JOAN OSBORNE / ANI DIFRANCO AT CENTRAL PARK SUMMERSTAGE 7/1/95
                                       
   
     _________________________________________________________________
   
   
   
   *Disclaimer! I have heard only recommendations for these two singers
   before this concert, so I am unfamiliar with any of their recorded
   material. However, I will be sure to buy at least one CD by each
   artists - please e-mail me with suggestions! Thanks*
   
   Sadly I arrived late, and only saw about 4 or 5 of Ani DiFranco's set.
   However, in those few songs she managed to convince me and everyone
   else (who must have been overtaken by that point anyways) that she was
   an artist to reckon with. In what appeared to be just her on guitar
   and another musician on drums, she stormed around my mind. The crowd
   constantly welcomed her back to NYC. Her energy and excitement at
   playing for us, playing in central park and playing in NYC spread
   quickly through a wonderfully enthusiastic audience. Hear hear, now I
   just need to catch her playing a full set! Quick question, was that
   nicely purple-dyed hair? :-) Um, for those not in the know, Ani
   preformed a nice mixture of folk and punk - mixing her feelings about
   the world with some great music and lyrics. Oh, and she had a semi-rap
   that was a song she composed when busking in the Financial District.
   And during the encore she paid a compelling cover of Prince's When
   Doves Cry.
   
   Half an hour later, a blonde and sensual Joan Osborne took the stage.
   By this time I managed to move all the way to the front - a nicety of
   Summerstage - if you chose to, you can ease down and party with
   everyone else up front. For Ani, I was towards the back and thus had a
   harder time seeing her. Joan's band was larger, consisting of a
   guitarist (who played steel guitar at times, Organ/Synth on one or two
   songs, and a violin of sorts on another), a drummer, bassist and
   another guitar player who also played a wicked harmonica. Joan sung,
   and played guitar or tamberine at times. First impression, Joan came
   one, and opened her mouth - wow. wow. wow. She literally wailed, in
   fact she opened and closed the show with amazing prolonged vocals that
   just sent shivers down my spine. The band mixed slower songs along
   with high energy stormers that had everyone spinning around and
   including me. Sadly, Joan wore sunglasses, and one fellow get on
   hollaring "Show us your eyes!" Her first response was "You got in for
   free and expect to see them?" She commented that she was tired from
   her long touring (didn't show) and wore no makeup and so didn't want
   to be seen like that. Oh well, tired or not, Joan's demenor was very
   erotic. Even though we only got glimpses of her eyes, she danced and
   pranced and in general was having a lot of fun showing off. Is she
   normally this free in her style? She played some songs of her latest
   album (don't remember the title), and during the encore she played
   some older songs "Sweet 16" and "The Preacher Song" that went down
   well. She also sang a song about Eve, and why women and Eve have been
   shortchanged throughout time.
   
   All in all I had a less overview of the audience as I was up front. As
   with Ani, Joan and the band was coming home from touring with Melissa
   Etheridge and alone. She was visually excited at being home, and being
   in Central Park. In fact both singers were having a lot of fun playing
   for the the crowd. This concert was a special event for both the
   artists and audience alike.
   
   Now my questions - does anyone know if either Ani or Joan are playing
   anyplace in New York City the rest of the summer? I'd love to catch
   both of them live again. Also, what albums would you recommend I check
   out from both artists? I love doing the Summerstage, as I first heard
   Sarah McLachlan in Central Park last summer and have fallen in love
   with her music too. Also, I'd love to hear from other people who are
   going to the Summerstage shows and would want to meet up beforehand.
     _________________________________________________________________