It seems Lilith Fair this year is having its fair share of problems. With multiple cancellations, artists dropping out and minimal festival marketing, it’s seen its ‘fair’ share of heat from the media. Besides, lets be real, most people think it’s a 1-day music festival for lesbians.

The tour has boasted over 110 artists to date, which sounds like an excellent number of options. Granted the festival is one day so it seems you’d be able to see a variety of music acts at one time. You can’t.

Each date is roughly 11 artists – starting somewhere around three in the afternoon, ending about 11pm and they schedule their acts to the minute. If it says on paper that an act is playing at 4:20, they will start at 4:20. They will not wait for your smoke break, they will not pass go, Lilith Fair will not collect $200.

Their lack of money collection seems to be a theme.  As I accepted my press and photo badges, somewhere along the way the administrators of Lilith seemed to be victim of oversight. They had given me the appropriate badges, but not tickets. How am I supposed to photograph your bands, attend your press conference, or even attend your festival if you don’t put tickets in my hand? (I digress as it happens they were selling $10 passes in the parking lot.)

So yes, Lilith has its problems. But yet, it also has it successes. Somehow Sarah Mclachlan, the ‘rebirther’ of Lilith Fair, has managed to curate the festival music frenzy into a complete female music awakening.

In *San Francisco the acts were Heart, Sarah Mclachlan, Miranda Lambert, The Bangles, Colbie Caillat, A Fine Frenzy and more. Yes, if you look at that lineup your eyes will spin. Half the names you know, half the names you don’t, and half the names bring up memories of big hair, bad denim and terrible pop music. Either way, upon first view it’s not worth your $30 to even sit on the lawn.

And **magically it is worth every penny. Here’s a top 5 breakdown;

5. Colbie Caillat – Yes, she sings that shitty song w/ Jason Mraz. Yes, she sounds like bubble pop armed with an acoustic guitar and a room full of songwriters. No, she doesn’t sing off key live, she can actually play that fucking acoustic guitar, and her legs will have you drooling (at this festival of course it doesn’t matter your gender).

(photo not shown cause we don’t want to go to jail)

4. Kitten – She is fifteen years old. Her music is an elegant post-pop-electonica rock with a whole lot of teen angst, which means climbing all over the speakers and not being pulled down just once, but three times. Also: I wouldn’t let my 18 year old wear that onesie out of the house, much less whatever it is what she was wearing. (see: I don’t own any children)

3. Heart – I am a child of the 80′s. My father introduced me to 80′s light rock, 70′s classic rock and the Lionel Richie in between. And for Gods sake, the Wilson sisters are a brick house. One of them rips the shit out of the guitar while the other you’d recognize her voice even if you were deaf. Classic ballads? Check. Guitar Hero riffs? Check. Vocal notes/shrieks that would make Axle Rose wither? Check. Fucking. Mate.

2. The Bangles – It’s just another manic Monday. And a manic one at that. For their only show of 2010, the Bangles broke out every hit you can think of, a dance party ensued (watch the video below), and we all walked just like Egyptians, if just for a minute.

1. Sarah Mclachlan – What can I say? I like a chick ballad every once and then. Who hasn’t been sad, grabbed a bottle of red wine (sans glass) and had a quiet night inside with your thoughts/alcoholism? She says that she is in an excellent place this time around and was quite proud to debut songs off her new album. Is she still building a mystery around her persona and maintaining a quite attractive 42? Of course. (BTW: 42 year old Canadians are kinda hot)

In all, Lilith Fair is an experience. One minute you see girls making out, another you feel amazed by the talent that graces the stages, breaks open their hearts for a set and are convinced that they will indeed, kick your ass for breaking their hearts. After seeing the strength of these women, I sure wouldn’t cross ***them. Even if they have their share of problems.

For a picture set of the following (click on the name):

Sarah Mclachlan pictures. Heart pictures. Miranda Lambert pictures. The Bangles pictures. Colbie Caillat pictures. A Fine Frenzy pictures.

*Shoreline Amphitheatre/Mountain View is 35.9 miles away from San Francisco, I Googled it.
** There’s no such thing as magic.
*** Mainly Miranda Lambert, her microphone stand doubled as a shotgun.

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