Folk-Punk Righteous Babe, Ani DiFranco Has 2 Upstate Gigs This Week, One on Election Day, One on Veteran’s Day

If you haven’t seen folk icon Ani DiFranco perform on Election Day, this week is your chance. The activist poet will be performing with the Righteous Babe Revue at the State Theatre in Ithaca on Tuesday, Nov. 8.

If you are a fan of DiFranco’s music, seeing her perform on Election Day is the ultimate show. Her last Election Day performance in this area occurred at the Center for the Arts Homer in 2019 where she shared in real time the results of the Kentucky governor election. In this volatile political environment, DiFranco’s crew will be sure to be updating her throughout the night on the night’s results.

DiFranco will also be at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall on Veteran’s Day, Friday, Nov. 11. Tickets for both shows are still available through Eventbrite in Ithaca here and for Troy here.

DiFranco has been a fixture on the DIY scene since the early ’90s when she started her own record label based in her hometown of Buffalo, Righteous Babe to release her material. This enterprise has since morphed into a performance venue in Buffalo called Babeville, a space created from a 19th-century Gothic church.

Her rhythmic and poetic lyrics, accompanied by her unique percussive guitar style, set DiFranco apart from all others in this genre of music. Her magnetic presence and rapport with the audience make each show feel like a personal performance.

DiFranco’s latest album Revolutionary Love, released in 2021, is available on all streaming platforms and through the Righteous Babe website.

Check out DiFranco’s NPR Tiny Desk performance from 2017 below.