On the Scene: Liz Phair performs 'Exile in Guyville' in NYC
Jun 27, 2008, 02:02 PM | by Samantha Xu
Categories: Concert Reviews, Music, On the Scene
On the fourth and final night of her multi-city sold-out Exile in Guyville performances, Liz Phair exuded cool effervescence through her skintight vest and tousled hair. Quietly confident, amid reactions from critics that her recent string of shows were anti-climactic and stiff, Phair casually breezed through all eighteen songs from the album and few other precious gems during a short encore.
Admittedly, after reading a few less-than-stellar reviews of Phair's show in Chicago, I had lowered expectations stepping into the Hiro Ballroom a few minutes before she took the stage. But as the first few chords of "6'1" rang out, a huge smile stretched across my face, one I saw plastered across every other person in the crowd. At times out of tune or mired in lyrical fogginess, the hour and a half long set was fun yet surprisingly bittersweet. Was it really 15 years ago that Exile came out? (I feel old. And I'm not even 30 yet!)
Singing along to every single song, I couldn't care less about whatever her motivations were: whether she was there to cash in on the recent wave of early '90s nostalgia, revive her trying-to-stay-relevant career, or merely market copies of her new reissue. To hear one of your all-time favorite albums performed live in its entirety is a once in a lifetime opportunity, one especially personal to me since Exile has retained significance in my life, contributing to my sexual development in awkward teenage years and even now providing perspective on the recent dissolution of a relationship. Its timeless lyrics and themes make me wonder how young women react hearing it for the first time in this day and age, or if they react at all. Is a song like "Flower" still provocative in the age of Tila Tequila and Pussycat Dolls? And where have all the brutally honest, whip-smart female singer-songwriters gone?
For those who missed the show, here's a short clip from "Divorce Song," one of many crowd favorites from last night. (Warning: Some NSFW language.)
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