Aimee Mann concert review

Mann proves that melancholy can be beautiful at her Chicago show

By Jennifer Sabella
Published: August 8th, 2005 | 2:12pm

There are several things that seem to be staples in the lives of down-and-out women and men everywhere: comfort food, good friends, and sad music that makes you feel a little less alone. For many, Aimee Mann’s pretty yet unavoidably depressing songs speak volumes to whatever shitty situation they’re going through.

When someone relates your music to incredibly painful times in their lives, a rockin’ live show would seem like a tough thing to pull off. Fortunately for Mann, she did so beautifully at her July 30 Chicago show. Tucked in the back of Chicago’s tourist trap, Navy Pier, the Skyline Stage provided an intimate setting for the performance. The crowd ranged from middle-aged husbands and wives, to twenty- and thirty-somethings who happen to be big Magnolia fans, a mellow and refreshing mix of people.

Mann started out with “Dear John,” a song from her latest release, The Forgotten Arm, a concept album chronicling the rise and fall of John and Caroline, who encounter broken promises and addiction on their cross-country travels. Mann kept the story in order, tossing in a few old favorites in between the tales told on The Forgotten Arm.

Before playing “Save Me,” the Oscar-nominated song from the 1999 P.T. Anderson film, Magnolia, Mann joked about losing the award to Phil Collins. Joking aside, the words “You look like a perfect fit / For a girl in need of a tourniquet” never sounded better.

Although the audience reacted mostly to songs like “Humpty Dumpty” from 2002’s Lost in Space and “Driving Sideways” from 2000’s Bachelor No. 2, Mann played the newer songs brilliantly, and explained what was going on in the story before each one.

As the night came to a close, fireworks began erupting outside the venue, in celebration of Chicago’s annual Venetian Night. “Don’t leave me for the fireworks!” Mann pleaded. But she didn’t need to; everyone seemed eager to hear more. With 15 minutes left, Mann had audience members run up to the stage and write down what they wanted to hear. She then played several verses from each of the requested songs. A fan that was obviously drunk requested “Take me Out to the Ballgame,” which she sang as well.

Many people in the audience attended the show alone, which for some reason felt right. As she closed with “Invisible Ink,” it became obvious that many guarded Mann as their personal savior. And, really, who wants to share that?