When I was in high school in the 90’s, while my friends were all still listening to Soundgarden and Mariah Carey, I spent a weekend with my cousin at her college. I came home from that trip with two things: an appreciation for cheap beer and an Ani DiFranco cassette tape. Quickly DiFranco’s catalog became the soundtrack of my angsty teenage years. It wasn’t until I got to college myself that I realized that I was not alone.
In fact, Ani DiFranco has an army of women who feel the same way about her biting lyrics and sometimes melancholy and sometimes angry melodies—she was the original ’90’s riot grrl, the original indie artist and she put into words our conflicted feelings about femininity and strength.
DiFranco has matured along with us. And her songs have become less angry and more political. Less frantic in their execution and more melodic. And we have followed that progression and we will follow her to The Depot, where she plays on Saturday night.
Doors at 8, show at 9. Chastity Brown opens. Tickets are still available here.
