DiFranco’s Absorbing Tales Find an Enthusiastic Audience

Forget about the mosh-pitters at punk shows or the dance marvels at hip-hop affairs. The most enthusiastic pop audiences nowadays are at Ani DiFranco concerts.

Whether reacting to gems from the ultra-aggressive folk singer-songwriter’s masterful albums, especially “Dilate” and “Not a Pretty Girl,” or new songs in a slow, torch-like vein, the capacity crowd on Friday at the Wiltern Theatre shrieked, applauded and even, the beat willing, danced.

The affection isn’t misplaced. Though DiFranco, who was suffering from a cold, didn’t supplement her songs with witty stories the way she did in earlier shows here this year, the music was as forceful as ever.

Backed by Andy Stochansky on drums and Sara Lee on bass, DiFranco, who plays acoustic guitar, framed her absorbing tales of social rituals and personal relationships with arrangements that shift so dramatically that they can be as startling as rifle shots. The ideas--unflinching looks at the wounds and desires of the heart--are equally compelling, making DiFranco one of the essential voices in ‘90s pop music.

Dan Bern, who opened, is another biting, folk-oriented singer-songwriter with a fondness for heavy themes (God, Kurt Cobain, AIDS). The lyrics at times sound forced, but the humor helps. The good news in one song: God answers every prayer. The bad news: He’s 50,000 years behind because of the backlog.