Ani DiFranco @ Union Chapel, Islington

Our first visit to the Union Chapel and what a wonderful venue, but real star was Ani DiFranco. Bought her cd Dilate a couple of years ago but it has received only sporadic playing but a chance to see her and the venue proved irresistible.
Already slightly late we found seats up in the balcony which offered a good view but one more focussed on the pulpit and not the performer. Enjoyed the last couple of numbers by the support act Ruth Theodore especially her guitar playing, but it was when Ani hit those first guitar notes did the hairs on the neck stand up. I went hunting for different location for photographing from and discovered some empty pews to stage right and spent the majority of her set from there.
A couple of real highlights for me were the 'unloved happier' discarded track from her latest 'Which Side Are You On?' cd and the very impromptu duet with a member of the audience who joined her on stage and played one of her guitars. It turns out that he is Declan Bennett, an Ani fan, singer songwriter back over from New York. A magic moment indeed.
A great 90minute solo performance receiving a well deserved standing ovation, and a great gig.

Set list:
Little Plastic Castle
Dilate
As Is
Unworry
Lifeboat
Swan Dive
Rain Check
J
See See
Unknown Poem
Mariachi
Do Re Mi
Overlap
Albacore
If Yr Not
Which Side Are You On?
Gravel
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