"In some ways, among musicians whose catalogs are not chock-full of universally recognizable hits, Jill Sobule‘s catalog is exceptionally well-suited for a tribute show. The late singer-songwriter’s songs are clever, but not clever in the kind of way you get an hour or a year later; each number is vivid, high-concept, direct, usually (but not always) funny and instantly relatable. It doesn’t matter whether you’re coming to a memorial concert for her as a Jill mega-fan or a plus-one — the songs hit you equally hard on the first listen or the 50th, she created such compelling scenarios in each three-minute sampling. She provided, to borrow a term, the supermodel of how to hook a listener in the first 30-45 seconds, and to let you feel like you’d had a full melodic and narrative meal by the end.”
There’s so much to her 35-year catalog of recorded shows that any single tribute show is going to feel too short. Fortunately, in the bigger scheme of things, a lot of that material is going to be covered over the coming months in a series of “Jillith Fair” tribute concerts happening nationwide to benefit the It Was A Good Life Foundation, and to bring her communities of fans together regionally. The first three of these took place over the weekend, including an L.A.-area show at McCabe’s that was already in the works when the larger series of celebrations began to take shape. If you loved her, you’ll probably wish you could be a Jill-head and travel to a lot of them, knowing that after this wave passes, the opportunity to hear undersung classics like “Underdog Victorious” performed in concert will be few.
- Chris Willman/Variety - review of Jillith Fair - Loving Jill Sobule Santa Monica show at McCabe’s Guitar Shop 6.1 (6.2) -
https://bit.ly/3Zcn2bA
"Jillith Fair isn’t a reunion tour. It’s a '90s fever dream armed with guitars and attitude. Folk rage, rebel queens, and the soundtrack you forgot raised you.”
- A47 News (5.25)
Jill Sobule’s work was at once deeply personal and socially conscious, seriously funny and derisively tragic. In a dozen albums spanning three decades of recording, the Denver-born songwriter/guitarist/singer has tackled such topics as the death penalty, anorexia nervosa, shoplifting, reproduction, the French Resistance, adolescent malaise, LGBTQ issues, and the Christian Right. Her hits include “I Kissed A Girl”—the first openly gay-themed song ever to crack the Billboard Top 20—and the alt-rock anthem “Supermodel” featured in the film Clueless. Sobule was one half of The Jill & Julia Show, providing music while actor Julia Sweeney contributes storytelling. Jill is considered a pioneer in crowdfunding and is constantly exploring and creating new models for artists in an ever-changing music industry.
Jill’s new record, F*ck 7th Grade - Original Cast Recording and will be released on her own Pinko Records label on June 6th. Her theater credits included a musical adaptation of the Broadway classic Yentl, Prozak and the Platypus, and Times Square. In November of 2019 Jill sang a song as herself on an episode of the Simpsons. F*ck 7th Grade ran off-Broadway for four (4) runs in three (3) years and gained a New York Times Critics Pick. Drama Desk nominated this autobiographical musical, which premiered at the Wild Project in 2022; had a reboot in the Winter of 2023 - and ran again for three weeks in 2024.
Also on June 6th, Rhino Records is releasing her self-titled Atlantic Records album on red vinyl for the first time - to time with Pride Month! This year marks the album’s 30th Anniversary!
Following her untimely demise on May 1st, many of her previously scheduled shows have morphed into Jillith Fair - Loving Jill Sobule shows, benefiting the new It Was A Good Life Foundation. Funds will be distributed by this foundation to the ACLU and other causes Jill cared deeply about. The hope is that these shows will become annual events on her birthday, January 16th & during Pride Month in the future.
Jill left behind two partially completed albums, 50-70+ finished tracks, hundreds of demos, and a few titles that had fallen out of print. Plus, we’re hoping a tribute album will take shape for release to time with a feature length documentary on her that should be completed by years’ end. We hope to help keep her spirit, memory, & music alive.
The show with be hosted by Jill's Jagoffs, Jill's Pittsburgh based backing band. Special guests will include Liz Berlin, Melissa Knauer and WYEP's Rosemary Welsch. More special guests to be announced in the upcoming days.
“Jill Sobule can claim her place among the stellar New York singer-songwriters of the last decade. Topical, funny and more than a little poignant …grown-up music for an adolescent age.” - The New York Times
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