quickly estab lished a musical dialogue that set the tone for the night, with Sick afoose's percussive pounding and sparse playing complementing DiFranco's guitar attacks. The opening number was the endur ing tune, "Shy," with lyrics like, "Oh sleep is like a fever / and I'm glad when it ends / and the road flows like a river / and pulls me around every bend." Erik R. Bishoff Photographer Folk singer/songwriter Ani DiFranco played songs mostly from her two most recent studio albums during her performance at McDonald Theatre on Tuesday night. A large bulk of the material DiFran co played was from her two most re cent studio albums. However, there was a good mixture of tunes played, including her poem-like "Coming Up" — in which DiFranco flowed her words over a guitar progression of harmonics. This was easily one high light of the night. Like all her shows, she played plen ty of new songs as well: "Nothing Much to Say," "Manhole" and "Knuckle Down," where she sings: "Cause I think I’m done cornin' to get closer to some imagined bliss /1 gotta knuckle down, just be OK with this /1 gotta knuckle down just be OK with this / 'course that star-struck girl is re ally someone I miss" About halfway through her set, she had planned to play a song with her four-string baritone guitar, when someone shouted from the crowd "Little Plastic Castle," at which point she said "I've never done this before," and retuned to play the song. Clearly, she hadn't played it for a while — she repeated one set of lyrics twice. But perhaps this is appropriate for a song that has the lyrics, "They say goldfish have no memory / I guess their lives are much like mine / the little plastic castle / is a surprise every time." The show ended appropriately with "Evolve," the title track of her previous album, and a quick encore of "Gravel." Contact the Pulse editor at aaronshakra@dailyemerald.com. 00573d Eric Englund Scholarship $2,000 to enable a University of Oregon graduate to pursue graduate studies at the U of O or elsewhere in American literature or history or a related subject. Apply to the English Department by May 7. seeing cultures in a neui light KALEIDOSCOPE International Week 2004 Free cultural events: International Games Kaleidoconcert International Dance School World Poetry starts next week. hosted by the UO International Student Association http://gladstone.uoregon.edu/~asuoisa/inight2004.html Graduate Studies in, Environmental and Community-based Education I UMftdWood/University of Washington Partnership i, . .. DEGREE OPTIONS • Certificate in Education for Environment & Community • Masters Degrees at UW • MIT/Teacher Certification at City University MORE INFORMATION e-mail graduateprogram@islandwood.org phone 206.855.4300 www.islandwood.org/graduateprogram PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS • IslandWood faculty teach graduate courses grounded in multicultural, environmental, integrated, and experiential education. • Graduate students teach children from diverse back grounds and live in cabins on IslandWood’s 255-acre campus only 35 minutes from downtown Seattle. •Applications available online. ISLANDWOOD 4450 Blakely Avenue NE Bainbridge Island, WA 98110 18 r‘ www.mcdonaldtheatre.com music AI1 concerts wRh opening band unless otherwise noted Times subject to change Tickets at all TfcketsWest outlets (800) 992-T1XX Service charges may apply LIVE IN THE LOUNGE VINYLllDJ DANO-MITE WED APRIL 14 8 PM DR 9 PM SHW FRI APR 9 FREE PIXIES TICKETS TIX AT TICKETSWEST 21+ J l 8 PM DOORS 9 PM SPINS 21 + BANFF MOUNTAIN FILM FESTIVAL SAT APR TlX AT DCKETSWEtT I
