Eleven tribute concerts paying homage to Jill Sobule have been announced for late May through early September, most of them under the banner of “Jillith Fair,” with cities from L.A. to Northampton, Mass. all set to celebrate the lauded singer-songwriter, who died May 1 at age 66.
The shows begin May 31 with a concert in Northampton, Mass. hosted by Erin McKeown and featuring such guest artists as Marshall Crenshaw, Syd Straw and Madeleine Peyroux. Other cities picking up the banner for Sobule through Sept. 6 include L.A., New York, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Additionally, the announcement of the shows notes that other cities will be coming on board with yet-unannounced concerts down the line, including Nashville, Minneapolis and New Orleans.
Los Angeles is doing double-duty in saluting Sobule. An initial tribute concert is set for McCabe’s June 1 and is already sold out, with Dan Navarro hosting a lineup that includes Margaret Cho, Tom Morello, Cindy Lee Berryhill, Perla Batalla, Willie Aron, Amy Engelhard, Kay Hanley & Michelle Lewis, Lisa Loeb & David Poe, and Jesse Lynn Madera. The house band will be led by Steve Postelll and include Leland Sklar, stars of the recent documentary “Immediate Family.” Then, exactly one month later, a second L.A. tribute will take place at a slightly larger venue, Largo, this one hosted by Jim Turner. Cho will also appear at that one, and be joined by John Doe, Sara Watkins, Charlotte Caffey and Jane Wiedlin of the Go Go’s, and other artists to be announced later.
The New York gig will take place July 20 at Joe’s Pub and feature a lineup that includes Joan Osborne, Richard Barone, Antigone Rising with Julie Wolf, Tracy Bonham, Julian Hornik, Matt Keating, Martha Redbone & Aaron Whitby, and the show’s host, Marykate O’Neil.
See the full information for these shows below, along with concerts taking place in Seattle, Evanston and the San Francisco area. The link for all tickets can be found here.
The shows will benefit the It Was A Good Life Foundation, which will disperse proceeds to the ACLU “and other causes Jill cared about.”
For those wanting to hear Sobule songs from the horse’s mouth, two posthumous releases are on the way on June 6, one fresh, one historical. Her self-titled 1995 album — the one that included the landmark single “I Kissed a Girl” — is being released on vinyl for the first time that day, on red wax, from Rhino Records. The same day, her own Pinko Records label will release “F*ck 7th Grade — Original Cast Recording,” allowing fans to hear all the songs from her oft-workshopped stage musical.
The announcement about the tribute shows promised that many more celebrations are in the works, including the preparation and issuing of unreleased recordings, reissues of out-of-print LPs and a documentary film. Beyond this summer’s tributes, her team is also hoping to have similar all-star shows on her birthday, Jan. 16, and beyond.
Jill Sobule tribute shows poster
Courtesy Girlie Action
A full (for now) lineup of the summer salutes:
‘Jillith Fair – Loving Jill Sobule’ Shows^= A Pride Month Event
Saturday, May 31^Northampton, MA @ The Iron HorseJillith Fair – Loving Jill Sobule
Hosted/MC’d by:Erin McKeown
Featuring:Marshall CrenshawKris DelmhorstJulian FleisherErin McKeownHeather MaloneyJune MillingtonThe Nields – DuoMadeleine PeyrouxGretchen PhillipsWesley Stace aka John Wesley HardingSyd StrawWinterpillsFinale (all) (“A Good Life” & “Underdog Victorious”)
Sunday, June 1^Cambridge, MA @ Club PassimJillith Fair – Loving Jill SobuleThis show will be streamed live (www.passim.org)
Hosted/MC’d by:Matt Smith and/or Michael Busack
Featuring:Catie CurtisAntje DuvekotVance GilbertAmanda Palmer
Sunday, June 1^Santa Monica, CA @ McCabe’s Guitar Shop (SOLD OUT)Jillith Fair – Loving Jill SobuleAdditional tickets may be put on sale in the late afternoon on show day
Hosted/MC’d by:Dan Navarro
Featuring:Willie AronCindy Lee BerryhillPerla BatallaMargaret ChoAmy EngelhardtKay Hanley & Michelle LewisLisa Loeb & David PoeJesse Lynn MaderaTom MorelloDan NavarroSteve PostellEnsemble “I Kissed A Girl” (Women trading lines)
House Band:Steve PostellPhil ParlapianoLeland SklarMichael Jerome
Saturday, June 7^Evanston, IL @ SPACESPACE presents…Jillith Fair – Loving Jill Sobule
Hosted/MC’d by:Paul McComas
Featuring:Gerald DowdThe Empty PocketsHeather & Paul McComasLeslie NussNikki O’NeillIke ReillyGabrielle Schafer & Aaron ResterAnna VogelzangTommi Zender
Saturday, June 14 ^Oyster Bay, NY @ Planting Fields Festival (not a Jillith Fair event)A Pride Month event dedicated to the memory of Jill
Saturday, June 21 ^Philadelphia, PA @ World Cafe LoungeWXPN Welcomes & World Cafe presents…Jillith Fair – Loving Jill Sobule
Hosted/MC’d by:Jim Boggia
Featuring:Marissa Levy LererTara MurthaMore TBD
Tuesday, July 1Los Angeles, CA @ Largo at the CoronetLargo presents…Jillith Fair – for the love of Jill – a tribute to our Sunshine Gal
Hosted/MC’d by:Jim Turner
Featuring:Charlotte Caffey & Jane Wiedlin (The Go Go’s)Margaret ChoJohn DoeSara Watkins (I’m With Her/Nickel Creek/Watkins Family Hour)More TBD
Wednesday, July 2Seattle, WA @ Triple DoorJillith Fair – Loving Jill Sobule
Featuring:TBD
Sunday, July 20New York, NY @ Joe’s PubJillith Fair – Loving Jill Sobule
Hosted/MC’d by:Marykate O’Neil
Featuring:Antigone Rising w/ Julie WolfRichard BaroneTracy BonhamJulian HornikMatt KeatingMarykate O’NeilJoan OsborneMartha Redbone & Aaron WhitbyMore TBD
Friday, August 8Albany, CA @ Ivy Room(San Francisco Bay area)Jillith Fair – Loving Jill Sobule
Hosted/MC’d by:Julie Wolf
Featuring:TBD
Saturday, September 6Pittsburgh, PA @ Club CafeJillith Fair – Loving Jill Sobule
Featuring:TBD
