Singer Fiona Apple debuted with her album Tidal in 1996, winning a Grammy. ( She had six nominations. ) After becoming a darling on MTV, she quickly showed that she was a true artist and was not a fan of being a celebrity.
Apple has never reached the same heights as far as radio airplay but her dedicated fans have followed her through several albums over the years.
Her live performances have been legendary, with audiences continually intrigued by what she will do next.
This has led her to perform a tour called, fittingly, "Anything We Want" that landed at the Bank of America Theatre Oct. 15. The "We" refers her talented friends, like singer Blake Mills, who rotated songs solo as well as together.
Sebastian Steinberg not only played the upright bass but provided some unusual vocal stylings for the group.
It was a pleasant surprise to see out and proud lesbian Barbara Gruska from The Belle Brigade, interviewed in 2011 for Windy City Times, providing percussion for the quartet.
Art-school antics started right out of the gate as the band entered the stage scribbling "Teach me how to be free" on a large blackboard. Sporting a new haircut and zero makeup made Apple almost unrecognizable. "The First Taste" from Tidal set the tone for the evening though and she was determined to take no prisoners.
The audience loved her every syllable, even screaming out "I love you, Fiona!" as she stopped to drink her tea during the set. It was easy to see why Mills deserves to be more than just her past opening act. His strong voice filled the acoustics in the historic room displaying a power that was magnetic from the first note.
This was an intimate evening and a rare show to see in Chicago. Apple's throat continues to hold on despite her screaming and straining. Until that moment comes where she will lose that gift, she continues to be a force not to be missed in concert.
Photos and text by Jerry Nunn