Wednesday August 25th, 2004
Schnitzer Auditorium, Portland, Oregon
The first time I saw Melissa Etheridge was in 1992. She hadn’t come out as a lesbian yet, but we all suspected. My friends and I drove an hour to sit in the middle of the auditorium in Utica, NY with our binoculars, straining to see if one of those necklaces swinging from her neck was a labrys, a small battle ax that lesbians were wearing at the time. (We were convinced it was!) She was the icon for tormented breakups and unrequited love. She had two albums out and she ROCKED. Very few performers could match the intensity or the energy of a Melissa Etheridge concert.
In 2004, Melissa has eight albums to her credit, two children, a loving wife and somehow manages to bring the same intensity to her shows twelve years later. Her concert at the Schnitzer Auditorium in Portland, Oregon last night lasted almost three hours and she still seemed like she could rock for a few more.
Melissa Speaks her Mind
It’s an election year and it’s no surprise that Melissa had something to say. After all, the famous lesbian rocker came out at Bill Clinton’s inaugural party and campaigned for Al Gore in 2000. But beyond encouraging her audience to vote, Melissa got personal. “I try not to get too political, too often,” she said, “But this is about me.” She repeatedly spoke out against an anti-gay marriage ballot initiative in Oregon and urged listeners to “Vote No on 36”, the amendment to change the state constitution to make marriage between only a man and a woman. My friend wondered if Melissa was preaching to the choir as we stood shoulder to shoulder with thousands of other lesbians. But to her credit, Melissa preached these words during the portion of her concert that was being broadcast live on local radio station KINK FM.
Some people go to a concert simply to hear the music. But I am one who likes to hear the artist talk and share with her audience. Melissa did not disappoint. At one point it felt like we were at a VH1 Storytellers show, as Melissa wove in tales of her early shows in Portland, the time she was mistakenly introduced as Melissa Manchester and told tidbits of her life with new love Tammy Lynn Michaels .
