Utah needs another shot of Lilith.
The Lilith Fair was one of those rare items that actually lived up to its marketing hype.Some may have guffawed at the idea of an all-day festival featuring nothing but women musical artists or women-fronted bands making a stop in the patriarch-loving state of Utah. But United Concerts, the Canyons and Lilith Fair organizer Sarah McLachlan knew this event was a hot item that should not be thrown away.
And, you know what? It worked - wonderfully.
The festival possessed an energy that was fresh, vital and, most of all, unifying. Regardless of what race, religion and, yes, gender you were, you felt at home.
Sure, the firey set by Paula Cole might have made some of the men a little uncomfortable - especially if they're the ones who drink beers while their wives or girlfriends do the dishes. But from the get go, the women of Lilith - Mary Lou Lord, Joan Jones, Stacy Lee, the group Lucie Gamelon, Patty Griffin, Dar Williams, Lisa Loeb & Nine Stories, Margo Timmons of the Cowboy Junkies, Joan Osborne, Cole and, of course, McLachlan - were all focused on bringing celebration to the music.
Those women come from all walks of life. And they sing about different topics that all have to do with women's issues.
While Lee sang about a woman's importance in raising children - she's got three of her own - Williams sang about finding your soul. Lucie Gamelon's Blair Tefkin sang about the quirky things in life while Jones, Griffin and Lord brought out a mixed bag of themes that eventually found their way to self-assertiveness.
As for the headlining lineup, Loeb sang her heart out, but this time around there was something more, a strength that helped her reach for the next level.
The Cowboy Junkies kept their cool, confident pace, as did crowd-pleaser Osborne, who shook the mountain with her blend of exotic qwalli (musical chanting from India) and blues.
The nitroglycerin-like energy of Cole came full circle as she sang the piano-laden "Ordinary."
McLachlan was the gracious hostess as she entertained her guests with her many hit singles and words of appreciation. And the fact that she hurried to finish so the 10,500 people wouldn't get stuck in an ugly downpour made her words of appreciation that much more meaningful.
Yes, Lilith might have been the mythical first wife of Adam who was evenutally ostrasized and made into a demon. But the fact remains that the Lilith Fair broke some ground and showed how important a woman's view is regarding the surrounding world.