As Lili finishes 2007 as an independent artist with 47 shows under her belt and with no booking agent, a lot can be said for that. Getting booked without being on a label or representation is no easy fete. With that said, a new CD is planned for 2008 with the unreleased "Supposed To Be" at the top of the list and a crop of fabulous new songs. Stay tuned as 2008 promises to be an even bigger year for Lili's musical journey since her arrival in Philadelphia in 2004. With new percussionist "Super" Steve Lewis on board, Lili's heading in a new and broader direction. Lili thanks all the fans that have attended the shows throughout the year! She promises to continue entertaining you and giving you her very best!
The Philadelphia Songwriters Project took stage at the Kimmel Center on Monday the 17th. The players included John Conahan, Chris Kasper, Alexandra Day and Lili. They were booked as the pre-show for Halls and Oates, peforming on a separate stage. Everyone in attendence were treated to some of the best Philly local talent around today! For more information visit the Philly Songwriters Project website
Last night on the 15th, Lili performed as a feature act among various musicians at the Auction House in NJ. This was a benefit for the Toys for Tots. Setlist, what setlist? Lili manages to always keep her shows fresh and kicked it off by debuting a piece of a newly written song. Wow! If that wasn't enough she bumps off "Try Again" from the official setlist and kicks into "I Pretend." Next up, a fan from the audience yells out "Laughed Last" which again wasn't on the setlist. The fan tells Lili that she had been listening to the CD, but had never seen Lili perform before. So, being that this was her first time at a Lili concert she figured calling out requests was the right thing to do. Lucky for her Lili was ready for anything. On this night after "Temporary Amnesia" had made everyone laugh and "Dream Again" took their breath away, Lili closed the show with one of the best unreleased songs she had written in years. "Supposed To Be" was the closer. A nasty storm was originally scheduled to come down with snow and sleet. More people could have been there, but the crowd that did show up went home with a smile. Next stop, Monday December 17th- The Kimmel Center as Lili takes part in the Philadelphia Songwriters Project as the pre-show for Hall & Oates. See the concert section for more details.
Tuesday November 27th, Lili peformed in a singer/songwriter circle at the wonderful, intimate Act II Playhouse in Ambler, PA. This was Lili's first time in Ambler at tis 100 plus seat theater and she had a blast sharing the stage with Lizanne Knott, John Conahan and Eric Mitchell. In other news Lili is being featured in the latest edition of a local New Jersey magazine called "Art Scene NJ." The monthy publication focuses on the arts in Southern New Jersey. Although Lili is not a New Jersey native, she performs there often enough and was interviewed in October when she appeared at the Auction House in Autobon, NJ. For more infor on the ArtScene NJ visit www.ArtsSceneNJ.com. Next up, Lili will perform at the Auction House on Decmember 15th. Visit the concert section for details!
For most of November Lili has been writing a ton of new songs! Well, technically Lili has been writing new songs all along, but November seemed to be the month where she took a break from performing and concentrated on finishing up songs and working on new material. Hopefully soon, if all goes well, Lili will be back in the studio recording a new CD! More on that to come when details are finalized. In the meantime, while Lili was out to simply hear some other artists perform, she wound up on the stage as an invited guest. This was at the Steel City Coffeehouse in Pheonixville where Lili was there to see friends Lizanne Knott and John Conahan with Eric Mitchell. Lili, with a borrowed Taylor guitar, knocked out the audience with a stunning rendition of "Supposed to Be." In other news Lili was able to reschedule her date at McShea's in Narberth for January 23rd. Check the concert schedule for more details.
Lili had to cancel the November 14th show at McShea's in Narberth. Apologies for anyone saving the date. Please check the concert section for future updates.
October 24th was somewhat of a private showcase for the Auction House, before the official opening on November 7th. Located in Audubon, NJ this venue was a pleasant surprise for this actual auction facility during the day which had been converted to a music venue at night. There were plenty of tables and chairs holding around 80 people, but closer to 170 without the tables. Needless to say the place was packed and this was Wednesday night! Various local singer/songwriters did 1 to 2 songs throughout the night and the incredible Russ Edwards was the gracious host of the evening performing a couple of mini-sets in between. Lili was the evening’s featured guest and took the stage around 9:30. She continued her solo gig ways with a beautiful 40 minute set. Before the night was over Lili had picked up some new NJ fans, was interviewed by the local press and gave this new venue the proper christening that it deserved. Next stop, November 14th in Narberth, PA where Lili will be accompanied by Cooke Harvey on bass. Check the concert schedule section for details.
Lili’s show at Chaplin’s Saturday October 20th was a great time had by all! The solo gigs have been going extremely well and this night where Lili opened for Dan May was no exception. She continued to pull out older songs from the Laughed Last CD and opened the show with “Say It Isn’t True.” The setlist was similar to her show at Puck, the week before. But, with the majority of the crowd there for headliner Dan May, Lili was able to please the crowd with songs of heartbreak, redemption and some edgy storytelling flavored with comedy. She commanded the stage with her heart-stopping cover of Alejandro Escovedo’s “Wave”. Lili gave this song an original touch with some excellent guitar harmonics that are not on the original Alejandro version. Later in the night she took her performance to another level by covering Nina Simone’s “That’s All I Want From You” and segued into “Supposed To Be”. Before the night was over Lili put on a 55 minute command performance of unrestrained energy! Next stop Oct 24th, The Auction House in Audubon, NJ.
Lili once again surprises the audience by opening last night’s set at Puck with “Say It Isn’t True” from the Laughed Last album! I can’t recall the last time this song was played. You can always count on hearing a different setlist on any given night. With the bar on one end and the kitchen on the other, Puck is not the best listening room, but last night you could hear a pin drop! This had to be the most attentive audience so far for Lili’s Puck shows. She was once again doing the solo shuffle only accompanied by her new Jumbo Takamine guitar. Lili banged out an amazing 40 minute set, including her take on Alejandro Escovedo’s “Wave.” Other songs included "Temporary Amnesia", “Zora", "Nothing In Common" , "2 Much Better " and the beautiful, emotionally-charged, unreleased "Supposed To Be". The set closed with a powerful punch with "The Way Out." Lili opened for longtime local favorite Ben Arnold. Ben and his band rocked the house with a fun show. He and the guys hit it off real well with Lili. Next stop, October 20th at Chaplin’s in Spring City, where Lili will once again put on an intimate solo performance opening for Dan May. Check the concert section for details.
Wow! Words cannot begin to express the show that Lili performed last night at Terry Merriman's Elk Creek Music Society House Concert Series. (Photos are forthcoming) During soundcheck Lili performed a brand new song with the working title “Voyager”, but didn’t make it in the setlist. Hopefully this song will begin to make it to some of the future shows. When the show began, not only did Lili brush off songs from the "Laughed Last" CD, but played some rarities, including two never performed unreleased songs and a new cover. From "Laughed Last" Lili pulled out the rarely played title track, the lovely Baby When?, a beautiful version of Let Her Go, On The Run and the always favorite The Wrong Time. Two of the big surprises were the debut of Can’t Fall Out Of Love With You and Goodbye. Both of these songs were considered for Dream Again and may just make it on the next CD. Another surprise was a cover of “Goodnight” from one of her contemporaries, Cliff Eberhardt Lili and Cliff go back from their days in the Village. From “Hi-Octane” it had been a while, but in this type of intimate setting Lili executed some of her best guitar work with Zora. Her vocals reached even higher ground with 2 Much Better. Lately, one of the highlights of Lili’ show has been the newly penned Supposed To Be. This song grabs you and doesn’t let go. I Pretend, Dream Again, Try Again, Over You and Nothing In Common sounded raw and exciting. One of the other highlights was If. It was nice to hear this dark, brooding tune once again. Nina Simone was also covered with That’s All I Want From You. The occasion also called for Joan Armatrading’s Down To Zero. The second set closed with a scorching rendtion of The Way Out. The audience was with Lili from the get-go. This was a 2 hour double set performance, so there was plenty of witty, humorous story-telling that only Lili knows how to do. Next stop, Puck Live on the 13th of this month, where Lili will again be doing a solo gig opening for long-time Philly favorite Ben Arnold.
TWO GREAT SHOWS Sept 14-15!
September 15th, Lili & the Dream Again Band performed a free concert in Wilmington for the Boys & Girls Day "Day For Kids" at the Riverfront. It was a great time with a perfect sound system. Lili and the band peformed two sets and pulled out many songs not regularly played including "On The Run", "Never Ever Say It", "See My Way", "Down To Zero", and possibly the last time until next summer for "Down By The Water." Lili's next scheduled show so far is a house show for the Elk Creek Music Society in Oxford, PA on October 7th. There may be some other shows before that, but nothing confirmed. Visit the concert section for details.
Wow! Wow! Wow! The World Cafe Live downstairs was packed on this Friday, the last day of August. What a way to kick off the Labor Day weekend with over 30 musicians playing nearly 3 hrs of music for the Philly Song Shuffle. When Lili hit the stage at around 10:30 she captivated the audience with "Supposed To Be" where you could almost hear a pin drop! Afterwards in the lobby, Lili was received with so much positive feedback from fans and musicians alike. It was another magical night of music to say the least. Next stop is September 7th where Lili is a special guest at the Act II Playhouse in Ambler, PA. Visit the concert section for details!
Lili's private house show this afternoon in Oreland, PA was a great time! Patrick French hosted a surprise party for his wife, Maureen's 50th birthday and a fun crowd of family and friends got to hear Lili upclose and personal in a backyard setting. Lili pulled out some great songs from all three CDs including Say It Isn't True, Laughed Last, 2 Much Better, Zora, Temporary Amnesia, If God Had a Wallet and a sing-a-long of Down By the Water. The rarely played Down To Zero (Joan Armatrading) and From Me To You (Janis Ian) were also covered. The new song, Supposed To Be, once again grabbed everyone's undivided attention. The Way Out was still a killer without the band and for one last encore, Dream Again ended the evening. With the heat and humidity Lili delivered the goods and heated things up even more. Don't miss Lili's show with the entire Dream Again Band in September at the Steel City Coffee House in Phoenixville. Check the concert section for details.
Lili and Cooke kicked it into high gear last night performing to a very excited sold out crowd at Milkboy Coffee in Bryn Mawr. The second live performance of a brand new song song entitled "Supposed To Be" was executed in perfect, beautiful harmony with Lili singing in English and Spanish. The ever-changing "Go Home" once again wowed the audience. Cooke did some nice work on that song with Lili humming her plea to go home. Milkboy's sound system was top notch and a perfect venue for Lili's new, handsome jumbo Takamine guitar. Every bass note from Cooke made a beautiful sound. It was another stellar night of music and a special treat for those residents seeing Lili and Cooke for the first time. Next stop, Lili will be performing a 2 hour private house show Saturday afternoon on the 25th, then off to World Cafe Live where Lili takes the stage for the Philly Song Shuffle on the 31st.
The outdoor show at the Anson B Nixon Park in Kennett Square was almost rained out, but it never happened. The thunder showers that started out during the 5:00 rush hour hit hard and then stopped a little after 7:00 just in time for a small group of concertgoers to enjoy Lili & The Dream Again Band for 2 sets of music at an hour a piece. The setlist was once again changed with songs being drawn from all three albums. Another band debut for an intense version of “On The Run” from Laughed Last. Another song that got the band treatment was “Not a Tear”, which Lili used to open her shows with as a solo performer. “Never Ever Say It” and “Down By The Water” went over well with the crowd clapping along. “I Pretend” was another highlight along with “It’s You Again.” The first set ended with a scorching version of “Between Me.” The second set closed with “The Way Out” and these hip Kennett Square fans demanded an encore! Lili and Cooke delivered the gospel-flavored “Go Home.”, the new song, sung a cappella with a tambourine and a bass groove. Another outdoor show that could have been a weather-releated disaster turned out to be a night to remember. Next stop, August 4th at the Media Theater with the Lili Añel trio.
6/30/07 The Setlist changes once again at Tin Angel!
Last night at the Tin Angel, Chelsea Mitchell was a strong opening act accompanied by a bassist playing upright, which added some very nice textures to her sweet-sounding music. Before the night was over Lili predicted huge things for this very talented 20-year old performer. Way to go Chelsea! Lili began her set solo, like she did the week before at Puck; but this time dusting off the title track from her first album "Laughed Last." Can't recall the last time Lili played this one, but it sure was a nice surprise. "Go Home" was executed next with more of an uptempo bass arrangement. Lili and Cooke promised to mold this song and it seemed that the song keeps improving with some help from the audience clapping along. Next up, the remainder of the Dream Again Band took the stage and blew everyone away with the debut of "Never Ever Say It" another song from Laughed Last. The band was especially tight with killer versions of "Nothin In Common" and "I'm Sorry." "The Way Out" was put back in the setlist closing the show with a big bang. An hour and of half of pure dynamite flew with new converts asking "When the next's gig?" The answer to that is July 11 at the Nixon Park Concert Series in KENNETT SQUARE, PA.
Last night at Puck the show was different from what Lili had been doing with the Dream Again Band. Before I get to Lili's set, a special mention needs to go to the opener, John Conahan and his band. John did a knockout performance and kicked off his set setting the right tone for a great night of music! Lili and John will be working together in the near future for sure. The show began with Lili solo, performing the rarely played "Zora." After she finished surprising the crowd, she acknowleged the group of fans who caught her Sellersville Theater show and proceeded to go into another surprise, the premiere of "The Last To Know" by Alejandro Escovedo. Everyone in the house appreciated what Lili was doing. Then Cooke accompanied her onstage for "Go Home." This was Lili's second time peforming it (first time was at Chaplin's) and it was very enthusiastically received. Through the night Lili pulled out songs she hadn't played in recent months, such as "See My Way" and "Life or Death." Lately the closing song has been "The Way Out" always leaving a huge hole in the stage. For the first time since Lili's arrival in Philadelphia, "The Way Out" was not in the setlist. This night the crowd was listening very closely and Lili left them with the title track from her newest CD, which had recently gotten a monster review in Jazz Times, "Dream Again." NEXT STOP June 29th at TIN ANGEL!
Last night Lili and Cooke performed in duo style to a captive audience in one of the best venues in Pennsylvania. Chaplins, in Spring City, is setup as a perfect listening room with a mezzanine level and a musician's dream sound system. The newly written "Go Home" is a gospel flavored hymn that had some of the audience clapping along. Lili and Cooke were on top of their game and peformed a 45 minute set in support of Jeffrey Gaines. They picked up quite a few new fans in the process. If you missed this show Lili will be performing a longer set as headliner with the Dream Again Band at Puck Live on June 23rd and at the Tin Angel June 29th.
Lili and The Dream Again Band kicked off the Tuesday night Eagleview Summer concert series in Exton, PA last night to a very sizable crowd. 19-year-old Liz Longley did a great job opening the show. This was a wonderful outdoor event with a minor threat of rain that never came. Blankets and lawn chairs covered the grounds going past the trees to the other side. Wow, the site was breathless!
The above quote is from the June 2007 issue of Jazz Times. "Dream Again" receives major press from the world renound Jazz music magazine. Lili is compared to Nina Simone, Joan Armatrading and Joni Mitchell. Visit the reviews section for the full page column!
What a great way to kick off Mother's Day weekend with Mamapalooza! It was a wonderful family outing sponsered by WXPN, DiscMakers, Barrignton Coffeehouse among others. Lili & The Dream Again Band shared the stage with 3 other powerful women performers: including Lizanne Knott, Lynn King and Mampalooza organizer, Deb Chamberlin. All mentioned were accompanied by their full band. The venue was perfect for outdoors nestled by trees providing just the right amount of shade to make this a very comfortable event. If you missed Mamapalooza, another great outdoor Spring event is the upcoming June 5th Eagleview Concert Series! Lili and the Dream Again Band begin this wonderful series of Spring and Summer shows in Exton, PA. Visit the concert section for more details and a link to the venue website. The best thing about this is that it's FREE!!! Come out and catch a great show where Lili & the Dream Again Band will headline. A very talented upcoming singer/songwriter, Liz Longely will open for Lili.
Last night, the 28th, was a great night to see Lili & The Dream Again Band live. Nearing the end of the month, Lili and the guys tore down the house perfroming to a near sold-out crowd. The mood was festive as the audience, old and new, went along for the ride of some hard-htting rock and roll. This was the band debut of "Nothing In Common" a song normally played in duet format with Lili and Cooke. The addition of Dave's guitar licks and John's crashing drums gave this song some extra-drive. Lay-Down Play Dead, Thin Line, Temporary Amnesia and Between Me kept the momentum going all the way to the explosive ending with The Way Out. But before the month finally ends, Lili will be performing one more time on Monday the 30th, at the Free Library of Philadelphia as part of the PHILLY MUSIC ON THE PARKWAY series hosted by WXPN's Gene Shay. What a great way to begin the work week! So far May 12th is the only confirmed date Lili has booked, but what a show this will be!!! It's the Mamapalooza concert! Please visit the concert section for details.
On the 27th, Lili had a wonderful solo show at Steel City Coffeehouse opening for the Deb Callahan Band. Deb was very gracious and gave Lili props for opening the show. Lili has a tentative return date back at Steel City in September. More details about that show later in the summer.
Fans from the Phoenixville area, this just came in. Lili was asked to be a last minute replacement opening for blues singer Deb Callahan and her band. Lili graciously accepted the inivitation and will be performing a 30 minute set next Saturday the 27th. Come out for what promises to be a great night of fun!
April 14th, the town of Media got treated to a doubleshot of Lili with Cooke and Dave. They performed 2 sets to a SRO sold out crowd. "Down By the Water" was a crowd favorite along with the reggae-flavored "See My Way", the rock-driven "Thin Line" and bass groove of "Lay Down Play-Dead" all from Hi-Octane Coffee. From Dream Again, "Over You", "Temporary Amnesia" and "Try Again" went over extremely well. Lili also performed "Tonight" from Laughed Last and covered Nina Simone's "Thats' All I Want From You." A great time was had! On the 15th, Lili, Cooke and Dave performed live on Gene Shay's Folk Show and although there was no live audience feedback, this beautiful, stellar performance was heard by XPN listeners worldwide! A portion of the show may end up on a streamed show called "Folk Alley." Keep an eye on XPN's website for details!
April 11th and 12th were two great shows back to back! The 12th was at the Steel City Coffeehouse where Lili, Cooke and Boz performed a great set as a trio. Supporters of Lili's from Phoenixville and beyond wre treated to some special songs not usually played as an entire band. "Not a Tear" and the rarely performed "Tonight" were included in the setlist along with a rollicking version of Temporary Amnesia. The setlist ended with Thin Line and for an encore Lili performed another rarity requested by an antendee via e-mail. To everyone's delight "Let Her Go" was delivered to perfection! The Havanna show in New Hope had a small, but attentive crowd. Lili executed a very sweet solo performance which struck some interest in her Tin Angel show on the 28th! Next stop the Plumstead Inn in Media PA Saturday April 14th and then the live radio show on WXPN with Gene Shay Sunday the 15th.
THE LONG ISLAND PRESS
just published this monster review in their NY newspaper:
Much like Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood has a Walk of Fame, Puck Live has their very own "Wall of Fame" where performers get their hands painted to leave an entire print on the wall. March 31st was Puck's latest inductee with Lili leaving her painted hand next to the man (Alejandro Escovedo) she opened for two night's earlier as shown in the above photo. The Dream Again Band performed to a near sold out crowd and the sound guy, Mike did an excellent job with the band's explosive set of hard hitting rock and roll. All the stops were pulled out with Thin Line, Lay-Down Play Dead, The Way Out and Down By The Water all included in the setlist. Lili and Cooke also did a solo mini-set. It was a great night of fun! Next stop April 11th at Steel City Coffehouse where Lili, Cooke and Boz will do a co-bill with Nick Ludovico.
Opening for Alejandro Escovedo at the Sellersville Theater had to be the best performance since Lili's arrival in Philadelpha in 2004. Close runner ups are first time at Tin Angel in 2005 and the January 2006 show she did with Jeffrey Gaines. As good as those shows were, last night, March 29th, was taken to a different level. This was Lili's third time performing in the beautiful Sellersville Theater and thanks to Dan, who does sound, the audio was perfect! Lili with Cooke on bass absolutely nailed every note from the get-go. The audience was so attentive and Lili's story-telling was in top form. What also factored into this making this night so magical was the ultra positive vibe coming from Alejandro Escovedo and his very talented string quartet. Alejandro is such a down to earth guy, very friendly and approachable which brought Lili's already enthusiastic performance to a higher place. Lili is a huge Alejandro fan and this made for a perfect match. The harmonics and interplay between Lili and Cooke isn't that much different from the way Alejandro utilizes the talented musicians that accompany him on stage. It was also nice that during Alejandro's set he asked the audience to give Lili and Cooke a round of applause and again he asked the same thing during his band intro. Let's hope Lili and Alejandro share the stage again at a future date. Next stop Puck Live in Doylestown where Lili will headline with the Dream Again Band.
Mark your calendars! Lili was invited to perform on Gene Shay's Folk show! Gene Shay is the founder of the Philadelphia Folk Festival, among his many accolades of being in the music business for over 40 years! The show will take place Sunday April 15th from 8:00 to 11:00pm ON 88.5 WXPN. Lili will be doing a live performance of 6 songs! Foe those who haven’t been able to make it out to one of Lili’s recent shows, here’s a perfect opportunity to experience a free show! But March still has two very important shows: The Sellersville Theater Thursday March 29th where Lili opens for Alejandro Escovedo and Saturday March 31st at Puck Live where Lili and the Dream Again Band will headline!
BLUE CRAB GRILLE
Lili and the Dream Again Band’s first time at the Blue Crab Grille in Delaware on March 24th was another sold out show! Things got under way a little before 10pm and the fans were with Lili every step of the way. The rarely performed “Down by the Water” made it’s way into the setlist with some Spanish lyrics incorporated into the tune. The setlist ended with “Between Me”, but the crowd wouldn’t let Lili and the band leave the stage without an encore. First uo was :I Pretend” followed by Nina Simone’s “That’s All I Want From You.” A very memorable night in Delaware.
ACOUSTIC PHILLY
Lili's March 22nd participation in "Acoustic Philly" at the Hinge Cafe was a great night of music. Lili shared the stage with three very talented singer/songwriters : Dan Gover, Shelby Charnoff and Gerimiah Giampa. Lili was taken with all 3 of these young artists and had a great time singing in the round as each performer took a turn in singing their song and sharing what went into constructing their work. A small crowd in attendance was treated to an exceptional night of acoustic music!
March 13, 2007 Another 1,2,3 Weekend!
March 9th Lili flies solo opening for the lengendary John Hammond in Sellersville. Lili was well received and John, being the class act that he is, publically thanked Lili right before leaving the stage.
Friday March 2nd at The Cornelia Street Cafe made for another sold out show for Lili & The Dream Again Band! This was a very successful New York CD release show with special guest Garland Jeffreys singing duet with Lili on "New York Skyline." Another special guest was Lili's ex-sax player, Joey Berkley, helping out on "Try Again" and "Thin Line." Next day, Lili headed to Teaneck, NJ where she was interviewd by music director, Lynn Crystal at WFDU. The interview was excellent as Lynn asked specific questions about the songs from Dream Again and managed to air 4 songs from the CD. In addition, Lili sang "I'm Sorry" acoustic solo. Later in the evening, Lili performed a private house show in Queens, NY hosted by one of her longtime fans. The house was filled with a delicious aroma of everything from pasta to seafood and beyond. This was technically a sold out performance as all seats were taken and then some. Among the house guests was Lynn Crystal who gave Lili a very classy introduction. Lili performed 2 sets of acoustic delights, many songs which were not played with the band. Most of the attendees were seeing Lili for the first time. So that made it even more special for Lili. Next stop, Friday March 9th at the Sellersville Theater, where Lili opens for the legendary John Hammond.
February 23, 2007 - GARLAND JEFFREYS
Universal Recording artist, Garland Jeffreys will be a special guest at Lili's March 2nd New York CD Release Show! Lili has stated many times that Garland was one of her influences when she began playing music. Garland is responsible for such hits as "Wild in the Streets", "R.O.C.K.", "96 Tears", "New York Skyline" and "Ghost Writer" just to name a few. Garland will be joining Lili onstage for a couple of songs. So, this should be a very special night!
February 17, 2007 - Puck Live Debut!
Last night Lili & the Dream Again Band were embraced by a SRO audience. The majority of this packed house Doylestown crowd were witnessing Lili & her new band for the first time. They seemed to be having the time of their lives. The audience interacted and reacted to Lili’s banter and the new ‘Salvation” intro to “If God Had a Wallet” was a tickler. Earlier on, during Nora Whittaker’s set, Lili lent her vocals for “The River Wide” and later in the evening, during Lili’s set, Nora returned the favor with her remarkable keyboard playing on “Life or Death.” Lili & the band were so well received they when they ended their set with “Between Me’’ the audience hollered for an encore. Lili pulled out one she had not played for some time. The audience was treated to an acoustic solo peformance of “Won’t You Stay." The Puck Live debut was a sweet preview of Lili & the band’s return there March 31st when they will headline with Chris Bruni as the supporting act. Next stop, March 2nd Lili & the Dream Again Band’s New York CD Release show at the Cornelia Street Café.
February 7, 2007 - "Philly to New Orleans"
The Dream Again Band's sound gets tighter as they performed a sizzling-hot one hour set at last night's World Cafe benefit concert for New Orleans. Lili's onstage banter was abbreviated, but the music took off! The segue between Try Again and Thin Line worked really well and Life or Death took on some new life without keyboards. The audience was very attentive and Lili told a hilarious new story about "Salvation" a.k.a "If God had a Wallet." A very fun night was had for a worthy cause! Next stop February 16th at Puck Live, where the Dream Again Band once again joins forces with the fabulous Nora Whittaker Band!
February 3, 2007 - LILI GETS BOOKED WITH ONE OF HER HEROES
Lili was asked to open for one of her heroes Alejandro Escovedo. Lili is a huge fan of Alejandro, owning his entire discography. She was thrilled when asked if she would be interested in opening for him. The show will take place at the beautiful Sellersville Theater March 29th. Although the entire Dream Again Band won't be performing at this show, Cooke and Lili will perform in a duo setting, which is always pleasing. Anyone not familiar with Alejandro's music should purchase his latest CD "The Boxing Mirror" and discover what you've been missing.
January 20, 2007 - LILI OF THE DELAWARE VALLEY
The January 11th issue of the widely circulated Philadelphia City Paper features an interview with Lili in the music section with the caption "Lili of the Del. Valley." Conducted by freelance writer A.D. Amorosi. The City Paper has been an independent publication for 25 years. THE FULL INTERVIEW IS IN THE REVIEWS SECTION OF LILI'S WEBSITE. As Lili gets more attention from the press, particularly the new "Dream Again" CD, she and the Dream Again Band are picking up momentum with another CD release show in New York on March 2nd and various gigs that are in the process of being negotiated. This will no doubt be a very busy year for Lili and the Dream Again Band! Lili and the band's next stop is a return visit to World Cafe Live February 6th playing a benefit show for New Orleans. Check the Concert Section for details.
January 14, 2007 - DEBUT OF THE DREAM AGAIN BAND!
The January 13, 2007 SOLD OUT World Café Live show was a super magical night with three of the best female voices in the Philly local scene. Chelsea Mitchell, a.k.a Chelsea Q opened the show with nothing but her operatic-like voice and an acoustic guitar. This 19-year-old did a wonderful job warming up the crowd and in the process making new fans. Chelsea has a new EP and featured many of those songs in her performance.
January 5, 2007 - CD RELEASE SHOW SOLD OUT!
Lili's CD Release show, co-bill with The Nora Whittaker Band, is sold out! That's the official word from the staff at World Cafe Live. Thanks to all the fans for supporting Lili and Nora's show. Tickets were still in demand as Lili received messages from fans who tried to buy tickets, but were turned away. Please check the concert schedule to see where Lili is playing next. In other news "Between Me" from the forthcoming Dream Again CD is being featured on the World Cafe Live's Website Podcast Vol 10. Nice going!
January 2007 - CD Release Show in New York!
Another show has just been confirmed for 2007. Lili and the Dream Again Band will be performing a second CD Release Show in New York at the beautiful Cornelia Street Cafe, one of the finest clubs in Greenwich Village. Established in 1977, over the years it has presented an enormous variety of artists. Upstairs there is a dinning room and downstairs a perfect listening room for performances. The fabulous Nora Whittaker will once again be on the card opening the show. Time and ticket prices are yet to be worked out, but the date is Friday, March 2nd.
Lili broke new ground on the 20th with her very first gig at the Living Room in New York City. She was accompanied by her new percussionist, Super Steve Lewis, along with the Incredible Cooke Harvey on bass. Performing to a packed house on a Thursday night was amazing within itself, but Lili continues to keep the setlist fresh by opening with the title track from her first CD Laughed Last. A thunderous applause was followed after the closing note and then the premiere of Super Steve on percussion performing Try Again. Also, On The Run from Laughed Last never sounded better! The sound system at the Living Room was superb and throughout the night you could hear a pin drop with this very attentive audience. Another song that Lili "unburied", as she put it, was "Can't Fall Out of Love With You." This was an old unreleased song that sounded as fresh as anything she's written in recent years. Lili had talked about finding a percussionist, along with just Cooke on bass and the configuration with Steve last night was perfect! After the last song, The Way Out, the audience wouldn't let Lili leave without an encore. "Supposed To Be" left the audience in awe as the last impression of the night. Lili's last show of the year is a private house show on the 22nd, but the next public show will be January 12, 2008 at Puck in Doylestown.
Visit the concert schedule for details.
10/30/07 SHOW CANCELLATION!
The night of September 14th, Lili and The Dream Again Band performed a one hour set at the Steel City Coffeehouse. The setlist was changed around starting the show with an electrifying version of "Lay Down Play Dead." "Try Again", which usually is first, got moved to second place. There were quite a few walk-ins who were seeing Lili and hearing her story-telling for the first time. A very sweetly and rarely played "It's You Again" was performed. During any given night you never know what new song or rarity Lili will perform and this night was no exception. Lili performed to everyone's delight the unreleased "Supposed To Be" and for the first time a beautiful version of "Wave" by Alexandro Escovedo. This was indeed a very enoyable one hour set. Lili and the band co-billed with the Milton Band from New York.
MILKBOY COFFEE WAS BREWING SOME GOOD STUFF!
EXCELLENT TURNOUT AT EAGLEVIEW
AND A GUEST APPEARANCE AT GARLAND JEFFREY'S SHOW
Next stop Lili will do a one-song solo performance as a guest in Garland's Jeffrey's show at the Bitter End. The show will take place June 8th and will likely be sold out. Hail, Hail Rock and Roll!
"Part soul sister, part jazz chanteuse and pure dynamite."
STEEL CITY COFFEEHOUSE
Lili's debut on the 18th at the beautiful Chaplin's Music Cafe went over very well! The Marc Silver Band also performed their brand of Americana-Bluegrass which complimented Lili and Cooke's performance. It was a great night of music! Lili is sure to return to Chaplin's in the near future.
Lili Anel
Dream Again (Wall I) 9/10
A tremendous talent who honed her chops alongside Greenwich Village folk stalwarts Suzanne Vega and Shawn Colvin, Lili Anel returns with her third and best recording after a five-year hiatus. Possessing a singular, smoky-sounding vocal style that falls somewhere between Joan Armatrading (Anel covers Armatrading’s "Down to Zero" here) and Nina Simone (especially on "Life or Death"), Anel’s recent move to Philly yielded a collaboration with fretless-bass player Cooke Harvey, who helped co-helm an extraordinary album that might be just a bit bass-heavy—Anel’s voice and phrasing are too extraordinary to be given anything less than centerstage. Her highly personalized lyricism shows added depth from past recordings, whether it’s in the samba-like "Over You" or the snappy-edged light funk of "Temporary Amnesia." Elsewhere, Anel incorporates songs about her faith (the hypnotic "Life or Death" and gorgeous hit-written-all-over-it "If God Had a Wallet") that never come off preachy, with the latter existing on the same plane as Joan Osborne’s "One of Us." Dream is a fabulous, rock-solid gift of exquisitely penned and sung songs. This deserves to be a commercial hit. —Skitch Mulligan
GENE SHAY SHOW
March 10th was a SOLD OUT show at the Home Fine Art Gallery in Mt Holly, NJ. Lili headlined the Women's night showcase and was accompanied by Cooke on upright bass. Another great crowd!
March 11th Lili returned to live radio in Delaware on the "Hometown Heroes" show hosted by Mark Rogers. WSTW 97.3's signal could actually be picked up in parts pf Philadelphia, but is also streamed over the internet. Mark played 3 songs from the 'Dream Again" CD and in addition Lili performed a solo acoustic version of "I'm Sorry. " The full broadcast can be downloaded from www.wstw.com. Next stop March 22nd at the Hinge Cafe and Art house in Philadelphia, where Lili will once again perform solo. Visit the concert section for details
The Nora Whittaker Band hit the stage next. Nora’s bluesy, powerhouse vocals and excellent keyboard playing was accompanied by Jessie Lundy’s slick guitar work, Ben Cleal on bass and Dan Quill on drums. Nora performed some new material along with songs from her latest CD “Imaginary Friends” and her band did a fabulous job of executing them. Two of the highlights for me were “River Wide” and “Buddy Coal Mine.” Nora Whittaker and her band received a tremendous ovation and great feedback from the audience after the show.
Lili Añel and The Dream Again Band kicked off their set with the very melodic “Try Again” from the new CD. Dave “Boz” Bozenhard put his Fender Strat to work on songs like “Thin Line”, “Temporary Amnesia” and “I’m Sorry.” John DiGiovanni’s drums and percussions were accented on “If God Had a Wallet” the red-hot “Lay-Down Play Dead”, and the Shaft-like backbeat of “Temporary Amnesia.” Mid-way through the set Lili played solo on “The Wrong Time”, and then was joined by co-producer and bassist, Cooke Harvey for a few more songs including the title track “Dream Again.” After the band blew everyone away with “The Way Out”, Nora Whittaker returned to the stage and did a knock-out job playing keyboards on “Life or Death.” The band nails this song as it builds and accelerates to an explosive climax. The set ended with “Between Me.” Its Motown style groove featured Nora on vocals and special guest vocalist Barbara Añel, Lili’s twin sister. When Lili and the band left the stage, the crowd demanded an encore. Lili’s version of Joan Armatrading’s “Down To Zero”, which had been getting some airplay on XPN was performed this night as the full band version. Lili performed her second encore with the hope-filled “Land on my Feet” from the new Dream Again CD. Lili has certainly left the solo performer genre and has returned to the full band sound she once had when she resided in New York. The Dream Again band members have brought some serious chops to Lili’s music. This was by far Lili’s best show since moving to Philly in 2004. Very much looking forward to the next one at Puck Live in February!
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