Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery

Enjoyed seeing all that went into making these festivals, and the initial belief that they would fail, esp. From the boys-club industry and press. It was good to see the comraderie that developed, esp. After the indigo girls brought a more free-wheeling spirit into the mix. And touching to see Sinead O'Connor get a big boost from it when she came in believing that she was not that well-liked. Though I was reminded that most of my favorite women artists of the era somehow weren't there - Ani Difranco, Bjork, PJ Harvey, Zap Mama, Loreena McKennit, Tori Amos, Michelle Shocked, Melt Banana, Ekova, Axiom of Choice, Joan Armatrading, Annie Lennox, Jane Siberry, Mari Boine, Oumou Sangare, Toto La Momposina, Sweet Honey in the Rock, Barbara Manning, Sleater-Kinney, Jen Wood, Susan James, Rickie Lee Jones, Melissa Ferrick, etc. I checked the complete rosters of all 3 years and nada. But it was certainly better than nothing! Interesting to see some women not so into the "sisterhood" idea were brought on board anyways - like Chrissie Hynde (Pretenders) and Sandra Bernhard. My hats off to Sarah McLachlan and friends who pulled it off!

What a wonderful documentary and great behind the scenes look at the Lilith Fair experience. The interviews and concert footage was neatly woven into a compelling narrative, illustrating the challenges faced to get it off the ground, the highs of the performances and the shifting face of America as it came to an end.

I watched this documentary not knowing what to expect. But I will tell you, Sarah McLachlan changed my life. She was empowering, strong, soulful, spirited, gifted, supportive to her other artists. She was generous in that she wanted to build women up and share them in a world that only ever saw them one way; an industry of men who knowingly caged the songbirds. Sarah just helped set them free. So many women lifting women up. It was peaceful, loving, freeing, and gave the concert-goers a quality show which dared to made space for all who attended. I respect each of the artists in the Lilith Fair Tour. I sadly was never able to make a show bc of my work schedule at the time. I regret it then and still do. Thank you, Dan for giving us Sarah again and all the beautiful, talented women, who were already stars in their own right before they came to the tour. It was amazing to see them all again as the youthful, inspiring ladies they were back then. What a pleasure it was to unlock memories of the time as well as what was happening in the country and world back then. I remembered myself, a girl who was raised with music in my life, knowing what was happening at Lilith Fair was something really special, groundbreaking, and nurturing. (I did get to eventually see Sarah in concert on her own tour and it made my life.) What a wonderful documentary that took me back in the space capsule of time. I appreciated it so much. Thank you, women of Lilith Fair<3.

For all the people praising this doc, they should be asking themselves why a seminal and groundbreaking music and arts festival was worth less than two hours of screen time? To package all of these artists into 97 minutes is insulting: approximately THREE HUNDRED women acts were featured in its rotating lineup (69 in the first year!). How can you give three hundred women/acts only 97 minutes? Not only is the length criminally short and the material superficial as a result, but framing it as some mysterious event Gen Z has never heard of further reduces its relevance and necessity to our culture. Having lived through the era, we deserved more then, and we most definitely deserve a better doc now! Shame on ABC,

As "Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery" (2025 release from Canada; 99 min.) opens, we are backstage at the very first Lilith Fair show, in summer 1997. We then go back in time and are introduced to Sarah McLaughlin, as she grew up in Halifax under a very strict mother. Sarah couldn't wait to get out from there, and she eventually did, and how! She became a global star, and very soon started toying with doing a festival with nothing but female solo artists or female-led bands. At this point we are less than 10 minutes in the documentary.

Couple of comments: this is directed by Canadian Ally Pankiw. She received the full cooperation of Sarah McLaughlin and reportedly sifted through hundreds of hours of archive footage. The thought that the 1st Lilith Fair happened almost 30 years is a bit overwhelming to be honest. Many of the artists that participated in the 3 Lilith Fairs are interviewed today: Paula Cole, Sheryl Crow, Jewel, the Indigo Girls, Tracy Chapman, and on and on. I was a recently divorced dad in 1997, and as soon as I saw the lineup I knew I wanted/needed, to go. I took my then 7 1/2 yo daughter with me. We saw all three Lilith Fairs that played at Riverbend here in Cincinnati in 97-98-99, and we had a blast. At one of the shows (I don't remember which exact year), we ran in the music critic of the Cincinnati Enquirer, a guy I knew as I saw him frequently at various shows. We struck up a conversation, and he ended up "interviewing" my daughter. Can you imagine how she felt? As the documentary concluded, I also couldn't help but wince when I see what has become of this country since the late 90's, with half the country determined to decimate women's health and other rights, deny/bash the LGTBQ community, trample voting rights, etc. If someone had predicted this in the Lilith Fair era, nobody would have believe it. That aside, this outstanding documentary is long overdue, but better late than never.

"Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery" premiered at this year's Toronto International Film Festival to immediate critical acclaim. The film is currently rated 100% Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. It started streaming in late September (unbeknownst to me). When I stumbled on it a few days ago on Hulu, I immediately watched it. If you were at any of the Lilith Fair shows, or if you are just now becoming familiar with the now-legendary Lilith Fair, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.