McLachlan returns to the spotlight with Lilith Fair

One of the most surprising and successful tours of the nineties was Lilith Fair. The groundbreaking all-woman’s touring festival enjoyed three strong years before going dormant after 1999. Over a decade later, Lilith co-founder Sarah McLachlan leads the tour’s resurrection this summer for a nationwide tour that stops at the Comcast Center in Mansfield today.

“It was almost like a happening, it wasn’t just a music show, you know, it was – there was a lot more to it,” McLachlan says of the tour’s impact during a recent conference call with reporters. The Lilith shows became a powerful statement for women in the music industry, who thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to share the stage together and make a statement. “The idea that we get to play together, and hang out together, and learn from each other. It was incredibly inspiring just to be part of that sisterhood, and I think it was beneficial for us as artists. I think it was beneficial for the audience as well. We all got to be part of something that was kind of becoming bigger than ourselves, you know.”

Looking to recapture that spirit, McLachlan and the other festivals co-founders have worked hard to bring Lilith Fair back to the forefront for another summer. Unfortunately, they picked one of the worst summers to do so. Like most summer tours this year, Lilith is suffering considerably from the unstable concert market caused by the recession. It’s not something, McLachlan and company envisioned when they decided to bring back the tour.”We actually decided late 2008 to bring back the Lilith Fair in 2010,” she explains. “That’s sort of how long it takes to get the ball rolling.”

“We’re certainly we’re going into a very tough climate, admits McLachlan before acknowledging, “We’re just trying to make the best of the situation. We’re working really hard to keep our ticket prices really low so lots of people have an opportunity to come.”

Those that do make it out to Lilith will find a show that remains rooted in its original principles. “We basically had the same mandate as last time,” explains McLachlan, “which was to ask, you know, all the artists from different genres of music that we liked. And that we thought were interesting, and that had a good voice, an important voice. Those were well-established artists as well as up and coming artists as well. And we were very lucky that we got a great cross section of artists that said yes this time.”

McLachlan, who headlines each show, is the only constant force on the this summer’s Lilith outing. Most artists are only on hand for a couple of shows, giving each tour stop a unique flavor. For Boston-area fans, today’s show will feature main stage acts Tegan & Sara, Cat Power, Sara Bareilles and Beth Orton, as well as Missy Higgens, Serena Ryder and others on a side stage (get the fill lineup and set times here). Lilith was dealt a big blow when two of the Boston show’s biggest drawing cards – Kelly Clarkson and Carly Simon both dropped off the tour. Still, the lineup gives plenty talent, new and old, for the crowd to discover.

For McLachlan, the return of Lilith was the perfect way to resume touring as she released her brand new album, Laws of Illusion, last month. “It all just kind of happened organically,” explains McLachlan. As a mother of two children, the Canadian singer only planned on touring during the summer months. “It just kind of seemed like perfect timing.”

Despite the release of her first studio album in seven years, McLachlan knows her role as a headliner and fans shouldn’t expect to hear that much from Laws of Illusion. “I can’t be playing only new material, because that’s frankly not what people want to hear. Even thought that might be what I want to play most so I’m going to – I rehearsed about four or five songs, and I’m going to rotate them.”

The formula should work just fine for an audience that will have enjoyed over six hours of music by the time McLachlan hits stage. And with tickets starting at just $25, that’s certainly a bang for your buck.