Ani DiFranco urges Richmond fans to vote

Ani DiFranco encouraged Richmond fans to vote last weekend

By EMILY GILMORE

Date published: 9/16/2004

By EMILY GILMORE

THE FREE LANCE-STAR

aNI DIFRANCO may be small, but she's got enough charisma and energy for someone twice her size.

Currently taking her Vote Dammit tour through swing states in this year's presidential election, DiFranco stopped at the Carpenter Center in Richmond last Sunday.

Not only did she send ferociously devoted fans into a heady frenzy with her beloved funky folk music, the progressively minded DiFranco encouraged them all to register to vote in November.

Clipboard-wielding representatives of several political organizations made the process easy by furnishing registration forms. DiFranco aims to register 100 percent of the audience at each show.

Backed by an upright bass, DiFranco performed a smattering of songs from her latest album, "Educated Guess," amid a selection of old and new compositions packed with her typically vivid imagery and conveyed with a voice that goes from soft and comforting to urgent and razor sharp without warning.

DiFranco's acoustic guitar and eloquent lyrics, both emotional and political, elicited riotous screams from the full house and induced some audience members to spring up and dance in front of the seats.

Some fans saw breaks between songs as opportunities to make their presence known to the pixieish performer, who answered their calls with amused aplomb.

Indeed, DiFranco's characteristic audience interaction, including a story about the new haircut she gave herself, was almost as entertaining as the music.

DiFranco's conviction and commitment to action are admirable, as is her zeal for inciting others to exercise their civic duty.

Although the atmosphere was decidedly anti-Bush, DiFranco simply implored her audience members to make their voices heard and to participate in their government by voting.

To reach EMILY GILMORE: 540/374-5426 egilmore@freelancestar.com

Follow us on

Date published: 9/16/2004