Lilith Fair was a concert tour and travelling music festival, founded by Canadian musician Sarah McLachlan, Nettwerk Music Group's Dan Fraser and Terry McBride, and New York talent agent Marty Diamond. It took place during the summers of 1997 to 1999, and was revived in the summer of 2010. It consisted solely of female solo artists and female-led bands. In its initial three years, Lilith Fair raised over $10 million for charity.[1]
In 1996, Canadian musical artist Sarah McLachlan became frustrated with concert promoters and radio stations that refused to feature two female musicians in a row.[2] Bucking conventional industry wisdom, she booked a successful tour for herself and Paula Cole. At least one of their appearances together—in Vancouver, British Columbia on September 14, 1996—went by the name "Lilith Fair" and included performances by McLachlan, Cole, Lisa Loeb, and Michelle McAdorey, formerly of Crash Vegas.
The next year, McLachlan founded the Lilith Fair tour, taking Lilith from the Jewish lore that Lilith was Adam's first wife who refused to be subservient to him.[3]
In 1997, Lilith Fair garnered a $16 million gross, making it the top-grossing of any touring festival.[2] Among all concert tours for that year, it was the 16th-highest grossing.[2] McLachlan followed this success with two more rounds, in 1998 and 1999.
In 2010, Lilith Fair staged a revival with mixed results, as several dates were cancelled and many performers backed out of scheduled performances.
In March 2011, McLachlan declared that the Lilith concept was no longer being considered for future shows, due to changing audience views and expectations.[4]
Three volumes of documented the performances.
The artists appearing at Lilith Fair varied by date (with McLachlan and Suzanne Vega the only artists to play all dates). Appearances were organized into three stages. Almost all Village Stage artists performed only one or two dates. Many of them won slots on the bill in a series of local talent searches in their home cities.
Date | City | Country | Venue |
---|---|---|---|
July 5 | George | United States | The Gorge |
July 6 | Salem | L. B. Day Amphitheatre | |
July 8 | Mountain View | Shoreline Amphitheatre | |
July 9 | Irvine | Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre | |
July 10 | Phoenix | Desert Sky Pavilion | |
July 12 | Winter Park | Winter Park Music Festival | |
July 14 | Bonner Springs | Sandstone Amphitheatre | |
July 15 | Maryland Heights | Riverport Amphitheatre | |
July 17 | Cuyahoga Falls | Blossom Music Center | |
July 18 | Clarkston | Pine Knob Music Theatre | |
July 19 | |||
July 20 | Canandaigua | Constellation Brands-Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center | |
July 22 | Mansfield | Great Woods Center | |
July 24 | Hartford | Meadows Music Theatre | |
July 25 | Wantagh | Jones Beach | |
July 26 | Holmdel | PNC Bank Arts Center | |
July 27 | Camden | Blockbuster-Sony E-Centre | |
July 29 | Columbia | Merriweather Post Pavilion | |
July 30 | Raleigh | Walnut Creek Pavilion |
Date | City | Country | Venue | |
---|---|---|---|---|
July 31 | Charlotte | United States | Blockbuster Pavilion | |
August 1 | Atlanta | Coca-Cola Lakewood | ||
August 3 | The Woodlands | Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion | ||
August 4 | Dallas | Starplex | ||
August 6 | Antioch | Starwood Amphitheatre | ||
August 7 | Cincinnati | Riverbend Music Center | ||
August 8 | Noblesville | Deer Creek Music Center | ||
August 9 | Tinley Park | New World Music Theater | ||
August 10 | Columbus | Polaris Amphitheater | ||
August 12 | Burgettstown | Star Lake | ||
August 13 | Scranton | Montage Mountain | ||
August 14 | Ottawa | Canada | Frank Clair Stadium | |
August 15 | Toronto | Molson Amphitheatre | ||
August 16 | ||||
August 17 | Montreal | Stade Du Maurier | ||
August 19 | Milwaukee | United States | Marcus Amphitheater | |
August 20 | Shakopee | Canterbury Park | ||
August 22 | Calgary | Canada | McMahon Stadium | |
August 24 | Vancouver | Thunderbird Stadium | ||
December 16 | West Palm Beach | United States | Coral Sky Amphitheater |
The artists appearing at Lilith Fair varied by date (with McLachlan the only artist to play all dates). Appearances were organized into three stages. Though Neneh Cherry and Lauryn Hill were scheduled to play some shows, both had to cancel.[5] Almost all Village Stage artists performed only one or two dates. Many of them won slots on the bill in a series of local talent searches in their home cities.
Date | City | Country | Venue |
---|---|---|---|
June 19 | Portland | United States | Civic Stadium |
June 20 | George | The Gorge Amphitheatre | |
June 21 | |||
June 23 | Mountain View | Shoreline Amphitheatre | |
June 24 | |||
June 26 | Del Mar | Del Mar Fairgrounds | |
June 27 | Pasadena | Rose Bowl | |
June 28 | Phoenix | Desert Sky Pavilion | |
June 29 | Bernalillo | New Mexico Wine Festival | |
July 1 | Oklahoma City | All Sports Stadium | |
July 2 | Bonner Springs | Sandstone Amphitheatre | |
July 4 | Noblesville | Deer Creek | |
July 5 | Columbus | Polaris Amphitheater | |
July 6 | Clarkston | Pine Knob Music Theatre | |
July 7 | |||
July 8 | |||
July 10 | Canandaigua | Constellation Brands-Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center | |
July 11 | Hartford | Meadows Music Theatre | |
July 12 | Saratoga Springs | Saratoga Performing Arts Center | |
July 13 | Holmdel | PNC Bank Arts Center | |
July 15 | Wantagh | Jones Beach Theatre | |
July 16 | |||
July 17 | Camden | Blockbuster-Sony E-Centre | |
July 18 | Columbia | Merriweather Post Pavilion | |
July 19 | |||
July 21 | Virginia Beach | GTE Virginia Beach Amphitheatre | |
July 22 | Raleigh | Hardee's Walnut Creek Amphitheatre | |
July 23 | Charlotte | Blockbuster Pavilion | |
July 24 | Atlanta | Coca-Cola Lakewood Amphitheatre |
The artists appearing at Lilith Fair varied by date (with McLachlan the only artist to play all dates). Appearances were organized into three stages.
Date | City | Country | Venue |
---|---|---|---|
July 8 | Vancouver | Canada | Thunderbird Stadium |
July 9 | George | United States | The Gorge Amphitheatre |
July 10 | |||
July 11 | Portland | Civic Stadium | |
July 13 | Mountain View | Shoreline Amphitheatre | |
July 14 | |||
July 16 | Chula Vista | Coors Amphitheatre | |
July 17 | Pasadena | Rose Bowl | |
July 18 | Phoenix | Desert Sky Pavilion | |
July 20 | Austin | South Park Meadows | |
July 21 | Dallas | Starplex Amphitheatre | |
July 23 | Atlanta | Lakewood Amphitheatre | |
July 24 | |||
July 25 | Antioch | First American Music Center | |
July 27 | Charlotte | Blockbuster Pavilion | |
July 28 | Columbia | Merriweather Post Pavilion | |
July 30 | Camden | Blockbuster-Sony E-Centre | |
July 31 | Hershey | Hersheypark Stadium | |
August 1 | Canandaigua | Constellation Brands-Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center | |
August 3 | Mansfield | Tweeter Center |
Date | City | Country | Venue | |
---|---|---|---|---|
August 4 | Hartford | United States | Meadows Music Theatre | |
August 6 | Wantagh | Jones Beach Theater | ||
August 7 | Holmdel Township | PNC Bank Arts Center | ||
August 8 | ||||
August 10 | Columbus | Polaris Amphitheater | ||
August 11 | Cincinnati | Riverbend Music Center | ||
August 13 | Burgettstown | Star Lake Amphitheatre | ||
August 14 | Clarkston | Pine Knob | ||
August 15 | ||||
August 17 | Cuyahoga Falls | Blossom Music Center | ||
August 18 | Noblesville | Deer Creek Music Center | ||
August 19 | Tinley Park | World Music Theater | ||
August 21 | Toronto | Canada | Molson Amphitheatre | |
August 22 | ||||
August 24 | Milwaukee | United States | Marcus Amphitheater | |
August 25 | Shakopee | Canterbury Park | ||
August 26 | Bonner Springs | Sandstone Amphitheatre | ||
August 28 | Greenwood Village | Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre | ||
August 29 | ||||
August 31 | Edmonton | Canada | Commonwealth Stadium |
In an April 25, 2009, Twitter post, Nettwerk founder Terry McBride announced that a Lilith Fair tour through North America would be relaunched for the summer of 2010, with a two-week tour of Europe to follow.
The tour was plagued with financial problems from the beginning. The first seven shows were sparsely attended and the eighth show was the first to be cancelled. Initially, Sarah McLachlan claimed (in an interview posted on the Arizona Republic website on July 9) that the July 8 Phoenix show was cancelled in protest of Arizona Senate Bill 1070, which she strongly opposes.[6]
The tour fell apart on the road as headliners Carly Simon, Norah Jones, Kelly Clarkson, the Go-Go's, and Queen Latifah dropped out, fearing that they would not be paid for their performances.[7]
Due to poor ticket sales, thirteen shows (about one-third of the tour) were scratched (two announced on June 25,[8] ten more on July 1,[9] one additional on July 2)[10] and one reassigned to a smaller venue.
The artists appearing at Lilith Fair vary by date (with McLachlan the only artist to play all dates).[7] Appearances are organized into three stages. Below is a list of artists who performed at Lilith Fair in the 2010 revival.
Date | City | Country | Venue |
---|---|---|---|
June 27 | Calgary | Canada | McMahon Stadium |
June 28 | Edmonton | Rexall Place | |
July 1 | West Vancouver | Ambleside Park | |
July 2 | Ridgefield | United States | The Amphitheater at Clark County |
July 3 | George | The Gorge Amphitheatre | |
July 5 | Mountain View | Shoreline Amphitheatre | |
July 7 | Chula Vista | Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre | |
July 9 | Las Vegas | Mandalay Bay Events Center | |
July 10 | Irvine | Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre | |
July 13 | Greenwood Village | Comfort Dental Amphitheatre | |
July 15 | Bonner Springs | Capitol Federal Park @ Sandstone | |
July 16 | Maryland Heights | Verizon Wireless Amphitheater | |
July 17 | Tinley Park | First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre | |
July 18 | Minneapolis | Target Center | |
July 20 | Noblesville | Verizon Wireless Music Center | |
July 21 | Clarkston | DTE Energy Music Theatre | |
July 24 | Toronto | Canada | Molson Amphitheatre |
July 27 | Cuyahoga Falls | United States | Blossom Music Center |
July 28 | Camden | Susquehanna Bank Center | |
July 30 | Mansfield | Comcast Center | |
July 31 | Holmdel | PNC Bank Arts Center | |
August 1 | Hartford | Comcast Theatre | |
August 3 | Columbia | Merriweather Post Pavilion |
Date | City | Country | Venue |
---|---|---|---|
July 8 | Phoenix | United States | Cricket Wireless Pavilion |
July 12 | West Valley City | USANA Amphitheatre | |
July 23 | Montreal | Canada | Bell Centre |
August 4 | Raleigh | United States | Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion at Walnut Creek |
August 6 | Charlotte | Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Charlotte | |
August 7 | Nashville | Bridgestone Arena | |
August 8 | Atlanta | Aaron's Amphitheatre at Lakewood | |
August 10 | West Palm Beach | Cruzan Amphitheatre | |
August 11 | Tampa | 1-800-ASK-GARY Amphitheatre | |
August 12 | Pelham | Verizon Wireless Music Center Birmingham | |
August 14 | Austin | Never determined | |
August 15 | The Woodlands | Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion | |
August 16 | Dallas | Superpages.com Center |