track 65: surrounded

an uncharacteristically long post. i recommend hitting play on this video first. (i also recommend pretending there is no backing vocalist)



December 16, 1997


As part of my birthday, my mom, Dave and I went to Lilith Fair when it came to Florida for the first time. There was an amazing line up that included Letters to Cleo, Missy Elliot, Luscious Jackson, Indigo Girls and Sarah McLachlan. The standout moment for me was Chantal Kreviazuk singing this song.

About a month earlier, I had quit Toys R Us after 5 years (and two weeks) and was quite happy to just be spending the Holiday season with my family instead of Geoffrey the Giraffe. This is a review I wrote at the time, parts of which actually made me blush a little.

Subj: Lilith Fair Holiday Show- rundown
Date: 97-12-17 02:23:50 EST

Hi everybody- back & barely awake, but since my capacity to remember things is
embarrassingly small, thought I'd post this now.

3:35- Village Stage- Mary Karlzen
Just Mary & Mark (?) playing acoustic guitars. Don't remember any of the
titles, but I loved the songs. Will actually be going out tomorrow to hunt
down "SHOUTING AT MARY" I don't think I ever did. Very funny coupla people. (note: cute guy on stage)

4:05- Village Stage- Kacy Crowley
Hmmm. Jury's out. I liked the first song, not the second. Liked the third,
not the next. Was kind of taken aback when she was about to start & I turned
around & swore for half a second that it was Ani Difranco. She's just a wee
little thing.

4:25- B Stage- Chantal Kreviazuk
Okay, big surprise. I had 2 of her songs on compilations- "Hand" which I
didn't like at all, and "God Made Me" which has grown on me. The songs she
sang that were NOT "Hand" I fell in love with. Sorta reminded me of a calmer
Paula Cole. Nice lady, too. Will look up her album. Under These Rocks and Stones

5:05- B Stage- Letters To Cleo
My first big thrill of the day. They're favorites of mine. Set list more or
less: Fast Way/Awake/I Got Time (!!!)/Anchor/something i forgot/Big Star (!!!)/Here
& Now. It's quite possible there was another song in there, too, but that's
mostly it. Kay gave me this whole vibe that for some odd reason made me recall
seeing Belinda Carlisle & the Go-Go's back when I was in sixth grade. Rockin'
band. First time I got to see 'em live. Very cool.(note: cute guys too)

5:30- Village Stage- Ana Gasteyer
Ana (of SNL fame) was playing a character named Kimber. She was basically
doing a parody of ultra-serious PC folk singer-type people. Hilarious! She did
the "Basted In Blood" song that she performed with Sarah McLachlan on SNL a
few weeks ago, as well as an anti-frankfurter song called "Sausage of Pain".
She also did a whole monologue routine-rant about the Holidays that made me
laugh my ass off & wonder if she's been lurking on the Indigo Girls mailing
list lately...

5:50- Main Stage- Luscious Jackson
Another group I like a lot. Their setup was a lot like the one Joan Osborne
had when I saw her @ Lilith in Atlanta. I love it when there's a band and a
DJ- it just makes things feel funky. (that was a little joke for anybody who's
actually met me & heard me say "feel funky") Set list- Here/Strongman/Mood
Swing/Naked Eye/Deep Shag/Why Do I Lie/Surprise. Kate S. is a kickass
drummer!! I liked 'em, but I think I prefer their studio stuff.

6:25- B Stage- K's Choice
This is the part when I ate dinner.

7:00- Main Stage- Missy Elliot
Ok, I dig Missy. But apparently no one else did. The only time the crowd was
even slightly into her was when she did "The Rain"- I really felt for the
girl- She was feeling sick & giving it her best, but I don't think many people
appreciated what she does. :( I don't think she even did her full set. What
she DID do was: Sock it to me (!!)/ Beep Me 911/ some other song.../Supa Dupa
Fly (the rain) There were dancers & they actually started the set by dancing
to The Prodigy. I love you, Missy!!

7:50- Main Stage- Indigo Girls
The best show I've seen. This was the first time I got to see A&E with Jerry
on the drums & Sara Lee on bass. Very cool. (No Romeo & Juliet, sorry) They
also brought out the others to play with 'em, which I loved. Here you go:
Shame on You/Least Complicated/Shed Your Skin (with Missy Elliot hoppin'
around & Kate from Luscious Jackson on drums!)/Get Out The Map/Tried to be
True (with Sheryl Crow on accordian & backups)/Water is Wide (with Sheryl Crow
& Sarah McLachlan)/Keep on Rockin' in the Free World (with K's Choice)/Scooter
Boys/Galileo/Closer to Fine (with Sheryl, Sarah, K's Choice, Kacey, and
Luscious Jackson) No broken strings, Amy wore the same outfit I saw her in
last time, Sara lee played keyboards on Rockin' in the Free World.

9:00- Main Stage- Sheryl Crow
Pretty groovy performance. By this point I was tired of standing, but she
got me swinging again. But then again, I fall for anyone with a harmonica.
Set:
A Change/Sweet Rosalyn/If It Makes You Happy/Home/Every Day Is A Winding
Road/Hard to Make a Stand/Leaving Las Vegas/All I Wanna Do (that's in no
particular order) Hard to Make a Stand was the highlight, imho. ;)
Also, Sheryl had a cold :(

10:10- Main Stage- Sarah Mclachlan
Uh-huh!! My girl rocked. A much better performance than the Atlanta LF, I
felt. Before she even stepped out, we were all on our feet. Amazing energy for
a buncha freezing Floridians (tech note: A freezing Floridian is a Floridian
in weather under 60 degrees) I may feel that she was better cuz I loved the
set: Sweet Surrender/Wait/Hold On/Building A Mystery/Angel/Good Enough
Possession/Ice Cream Definitely my Mom's favorite act. (Mom also thought that
Kacy was sort of like Bob Dylan -not a compliment from her- Didn't dig Missy
(shock), thought that Luscious Jackson were talented but not her style, Loved
Mary Karlzen & Chantal, thought LtC were "very energetic"- Loved Ana G's act,
Sheryl Crow, and most importantly the Indigo Girls. ;)

Finale- Main Stage- Everyone but Missy E & Ana G-
"Big Yellow Taxi". Highlight of the night, for sure! And I laughed my ass
off when the girls behind me asked if that was one of Sarah's songs. The
answer- "No, not hers, but I think it's one of those chicks" sacrilege.

next time: i'm on a lonely road that leads to nowhere