Arts & Culture
Self-proclaimed “Spice Girls of Folk” pair music and humor with flair
The Pointer
ataub878@uwsp.edu
Entertaining a full house on Tuesday, March 10, as part of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Performing Arts Series, musical talents known as the “Four Bitchin; Babes” had the audience laughing, participating and singing along.
The recipe is simple. “Start with four richly gifted singer-songwriters, add three quarters of a cup married life, four kids, four part harmony vocals, one piano, four guitars, one rockin’ purple Bass, a pinch of PMS and a wardrobe of bling-bling,” and you’ve got, according to the Four Bitchin’ Babes Web site, a new show that “celebrates the best of babes, boys, and Botox.”
Called “traveling Oprah Winfreys” by The Boston Globe, this comedic road show performed “Hormonal Imbalance … A Mood-swinging Musical Revue” at Sentry Theater in Stevens Point.
This group of gals, made up of singer-songwriters Debi Smith, Deirdre Flint, Sally Fingerett and Nancy Moran, performed original, emotional and comedic songs and narratives. With songs titled “The Boob Fairy,” “Viagra in the Water,” and “Taxidermal Therapy,” the Babes sang about many of the pains and pleasures in life.
“Their comedy is so honest and so true,” said freshman Maggie Hall, who attended the performance with friends. Hall said the Babes reminded her of her own mom, and she summed up the performance with the word “amazing.”
Formed 17 years ago, the Bitchin’ Babes have toured nationally, created seven recordings and one full-length concert DVD. Signing autographs after the show, Babe Fingerett said jokingly that an autographed CD just might help audience members sell it for more on Ebay.
The initial idea of touring gal pals came from Christine Lavin after releasing a successful compilation CD of winter folk songs with some of her friends many years ago. Starting their tour in Chicago and traveling to places like Salt Lake City, Boston and New York, these women polished harmonies and shaped the group “Four Bitchin’ Babes,” which has attracted many fans over the years.
For more information, visit their Web site www.fourbitchinbabes.com or their MySpace site at www.myspace.com/4bitchinbabes . Jesting for the audience, Babe Moran offered the advice, “Do not just Google ‘Babes’ because you will not get us.”
