Over
the course of two days, on three different stages, nearly twenty
performers showcased their musical wares at Holmdel’s Lilith Fair.
From Rachael Sage’s ethnically-tinged pop and The Pretenders’ classic
rock to Melky Sedeck’s refreshing brand of hip hop, Lilith Fair
‘99 featured something for everyone. And WOMANROCK.com was there!
Here’s a look at some of the highlights...
 “You
all look so beautiful!”
— Rachael Sage
Singer/songwriter Rachael Sage kicked off Lilith Fair ‘99 with a
compliment that could equally be said of herself. The colorful,
multi-talented artist has a powerful presence and a style as unique
as her handpainted jeans. Accompanied by a blend of bongo drums,
guitar, and haunting violin, Sage’s voice is both strong and soothing,
a unique mix of pop, classic and Middle Eastern-inspired sounds.
When she isn’t making music, this former dancer creates hand-decorated
musical instruments, custom designed clothing and her own brand
of psychedelic artwork, which will be explored on her next album,
“Painting of a Painting.”
 “It
is one of the most painful and important things I am doing. It has
everything to do with my music.”
— Bertine, on karate’s influence on her craft
When I first saw Bertine backstage at Lilith Fair, I didn’t recognize
her. Devoid of makeup and flashy clothes, she reminded me of a young
Olivia Newton John: shy and soft-spoken, with a lilting accent as
charming as her casual demeanor. Once onstage, however, everything
changed. Norway’s newest and hottest musical sensation has a voice
that belies her appearance: piercing, powerful, and larger than
life. Could karate be the key? After she wowed the crowd with her
jazzy mix of sixties pop and electronica, Bertine talked to WOMANROCK.com
about focus and concentration: the two keys to martial arts (and
musical) success. It must be working. Her critically acclaimed debut
album, “Morbid Late Night Show,” recently released in the States,
has already garnered her a Hitaward, Norway’s version of the Grammy
Award.
 “I
want to see what the future will be...”
— Nina Gordon, “2003”
Not so long ago, the future looked pretty glum for Veruca Salt’s
Nina Gordon. After having a fling with her band’s drummer, her bandmate
Louise had an affair with Gordon’s boyfriend, and Gordon left the
band. So what if her rock star life reads like a soap opera? Nina
Gordon is well on her way to a successful solo career. Nearly 50
fans lined up after her Village Stage performance for autographs
and well-deserved words of praise for songs like “Got Me Down,”
“2003", and “Benjamin,” which will appear on her forthcoming CD,
“Tonight and the Rest of My Life.” Some fans were so excited at
the opportunity to meet Gordon, they could hardly contain themselves.
“I’m so happy I could cry!” one exclaimed.
 “Let’s
add some hip hop to it!”
— Melky Sedeck
Melky, the “better half” of brother-sister duo MELKY SEDECK, shared
a microphone with Sarah McLachlan during Saturday night’s finale.
Earlier in the day, Melky shared the stage with her brother, Sedeck.
The sultry singer—who sounds like a cross between Tina Turner and
Aretha Franklin—has toured extensively with her older sibling in
preparation for MELKY SEDECK’s forthcoming album, “Brother Sister.”
Musical talent obviously runs in the family; their eldest brother,
Wyclef, is in The Fugees.
“It’s ladies night...ladies rule!”
— Sandra Bernhard
When I first heard that Sandra Bernhard would be performing at this
year’s Lilith Fair, I wondered why Sarah McLachlan had chosen the
comedienne to be a part of the event. Ten minutes into her stand-up
routine, the answer was obvious: THIS WOMAN CAN SING! In between
sets for Suzanne Vega, Mya and The Pretenders, the smart-mouthed
comic impressed the crowd with show-stopping renditions of Aerosmith’s
“Dream On” and Heart’s “Barracuda” —and managed to upstage some
of her Lilith Fair peers in the process.
“They don't make them like they used to."
— Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders
Musical veteran Chrissie Hynde is living proof that some artists
get better with age. Wearing a bright red jacket and dark blue jeans
ala James Dean, the rock and roll rebel treated Lilith-goers to
a string of Top Ten favorites—from “Back on the Chain Gang” to “Brass
in Pocket.” While The Pretenders newest CD, “The Isle of View” features
acoustic versions of these and more classic songs, the band performed
the original rock and roll versions for Saturday night’s show.
“It’s good old fashioned schooling.” —Sheryl Crow on Lilith Fair
Performing such mega-hits as “If It Makes You Happy,” “You’re My
Favorite Mistake,” and “Everyday is a Winding Road,” guitar-happy
Sheryl Crow looked like she was in Lilith Fair heaven. But sometimes
two voices are better than one. Later, Sarah McLachlan joined Sheryl
Crow onstage for a dazzling duet of “Are You Strong Enough to Be
My Man.” Crow returned the favor during McLachlan’s set, where the
two women performed a haunting rendition of McLachlan’s “Angel.”
“It was either Lilith or babies...you can’t
do both.”
— Sarah McLachlan
Sarah McLachlan didn’t start her set until after 10:00 p.m., but
she still managed to dazzle her Lilith Fair fans. By the time the
mirrorball dropped on Saturday night, the multi-platinum artist
had performed nearly a dozen hit favorites including “Possession,”
“Adia,” “Building a Mystery,” “Ice Cream,” and “Sweet Surrender.”
McLachlan may be taking a break from her music, but her fans will
be sorry to see her go.
|
|
