Lilith Fair: A Celebration of Women in Music

To paraphrase Thin Lizzy, the girls are back in town. While 2000 was not the Year of the Woman in Rock (with U2 and Radiohead leading the charge), there's little question amongst pop/rock aficionados which side of the gender divide has created the most notable music over the past five or so years. Although Lilith Fair: A Celebration of Women in Music could have been an interesting documentary or a kick-tush concert, it makes the often fatal mistake of trying to be both. The inclusion of only six artists from the 1997 tour--Sarah McLachlan ("Building a Mystery," "Angel"), Indigo Girls ("Tried to Be True," "Closer to Fine"), Shawn Colvin ("Sunny Came Home," "Wichita Skyline"), Sheryl Crow ("Strong Enough," "I Shall Believe"), Jewel ("Near You Always," "Morning Song") and Meredith Brooks ("Bitch," "I Need")--is a bit of a disappointment, considering the absence of Paula Cole, Tracy Chapman and Suzanne Vega, among others. The between song interview tidbits consist mostly of mutual verbal fanny patting that could have been included as an "extra" mini-doc instead of interrupting the music. Considering the overwhelming popularity of Lilith Fair, however, this Dolby Digital 5.1 release is a strong, optional purchase. Aud: P. (R. Pitman)