Purveying a slant of modern folk that slides between being infused with a punk energy and edging towards more mainstream singer-songwriter territory, Ani DiFranco is in the enviable position of having built enough musical credibility over the years to give her an artistic freedom free from the need for blatant commerciality. Indicative of this is the construction of Babeville, a multi-purpose artistic centre created around a former place of worship, and the venue for this live performance DVD.
DiFranco and her band play with a loose, energetic spirit on more dynamic material such as Napoleon and that accentuates the poetry of her lyrics on the solo performances Unrequited and Shy. A resolutely unpretentious performer, DiFranco’s performance isn’t much to look at – even with six cameras constantly seeking new angles – but the music hold its own. Bonus material includes three soundcheck performances (including key track 32 Flavors) and some brief backstage shenanigans.
