Ani DiFranco - Live At Babeville

Folk-rock replaces silence in church

The recognition bestowed by DiFranco’s four Grammy nominations could surely not have matched her feelings on playing these two shows in September 2007. Babeville is her own venue, regenerated by DiFranco and her manager from the ruins of the Delaware Avenue Methodist Church into a community arts space that puts something back into her hometown in the spirit of her socially conscious work.

It’s a well lit, well shot film that succinctly captures a time of change: a new backing band, a young daughter recently arrived and a culmination of her long-term project to reinstate this wonderful building. So while the raw energy and righteous anger from her live performances, along with the opinionated, precisely targeted lyrical commentary of her lyrics, are still present, an intimate and relaxed vibe permeates. Audience banter and biographical asides punctuate each song and there’s tangible warmth and intimacy in the delivery. Yet here is a singer-songwriter still on the edge, poking at social conventions and personal politics.

A part run-through of DiFranco’s career and part try-out of new material it comes with an additional bonus CD of some of the set’s highlights. A valuable portrait of a singular performer.

Righteous Babe | RBR 056 DVD

Reviewed by Ian Abrahams
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