
I’ll admit it – one song in, I was nervous.
After opening her show at the ‘Dise last night with a rather flat take on “Supernova,” Liz Phair promptly took to the mic, declaring with a sincere smile, “It’s good to rock.”
Fortunately for the fans who braved the bitter cold to attend, Phair and her three-piece backing band were just warming up. The mediocrity was promptly washed away by a swift romp through “6’1″,” “Help Me Mary” and “Divorce Song,” and Phair quickly had the packed house hanging on her every word.
Despite the recent release of the hastily recorded, widely panned “Funstyle” – an album that the singer says “lost me my management, my record deal and a lot of nights of sleep” – this is a great time to catch Phair in concert. Freed from record-label shackles, the 43 year old is clearly having fun and making music for herself.
That doesn’t mean that Phair has lost her trademark sauciness. While acknowledging the heat in the crowded club, she invited fans to strip for her pleasure, and she diverted from her already Exile in Guyville-heavy setlist to bring a couple audience members up to assist her on the breathy “Flower.” She would later dismiss incessant requests for “H.W.C.,” declaring that one XXX moment was enough for the night.
After closing her main set with “Fuck and Run,” Phair returned for a crowd-pleasing five-song encore that included “Girls Room” and the Girlysound track “Speed Racer.”
Liz Phair’s setlist:
Supernova / 6’1″ / Help Me Mary / Divorce Song / May Queen / Never Said / Nashville / And He Slayed Her / Polyester Bride / Flower / Mesmerizing / Oh, Bangladesh / Extraordinary / Stratford-On-Guy / Fuck and Run // Perfect World / Soap Star Joe / Girls Room / Speed Racer / Johnny Feelgood
Despite playing its first hometown date in months, the Everyday Visuals opened the show with an uninspiring set played to a largely apathetic crowd.
Liz Phair:
The Everyday Visuals
Funny, nothing but dudes in the audience…AGAIN. LOL.
Especially up front. I took cover up in the balcony for most of the show.