Reconnecting With The Lilith Fair

As one of the quintessential nineties concerts, the Lilith Fair made quite a splash when it debuted in 1997. Created by Canadian musician Sarah McLachlan, it was the first summer festival to focus on female musicians. Most concerts up until that point had refused to let more than two female acts perform in a row. Thanks to the massive success of the tour, people still remember it vividly. Now, in the summer of 2010, concert goers will once again take part as the Lilith Fair gets set for a revival tour.

Tracy Chapman, Fiona Apple, Joan Osmond and Lisa Loeb were just some of the stars who headlined the original tour. It's no surprise that it was the highest grossing festival that year. Although the 2010 revival tour acts have yet to be confirmed, it wouldn't be shocking to see current musicians such as KT Tunstall and Colbie Cailla take to the stage.

The Fair is really more of a community experience as opposed to a gathering of a bunch of spectators. If the revival is anything like the late nineties' version, don't be surprised if you see a person or two whip out their Takamine acoustic guitar and break into song. There's a campfire vibe to the whole thing, which is what some people loved about it.

Although immensely popular, this tour has always been seen as a 'love it or hate it' kind of event. Many naysayers gave it derogatory nicknames such as 'Girlapalooza' and far worse. The same people would often depict the average audience member as some sort of biker woman wearing a black helmet. However, this was clearly untrue, as any actual attendees could attest.

The tour not only made its impact musically, but there was many a fashion trend spotted and started on the festival grounds. Many attended with the idea that people were watching in mind. In fact, it's more likely that many the audience would be wearing their best eye cream as opposed to sporting a biker jacket.

Those who were unable to attend the original tour might be inclined to think the audience was entirely female. This is not true. Although the acts were all women musicians, the crowd was quite diverse, which was proven through the sheer number of concert goers tallied over the summers.

So after ten years, the Lilith Fair is back. It will give former concert goers a chance to live out their heyday from the late nineties while allowing the next generation to experience just what made it so special. If it's anywhere near as successful as previous tours, this revival is sure to be one of many to come.

Tags: Lilith Fair, music festival, sarah mclachlan