The Lilith Fair Is Back

The first Lilith Fair was in 1997. The brain child of Canadian musician Sarah McLachlan, it would introduce summer festival goers to a female-centric music experience for the first time ever. McLachlan had grown tired of the lack of female musicians at other festivals. Apparently, she wasn't the only one, since the Fair became a massive success. Although it hasn't taken place in over a decade, the festival is gearing up for another tour in 2010.

Tracy Chapman, Fiona Apple, Joan Osmond and Lisa Loeb were just some of the stars who headlined the original tour. It's no surprise that it was the highest grossing festival that year. Although the 2010 revival tour acts have yet to be confirmed, it wouldn't be shocking to see current musicians such as KT Tunstall and Colbie Cailla take to the stage.

This festival, in particular, gained a reputation for having a real community vibe. While most summer concerts are filled with rowdy crowd members, pushing and shoving their way toward the front, this was another story. Not only were audience members polite, but they genuinely interacted with each other. It was common to see someone pull out a Takamine acoustic guitar and break into song. This is why many enjoyed it so much.

Although immensely popular, this tour has always been seen as a 'love it or hate it' kind of event. Many naysayers gave it derogatory nicknames such as 'Girlapalooza' and far worse. The same people would often depict the average audience member as some sort of biker woman wearing a black helmet. However, this was clearly untrue, as any actual attendees could attest.

Once they got beyond the stereotypes, people realized that it was quite a fashionable event. It was the birthplace of many new styles, and rather than leather jackets, many women looked like they had put on their best eye cream. In fact, it wasn't just females who were able to enjoy the event.

Contrary to popular belief, the tour was even a hit among the opposite sex. Although the artists were all female, a decent amount of men showed up as well. It just goes to show that when there is good music, people, no matter who they are, will come.

Ten years after the original run of Lilith Fairs, there's no doubt that a revival tour will be welcomed. Old fans can reminisce, while new music lovers can partake in a cultural phenomenon that they've heard stories about it.

Tags: Lilith Fair, music festival, sarah mclachlan