Janis Ian
Mississippi Nights
St Louis MO
1993-08-23

This was the first time in over 15 years that Janis Ian played St. Louis (Kiel Opera House in 1977). She was touring in support of her landmark album, "Breaking Silence" but she also played hits like "Society's Child," "Jesse," and "At Seventeen." When she was a kid, Janis Ian hung out with and got guitar lessons from Reverend Gary Davis. Janis is, in my opinion, an underrated guitarist and her fingerpicking skills are shown to good effect on this show. This show was also notable for the fact that it took place on Laclede's Landing (an area in downtown St. Louis that adjoins the Mississippi River) - during the "Great Flood of 1993." The Mississppi River flood waters were literally at the stage door. A lot of people either couldn't get to the show or were too concerned about safety to attend, so there were probably only 100 people in the entire room. Despite the poor attendance - or maybe to reward those of us who did show up - Janis Ian put on one of the best shows I've ever heard her do. The setlist was heavy on material from her then-new "Breaking Silence" CD - one of the best albums by anybody in the 90's and had great songs from every phase of her career.
Janis still remembers this show because of the flood. I remember it because Janis played her heart out for the ones who were able to make it. "Guess you had to be there…."

101 This Train Still Runs
102 Guess You Had To Be There
103 Society's Child
104 Jesse
105 At Seventeen
106 Tattoo
107 Ride Me Like A Wave
108 Janis Talks
109 His Hands
110 Ruby
111 In The Winter
112 Days Like These
113 What About The Love
201 All Roads To The River
202 Breaking Silence
203 Through The Years
204 When The Party's Over
205 Cosmopolitan Girl