Ani DiFranco drives Kingsbury Hall wild with songs new and old

Ani Difranco and Buddy Wakefield, Kingsbury Hall, April 25

From the moment Ani DiFranco stepped on stage at Kingsbury Hall in Salt Lake City on Sunday night, it was clear she's an artist whose songs have resonated with fans.

As a pioneer in women's modern folk music, DiFranco writes the kind of songs that speak earnestly about life and drive an audience to frantic applause before she has even spoken a word.

Opening for DiFranco was Buddy Wakefield, a slam-poet whose act was part comedy, part passionate prose and far from family-friendly.

Announced by two male crew members dressed in cheerleader outfits, Wakefield alternated between breathily telling the audience that, "hearts don't break, they bruise and get better" and joking about the fake velvet curtains at Kingsbury Hall not housing windows.

From jokes about STDs and colonics to preaching about love and acceptance, Wakefield's manic set was unexpected, if not appreciated, entertainment.

Although his anecdotes were somewhat formulaic in their liberal agenda, Wakefield's provocative poems like "My Town" oozed with enough energy and raw emotion to set the scene perfectly for DiFranco.

Once the applause died down for DiFranco, she launched into "God's Country" from her 1993 album "Puddle Dive," eliciting another near-deafening roar from the crowd.

A fixture on the indie folk scene for decades, DiFranco has built up a loyal following of fans who clearly adored the artists whether she was cursing relearning her "crusty old songs" or waxing poetic about women's rights.

"I have an old friend who will download my old songs and write down the lyrics for me," said DiFranco, explaining how it was hard for her to dig up the past.

DiFranco continued the set playing a mix of old favorites like "Swim" and cheeky new songs that were received with just as much enthusiasm from the crowd.

The new songs, while still earnest, reflected a more grown-up version of DiFranco. It was clear that she has found a balance by letting go of some anger, yet retaining a wry sense of humor. That reflection made her new songs contrast heavily to older hits.

"My old records leave me with an overwhelming feeling of, 'Just get over it, dude,' " DiFranco said before launching into "Promiscuity."