Women Can Rock Too

Marcus Amphitheater
Milwaukee
August 23, 1999

Story and Photos by Phil Bonyata

Sarah McLachlan has called it quits after the finish of her Lilith Fair tour to stay home to be a mom.
Lilith Fair was created to be an alternative to the testosterone laden tours like Ozzfest, H.O.R.D.E. Fest and others. It champions feminist ideals along with alternative lifestyles. The acts on the Lilith Fair bill are and have been divergent talents. This Lilith Fair had stands selling veggie burgers, a tent for RAINN (Rape, Abuse and Incest National network) and curiously a tent hawking Tommy Hilfiger goods.
The Dixie Chicks, whose commercial stock is rising quickly and breaking into the pop mainstream, mix smartly executed traditional country mixed with modern pop melodies.Their overly bluegrass version of Bonnie Raitt's "Give It Up Or Let Me Go" was easily their best song of the night. Old school tear jerkers like "Tonight the Heartache is On Me" came off a little sappy, but still effectively sentimental.
The Indigo Girls, who are openly lesbians, seem to preach a little too much through their traditional acoustic rock stylings. On the new "Faye Tucker" the Indigo Girls' fed off each others obvious mutual affection. This seems to be where a lot of the Indigos' appeal lies.
The closely cropped Seryl Crow, sporting hip-hugging leather pants didn't look the part of poster girl pretty of years past. On "A Change (Would Do You Good)" Sheryl strutted like a female Mick Jagger on Valium. The pumped up guitars and heavy bass lines seemed to propel her performance on "Anything but Down" and "My Favorite Mistake."
Lilith Fair misses the point by excluding male acts on its bill. What better way to show those male only shows and the world how to do it right. Fortunately, in real life neither sex holds a monopoly on diversity.

Dixie Chicks	Indigo Girls
Sarah McLachlan	Sheryl Crow