'Become You' tour a celebration of Indigo Girls' acoustic beginnings

When their independent album "Strange Fire" debuted in 1987, it probably would have seemed overzealous to think in the future they would have recorded with Sheryl Crow and Joan Osborne and shared the stage with REM and the Grateful Dead.\nBut approaching almost twenty years after their debut, the Indigo Girls have achieved all of this and more.\nNow over a decade since their entrance into the music scene, the Indigo Girls, duo Emily Saliers and Amy Ray, bring their latest tour, "Become You" to the IU Auditorium. The tour promotes the group's new acoustic CD of the same title. The two will play in venues across the country, stopping off in Bloomington on Feb. 10.\nIn Iowa City, preparing for Monday night's concert, Ray says "Become You" is one of their best because of its acoustic nature. \n"It seems more intimate, more rootsy and more organic," she says. \nUnion Board Concerts Director Jake Rohn says this show will be an exciting one for students. \n"One of the significant things about the tour is it is going to be an acoustic tour which is sort of bringing them back to their roots," he says. "So, it will be a unique opportunity for fans to see them."\nAccording to Ray, the Indigo Girls have been on this tour for around a year. But every three weeks or so they return home for a rest and to tie up loose ends. \n"I enjoy it and it gets tiring," Ray says. "Every day is a different town. It's a constant stimulus. It's what I'm used to. It's what I've done since I was 18."\nBecause the two started touring at such a young age, they constantly look for ways to keep life on the road fresh. This portion of the tour is acoustic, described by Ray as "just me and Emily," but about half the time they bring along a band to play with them. Also, the set list changes every night and opening acts are rotated.\nThe band finds a welcome home among the college audience. \n"I love playing on college campuses," Ray says. "I could play on them the rest of my life and be happy."\nShe explains that when the campuses are more liberal, many of the students share similar viewpoints as the band. \n"When they are at their best, they are a hotbed of activism," she says. "It gives us a chance to see what's going on."\nCurrently, the duo opposes the war with Iraq, a view that will ring true with many students here. \n"I have no illusions. Saddam Hussein is not someone I would want as my dictator," Ray says, "but I think we are sending our own people to slaughter."\nRohn says the show should be a hit.\n"We're just catering to the student requests," he says. "We've gotten a lot of requests for the Indigo Girls, and Bloomington is really backing the show."\nDirector of the IU Auditorium Doug Booher said he is excited about the upcoming concert. \n"We expect a strong attendance at Indigo Girls," he says. "IU and Bloomington have had a long history of supporting this band, and the band loves to visit Bloomington."\nMolly Mitchell, a junior, first heard the Indigo Girls music during her freshman year of high school, and since then has become a fan. Mitchell has been to four of the band's concerts. \n"The concerts are really engaging," she says. "Almost everyone who goes knows the words."\nRohn says even though the Indigo Girls' music is often classified as folk, the students who requested the duo were diverse. \n"A lot of different kinds of people have requested it, so it caters to a lot of different demographics," he says. "There (are) many voices that need to be heard and not all of them get the opportunity."\nAlthough Rohn admits that he isn't exactly an avid Indigo Girls fan, he has a deep admiration for them as artists. \n"I respect them a lot, they are very talented," he said.\nMitchell also believes that various kinds of people can enjoy their music. \n"Everyone can find something personal in their lyrics," she says. \nMitchell says the lyrics were what initially attracted her to the music in the first place and held her attention over the years. The songs range from frustrated ("We talked up all night and came to no conclusion/ We started a fight that ended in silent confusion") to hopeful ("I guess that I was hoping that you'd finally understand/ and in a moment of forgiveness/ you'd reach out and take my hand").\nMitchell says she has listened to much of the music on the Indigo Girls' albums and feels that the albums are consistently strong. She says they are solid as a whole, more than just one or two decent songs. \nTouring with the Indigo Girls is special guest, and good friend, Cordero, a Latin influenced rock band from New York. Bloomington is the first of five shows where Cordero and the Indigo Girls will play together. \n"I hope people come early to hear them," Ray says. "They are really fun, really groovy."\nThe music won't stop for the Indigo Girls after the "Become You" tour concludes. \n"I don't know that I'll ever stop playing music. I don't want to be like The Who or The Rolling Stones," Ray says, pausing for a moment. "It's great that they"re having fun, but I want to always reinvent myself. I always want to be young mentally"