Liz Phair will play the New Orleans House of Blues tonight, combining her older indie rock classics with her new, more produced efforts.
Liz Phair’s latest self-titled album contains the single “Why Can’t I” which gained radio airplay and was featured in the Mandy Moore film “How to Deal.”
But to many, Phair is better known as the queen of indie shock rock.
Phair released her debut album “Exile in Guyville” to immense critical praise and garnered Liz the title of Rolling Stone’s best new female artist of 1993.
The album featured Phair’s bare-bones guitar talent, and often off-pitch voice with raw, uncensored lyrics.
Phair’s songs dealt with sex in the most carnal terminology and never shied away from using expletives.
Women identified with her songs and heralded Phair as an icon for women in music.
In the book “Trouble Girls: The Rolling Stone Book of Women in Rock,” Phair is credited with paving the way for more commercial female artists such as Alanis Morisette.
Ben Siddoway, a biological engineering senior, has heard of Phair’s musical legacy.
“I have seen her bumper stickers on empowered women’s cars,” Siddoway said. “It’s chick music.”
But when Phair released her self-titled fourth album in June, she collaborated with producers the Matrix and created a much slicker effort.
And not all fans were pleased with the new direction.
“I used to like her but not anymore,” Lauren Fusilier, a civil engineering freshman said. “She used to be cool but her music kind of turned poppy.”
As of Friday almost 600 tickets were still available for the House of Blues show in New Orleans.
A House of Blues representative expected a good number of ticket sales the day of the show.
According to the House of Blues, Phair’s past sucess on MTV and recent comeback should transfer into many sales of walk-up tickets the day of the show.
Mindi MacHaur, a sociology sophomore said she heard of Phair from her stepfather.
“My step-dad has been a fan for a long time and he got me into her,” MacHaur said. “I think her music is pretty cool and I am excited to go see her concert.”
MacHaur said she is not bothered by Phair’s new sound.
“I think it’s fun, it is a different sound,” MacHaur said. “I think as long as you are writing about what you like there is nothing wrong with it.”
Tickets are $20 and the show starts at 8 p.m.