Chautauqua Auditorium is proud to announce a groundbreaking performance by folk-feminist icon Ani DiFranco, featuring special guest Tune-Yards. This two-evening event promises an unforgettable experience that merges innovative musical artistry with powerful social commentary.
Event Details:
Dates & Tickets:
Wednesday, September 10, 2025: Get your tickets here
Thursday, September 11, 2025: Get your tickets here
Doors Open: 6:00 PM
Show Starts: 7:00 PM
Tickets on Sale: Friday, April 4, 2025 at 10:00 AM
All Ages Event
After an illustrious career spanning nearly 35 years and 22 critically acclaimed records, Ani DiFranco is back with her 23rd album, Unprecedented Sh!t. With this release, DiFranco dares to step away from the familiar, inviting listeners to experience a musical journey defined by its raw emotional power and innovative sonic experimentation.
Each of the album’s 11 tracks is imbued with storytelling—from reflections on reproductive freedom and the double-edged impacts of the pandemic to explorations of identity and belief systems. Songs crafted across decades, from 2011 to 2022, find new life in this eclectic record. DiFranco emphasizes that Unprecedented Sh!t is meant to be experienced as a journey, free from preconceived narratives. “I believe there is a rhyme and a reason as to why these songs have come together in this way now,” she explains, urging audiences to immerse themselves in the art on its own merits.
A Collaborative Departure
Known for self-producing the majority of her work, DiFranco’s latest project marks a departure as she teams up with producer BJ Burton—renowned for his work on Bon Iver’s 22, A Million. Working largely from afar, the duo transformed DiFranco’s voice and guitar into dynamic soundscapes, enhanced by effects and innovative production techniques. This fresh collaboration underscores DiFranco’s readiness to evolve her sound in these “unprecedented times.”
Highlight Tracks & Themes
“Baby Roe”
The lead single is an anxious folk number that builds into an industrial crescendo, inspired by Joshua Prager’s The Family Roe: An American Story. It challenges traditional narratives around abortion rights by embracing a broader, existential perspective.
“You Forgot to Speak” & “New Bible”
These tracks confront the crushing weight of patriarchal systems and call for a reinvention of societal narratives—a rallying cry for empowerment and a new world order.
“Virus” & “Spinning Room”
Reflecting on the paradox of the pandemic, these songs blend sensual jazz, hand-drumming, and gritty guitar drops, echoing DiFranco’s poignant commentary on healing, suffering, and environmental consciousness.
“More or Less Free” & “Boots of a Soldier”
Offering introspection on personal freedom and the multiplicity of human experience, these songs evoke the artist’s journey of self-discovery and resilience.
“The Knowing”
The album’s final track serves as a tender existential lullaby, encapsulating the album’s overarching theme of transcending the confines of identity to embrace a deeper, boundless truth.
About Ani DiFranco
Ani DiFranco has long been celebrated as a feminist pioneer and a champion of DIY artistry. From her debut album Ani DiFranco in 1990 to her latest ventures, DiFranco’s work spans genres from folk and punk to hip-hop, soul, and electronic music. Beyond her musical achievements, she is a respected poet, author, and Broadway performer, with notable works including her memoir No Walls and the Recurring Dream and a successful run as ‘Persephone’ in the Tony and Grammy Award-winning musical Hadestown.
