Ani DiFranco

If singer-songwriter Ani DiFranco ever needs to pick one song that summarizes her life, the Frank Sinatra classic, "My Way," would probably be a pretty good choice.

The talented folk/indie rocker has forged her own path in the dog-eat-dog music business during her two decades as a recording artist. Defying the odds, she started her own record label, Righteous Babe, in 1994 and has released more than 20 studio and live albums since then. She's also generated one of rock's most devoted followings, thanks to her frequent touring.

DiFranco's music is also far more political than most performers dare these days, and she has never held back on her opinions in song lyrics, interviews or concert performances. The openly bi-sexual singer has rejected the mainstream, finding substantial success while controlling her own destiny. But rather than being shrill or strident, the singer was warm, friendly and funny during her sold-out show at Symphony Hall, to promote her new album, "Red Letter Year."

The singer was greeted by an enthusiastic audience of fans who remained on their feet for nearly the entire show. Gazing around at the long-haired and nude statues of composers and their muses around the concert hall, DiFranco remarked how odd it was to be surrounded "by statues of chicks with dicks."

During the nearly two-hour concert, DiFranco proved herself equally adept as both a vocalist and guitarist. Her voice was at times reminiscent of Shawn Colvin, Fiona Apple and Sarah MacLachlan, while her quirky, jerky guitar-playing style demonstrated her mastery of the instrument.

Her lyrics are definitely edgier and smarter than most, but she wisely sets them in interesting and aurally pleasing songs that deserve repeated listening.

DiFranco was relaxed and seemed to be enjoying herself during the Boston show, frequently skewering many deserving targets including CNN talking heads, Sarah Palin, and Congress in her between-song banter.

The audience was treated to a number of new songs from "Red Letter Year," which included "The Atom," a song about the dangers of nuclear waste; the edgy, angry "Alla This," "Present/Infant" and the title track, which sounded like a catchy Shawn Colvin tune, but with biting, politically-charged lyrics.

A "new new" song with the frequently refrain, "Yes we can", referenced the recent election of Barack Obama to the presidency, while another, the funny, Promiscuity, gave a nod to her colorful sexual past.

DiFranco's band was a talented trio. Accompanying her on nearly all songs were Todd Sickafoose on upright bass, Allison Miller, who did a terrific job on drums, and the goofily animated Mike Dillon, who was a whirling dervish on percussion, vibraphone and glockenspiel.

The last third of the show featured a number of old favorites. As Is, was a real crowd pleaser, sounding like a steel drum carnival, with DiFranco's plucked guitar sounding like the Zimbabwean masters of that instrument.

Evolve had the crowd on their feet, singing and dancing along. "Every State Line" and "Overlap" were the two encore songs and provided powerful punctuation marks to an excellent evening of thought, opinion and music.

Opening the show was Erin McKeown, a talented and charmingly quirky singer-songwriter who was at times reminiscent of Bjork, especially on a song she wrote about the death of her grandfather and the claustrophobia it caused her. It was a credit to both McKeown's talent and personality that she easily succeeded in getting the audience to sing along to "Oh Estelle" and to hum along in three-art harmony to "Born to Hum."