Sarah McLachlan, The Indigo Girls, Erykah Badu et al: Lilith Fair, Civic Stadium, Portland, Oregon

BEFORE ANYTHING else is said about the opening night of the 57-date Lilith Fair, let's note the nice: The climate at Portland's Civic Stadium was nice. The lack of glaring security yellow-jackets common to most festivals was certainly nice. Watching Natalie Merchant pick up bouquets of flowers tossed up on stage — tiger lilies, natch — while singing a song from her new Ophelia, with its chorus of "thank you"'s, was really nice. And the feeling of mutual respect flowing between the stage and an audience that was two-thirds female was undeniably, unironically nice.