Marcel Kruger writes.
Photos by Cathy Duffy
The time-honoured institution that is the National Concert Hall saw more sneakers and tattoos then usual last Saturday evening. Veteran feminist singer/songwriter and lesbian icon Ani di Franco was stopping over in the capital. It was the only Irish date of her first European tour in years.
After a warm-up beer that has to be consumed in the foyer, we are shown to our seats by the friendly staff of the Concert Hall. I’m quite eager to see if the concept of “An evening with…” will work in the massive space that is the main hall of the Concert Hall. The stage is set up nicely, with a dark backdrop filled with little lamps giving it the appearance of the night-sky, with a massive pipe organ towering over the stage and everything and everyone in the audience.
First, we are treated to a couple of songs by opening act Jim Morray. I personally find his voice too high-pitched for the stripped-down performance that only features himself and his guitar (me being a Damien Dempsey-fan), but Jim’s folk songs about child murderers that can walk through walls and soldiers abandoning their maidens eerily fit into the surroundings, and he earns a more than respectful applause for the six songs he performs.
After a short pause that and another few beers it is time for the main act of the night. The last time I had seen Ani di Franco was about seven years ago, when she still was a dreadlock- wielding protest-singer, so I’m eager to see how the age of forty becomes her and if she had mellowed down a bit. But seeing her storm the stage, clad in black cargo pants and a olive tank top and playing a guitar that as usual seems too big for such a small woman, I’m reassured that the audience is in for a treat. She is constantly on the move, getting handed a new guitar from the hobbit-looking guitar tech that is seated on the stage in the 
background after every song. That is probably the only indication that she is a star in her own right – Jim Morray had to tune his one guitar for himself, Ani has about ten guitars standing on stage. In between songs she tells jokes and little stories, urges the crowd to become “her Dublin experience” as she leaves town directly after the show, and sips whiskey and water.
I have to confess that I’ve never been a huge fan, and have over the years lost track of her songs and the 20+ albums she has released. This evening, she does however focus on newer songs from the latest album “Red Letter Year”, and tells stories from her more recent experiences living in Lousiana in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Older songs are reserved for the encore, during which she finally gets the crowd to dance, clap and sing together with her – the Concert Hall staff even starts looking nervous in the face of dancing people on the balconies. Ani finishes a 100 minute set with an updated version of the Dylan-protest song classic “Which Side Are You On?”, and standing ovations from the audience. The Concert Hall staff looks relieved and starts sweeping the hall, even they have enjoyed the show, judging by their smiling faces.
