Amy Clarke Summer Tour & LILITH 2010 Experience

Below is a reposting of the several part series from Amy’s http://www.GaiaGrove.org blog “helping heal the earth” ~ More tour photos from the rest of the journey will be posted soon, both one more episode of Lilith & the rest of the AMY CLARKE SUMMER TOUR, but for now, here is the LILITH thread. ENJOY! WE ARE THE WEB

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A) LOS ANGELES: Gaia Grove with REVERB @ #Lilith LA 2010 #LF10LA

What a magical day in sunny Southern California.

After Gaia Grove hosted a HEALING THE WATERS intimate concert, poetry & song sharing night at Cafe Muse LA on Friday July 9 with surprise guests, and thought-provoking & beautiful music shared on ways to help heal our oceans & world (photos/video soon), other members headed down for the LA stop on the LILITH 2010 ~ Celebration of Women in Music ~ festival Saturday, July 10, which was actually held @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre in Irvine Meadows. But this OC location was perfect for the day, as it RAINED in LA in the afternoon, but stayed PERFECTLY BEAUTIFUL all day at LILITH in Irvine…

REVERB

Gaia Grove (Dana Krieger, Shameen Cooper, & original Gaia Grove founder Amy Clarke) volunteered & partnered with the REVERB eco-team @ Lilith LA 2010 to learn more about the work they do greening music festivals, and the afternoon was inspiring, productive, and FUN!

We spoke with festival attendees about making a conscious commitment to reducing their impact on the environment, encouraged fans to recycle, refill water bottles @ Reverb stations, & to make pledges to the environment to continue work in their community at the Reverb photo booth! Wonderful to speak directly to fans, see the effect REVERB has, and be inspired throughout the day. Here is a shot of our team at the end of the eco-shift:

LilithEcoTeambyREVERB — Lilith Eco-Team by REVERB, LA 2010

Everyone enjoyed the music of the Lilith village stage musical artists throughout (Jes Hudak, The Weepies, Molly Jenson, Susan Justice, Marina & The Diamonds, Elizaveta, and more) and had fun exploring the “eco-village”. Favorite vendors in the i4c Campaign Eco-Village included Alter-Eco from San Francisco & To-GoWare, & Better World Books. Once the shift was over, we wandered around the festival, enjoying the music and crowd. We found a great spot in the lawn, preferring it to the amphitheatre seating, and made friends while listening to music of Brandi Carlile & Emmylou Harris.

photo by Shameen Cooper

Then, curious as ever, (& on a break in between artists), Amy made her way to the Yamaha tent near the village stage, went in to experiment with the sounds of the Yamaha Motif, starting playing, drew attention, then started drawing a crowd, Yamaha gave her full volume on the keys, then they gave her a mic, and she first sang her most recent single “MARY (her story)”, then Brian McGovern of Yamaha jumped in and joined her on drum kit for Belmont Blues, Rain Come Round, Queendom Come, & A New Way with a small crowd gathering inside and at the tent door to listen! New friends and fans were made in an instant. Thank you, Yamaha!

Sometimes you do end up exactly where you need to be…

amylilithLA2010 — Amy Clarke in the Yamaha booth @ Lilith 2010, mobile photo by Yamaha 🙂

Excited and grateful beyond belief, Amy then rejoined the group on the lawn, and we all enjoyed the mainstage music for the rest of the evening, including a visually spectacular set by Carmen Rivera featuring full mariachi band, country rock from Miranda Lambert, and a BEAUTIFUL, SOULFUL, & POWERFUL closing set by Lilith Fair co-founder Sarah McLachlan, singing classics & highlights from her new LAWS OF ILLUSION.

Sarah McLachlan website

The official Lilith Photo Gallery page is here on Facebook: Lilith Photo Gallery Part II

THANKS to LILITH, NETTWERK, REVERB, Sarah McLachlan, Terry McBride, Amy Makowiecki, Brande Jackson, all sponsors, and more for contributing to such a glorious day in Southern California ~ to follow more about the Lilith 2010 tour & artists, see:

LILITH 2010

REVERB may be still taking additional eco-team volunteers for DC & remaining stops on the tour . . . feel free to get in touch with them! Also become a member of their Green Music Group and take their eco-challenges online! REVERB

P.S. Though not an “official” Lilith artist (yet) Amy Clarke, who is on Summer Tour dates on the East Coast and returning to her hometown DC in July & August will also be added as an additional “ambassador” to the LILITH DC show – which is now the final stop of the 2010 tour – TUESDAY AUGUST 3, MERRIWEATHER POST PAVILION, in Columbia, Maryland.

Looking forward to a successful remainder of the Lilith 2010 w/Reverb, and looking forward to LILITH 2011 ~

LILITH

Gaia Grove
“helping heal the earth”
http://www.gaiagrove.org

B) LILITH DC ~ Merriweather Post Pavilion ~ Part 1 ~ August 3, 2010 #Lilith #LF10DC
by Lilith 2010 Washington DC SM Ambassador (& native Washingtonian artist) Amy Clarke @amyclarke @scorpfaery @gaiagrove ~
http://www.amyclarke.com

Arriving early at the last official stop of Lilith Fair 2010 with my good friend Paul, we were greeted by a pair of dancing monarch butterflies leading the way into Merriweather Post Pavilion. Strong memories stirred from earlier concerts and festivals here in my home state of Maryland, including the original talent-packed Lilith Fair festival dates in the late nineties, & entrancing concerts by Tori Amos, Alanis Morissette, & more. We entered near the main box office, & enjoyed more colorful butterflies, dragonflies, and sunshine in the wooded pond areas while listening to other artists soundcheck in the distance. The crowd began to line up under the trees and once the gates were open, attendees streamed into the village stage area.

The Ourstage talent competition winner, Corrin Campbell & The Election of Baltimore, MD, opened the day with a bang, featuring high-energy electric guitar-driven rock, and I caught up with her briefly after their set on the way backstage. The rest of the afternoon artists alternated in quick succession, one after the other, on the two performance stages in the village. Nigerian-German soul singer/songwriter Nneka (@nnekaworld) radiated unconditional love, accentuated by tight grooves & breathtaking beatboxing from her band. Definitely check her out on Lollapalooza this year as well! Both festival co-founder & headliner Sarah McLachlan (@sarahmclachlan) & fellow Canadian Melissa McClelland made a surprise appearance on vocal harmonies in Australian artist Butterfly Boucher’s (@butterflyb) entertaining set, as the crowd continued to swell and grow. Melissa then emerged from backstage, & we had a lovely little chat about the roadrunner pin she had found at a thrift shop, laughing about the overwhelming steamy Maryland afternoon – realizing that it was probably either humidity or a downpour, and we opted for the former. The thunderstorms continued to hold off, and Beth Orton (@beth_orton) took the ABC stage reflecting both on sun & rain to an adoring crowd, who laughed along and cheered as she interrupted another song halfway through to correct her own verse. “I am not on autopilot at all!”

I spent some time in the i4cCampaign tent as well, connecting with founder Casey Verbeck , & with Better World Books (@bwbabbey & @bwbeddie) & Annie on the i4c Video Cam, where I recorded a brief video about what I foresee in a better future (as their signature pledge campaign had already reached maximum capacity). Large-voiced Lissie (@lissiemusic) (whom I believe I once shared a showcase with in Brooklyn) then delivered a powerhouse set, performing barefoot and wailing with passion as the cicadas joined in choral symphony in the trees. By now the eco-village was swarming with activity, Missy Higgins was about to perform, and I picked up my friend Paul from the REVERB photo booth where he had been helping with pledges to the environment, and we headed towards the Lilith press conference, making our way deeper into the Columbia woods.

Part 2 ~ Lilith Press Conference w/Sarah McLachlan, Indigo Girls, Courtyard Hounds, local charity WEAVE DC & more ~ Coming Next

C) LILITH @ Merriweather Post Pavilion ~ Aug 3, 2010 #LF10DC: PART 2

Lilith Press Conference ~ August 3, 2010

While waiting at the gate to be escorted to the VIP Area for the Lilith Press Conference, we spent some time chatting with Executive Director Carol Loftur-Thun and the other diverse members of WEAVE, Inc. ~ Women Empowered Against Violence ~ the local non-profit chosen to be the recipient of the Lilith donation from Sarah McLachlan. One dollar from every ticket sold in each city on this year’s Lilith tour was donated to a local charity that won a vote-off in their city, and the women of WEAVE were excited to be the recipients for Washington, DC. From their mission statement, WEAVE works closely with adult and teen survivors of relationship violence and abuse, providing an innovative range of legal, counseling, economic and educational services that leads survivors to utilize their inner and community resources, achieve safety for themselves and their children, and live empowered lives.

Also of interest was one of the WEAVE women’s t-shirt, which advertised the SHOW ME LOVE DC campaign, which additionally raises awareness about healthy relationships and provide resources for LGBTQ survivors of intimate partner violence. This campaign is coordinated by WEAVE, guided by a Community Advisory Committee, and funded by the U.S. Department of Justice. Cool women, wonderful causes ~ follow @weave_dc or @showmelovedc on twitter & DC Women Empowered Against Violence or Show Me Love DC on Facebook.

Then our guide arrived, and we were whisked backstage into the Artist Lounge area for the Press Conference.

Part 3 – Coming Next ~ what was said at the Press Conference . . .

LILITH 2010 DC @ Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD
by AMY CLARKE, LILITH 2010 DC SOCIAL MEDIA AMBASSADOR
http://www.amyclarke.com * http://www.youtube.com/scorpfaery * http://www.gaiagrove.org “helping heal the earth”

The press conference was held in the beautiful, lush, & green artist lounge area of Merriweather Post Pavilion, a lovely outdoor grove nestled in the Maryland woods. Cicadas hummed a chorus which ebbed and flowed in the background of the thick canopy of trees, and the anticipation in the air was as palpable as the sticky August humidity. One by one, the Lilith artists and festival affiliates took the place on the stage, and once one of the original founders and headlining artist Sarah McLachlan joined the stage, the conference began.

SELECT HIGHLIGHTS

YOUNG GIRL: I have a question. So, have you guys been trying to get kids to be different? Because, you know how kids, they always want to fit in? Have you ever thought about, like, doing a different hairstyle, like, a ponytail on one side, or a braid? (everyone laughs)

SARAH MCLACHLAN: You know, I think it’s really important to be an individual. And, you know, getting to know yourself is a very intimate dance. And it’s tricky. And there are so many people pushing you in so many different directions, especially a girl your age. There’s a lot of peer pressure. And I think we all had that growing up.

BUTTERFLY BOUCHER: With the industry, and all that – I didn’t like having long hair. I’ve always loved short hair. And at some point, I was like, “You know what? I’ve just got to be me. And I’m going to cut it all off.” And, there you go. (again, laughter)

WATCH VIDEO : BUTTERFLY BOUCHER ON INDIVIDUALITY

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IN RESPONSE to a question by LILITH DC Social Media Ambassador AMY CLARKE on how artists respond to MEDIA commentary on ROLE of WOMEN’s MUSIC FESTIVALS in this day and age ~

EMILY ROBISON (COURTYARD HOUNDS): I think it’s important, and I don’t think it should be that special. It shouldn’t be that special. It should be something that’s available all the time. But, for some reason, I think people find it odd.

SARAH MCLACHLAN: Well, you know, we’re a bit of an easy target in the media, I think, because we are standing up and doing something a little bit different. WE’RE CELEBRATING WOMEN. Oh my god, how shocking. You know, Tegan from Tegan and Sara made an interesting comment … there is one woman for every twenty men on the radio right now.

AMY CLARKE (SMA): Still.

SARAH MCLACHLAN: Still! And you know, I have never taken this up as a big political stance. It’s all about being joyful and making music together. And there are so many great women out there making music, I feel a great need to be near that. And be around that. So I draw that to myself. And I am inclusive by nature and I want everyone to enjoy it and be a part of it. And that’s really the bottom line of this festival. And the social consciousness, the idea of giving money back to charity, that’s just something I do in my everyday life, so it makes sense to bring it into this festival situation…

There’ve been so many labels attached to Lilith, positive & negative. And that we are sort of supposed to carry those on. And build them up. And take them on as our own. I just wish it could be what it is. It is a celebration of the amazing diversity that is out there. The fact that women are…we have come so far. Yeah, we have a long way to go. There is inequality everywhere in this world. But I like to look at the silver lining in things. I like to look at the fact that there are so many women out there, being so successful in a lot of different genres, I think the success of Lilith 11 years ago really played a part in changing some old school attitudes, certainly within the radio world. And, I think, in the industry in general. We’re forced to look at the fact that women are VERY powerful. Women were a powerful force in the industry. Women ARE a powerful force in the industry. And that doesn’t have to be a negative. It’s a beautiful thing. You know I’m a humanist, first and foremost. I’m a humanist, I’m a feminist, I’m feminine. And how wonderful that, as a woman, I get to embrace all of those things. I am so thankful to be born in this day and age.

LISSIE: A lot of times people ask me about my music, and I feel like they sort of put me in a category of WOMEN. Like it’s just one category.

AMY CLARKE (SMA): Yes, same.

LISSIE: And, you know, with guys, there’s like 50… infinity categories. But it’s like – you’re a girl singer, and THAT’S your category. So I like doing this, even though this is my first and only Lilith Fair, ’cause you kinda can see that just because you’re a woman, that doesn’t mean that you’re just all making the same kind of music. You’re talking about different things. You do different genres. Some people wear makeup, some people don’t. Some people want to have a crazy hairstyle, some people don’t. All women are not JUST ONE THING.

I like that. Also… when I was in high school, I went to Lilith Fair in Chicago. And it made me want to pursue music. It made me believe. I saw the Dixie Chicks and you (looking at Sarah McLachlan). And I had goosebumps. I was literally, like … “I WANT TO DO THIS”. And you empowered me to make feel like I wasn’t a total nutjob to think that I COULD do it.

And it was so empowering for me. And I bought the live CD, and I learned all the songs, And it meant a lot to me. So hopefully it inspires a new generation or girls to be like, “I’m a badass. I can do it too!”

AMY CLARKE (SMA): Yes. I was here at Merriweather Post in ’97 and ’98 and I just think we need many, many more of these. And I just can’t understand the feedback from anyone out there saying this time is over.

AMY RAY (of The INDIGO GIRLS): And also, I think it is important to recognize that a lot of women do support other women still in between the Lilith years by touring with other women and making sure they bring up and coming artists on their bills as opening acts, I think that’s really important. I think it’s important to mentor up and mentor down. Which is, we learn from people coming after us and the people who went before us, and also, there’s a lot of great women’s music festivals that go on under the radar, that are very radical, that give women a space to play their music and to mentor each other, and for young girls to come up and also the Girls Rock Camps. So there’s a lot going on that’s trying to shift the paradigm and change the gatekeepers. Because the gatekeepers are still men. No offense, but that’s who the gatekeepers are. And that’s why the women are not on the playlist the way they should be. That’s why they’re not in the media the way they should be. And that’s why we have to make our own infrastructures, and also at the same time try to take advantage of the infrastructures that exist that are opening up for us, you know, and not turn our back on those. So I think it’s important to do both things at the same time, and to carry on what we learn at Lilith which is “hey, let’s take some other female artists with us on the road sometimes, you know, and give other people a chance.”

WATCH VIDEO: AMY RAY on WOMEN IN MUSIC

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Listen to Amy! Do check out some of the other women music festivals both nationally & internationally, or create your own 🙂 The more there are, the more usual it will be . . . Gaia Grove will be hosting a series shortly as well…
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LOCAL CHARITY WINNER: WEAVE DC ~ Women Empowered Against Violence, Inc.
twitter.com/@weave_dc & @showmelovedc
Interim Executive Director, Carol Loftur-Thun

WATCH VIDEO: WEAVE DC (& sister organization SHOW ME LOVE DC)
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SARAH MCLACHLAN: And what an amazing fun, meaningful thing it has been for all of us… this tour this time around has affected me so much more profoundly than last time… I think I just got to touch upon a lot of the feelings, and that sense of camaraderie and the friendships that were created and the amazing music and musical education that I got. And you know, I was talking to Sara Bareilles the other night too, you know, how much we needed it. She said how much she needed this and how this fed her. And you know, we exist in solitude, as artists. So much of the time. And I think this is just an amazing opportunity for all of us to get together and hear each others’ music and connect and just be together as human beings. And as women. It’s just been really fantastic. I’m sad that it’s ending. (looks down)

But we’re coming back next year! (looks up, broad grin)

WATCH: SARAH MCLACHLAN on LILITH 2011
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LADIES OF LILITH