As the moon rose high over the water and the stars began to shine, Ani DiFranco [ tickets ] joyfully walked on stage at San Diego's nicest outdoor concert venue, Humphrey's by the Bay.

If the self-proclaimed little folk singer were the kind of performer who had hit songs, it could be said she kicked-off her Wednesday night (6/25) concert with one of her biggest: "Shy," from 1995's "Not a Pretty Girl." From the get-go, DiFranco rocked the house.

Her from-the-stage banter and song selection quickly made it obvious that the summer 2008 snapshot of Ms, DiFranco is a kinder, gentler picture--although she would still hate that reference.

It's not that DiFranco has abandoned the outspoken ways she historically has represented her political viewpoints; it just seems her current evolution from independent womanhood into motherhood is more obvious than the earlier changes in her public life.

As DiFranco strummed through her catalog, she punctuated her songs with brief comments about topics close to her heart, including the danger of nuclear waste, the insanity of war and the possible impeachment of President Bush. However, she primarily let the music do the talking.

Her set list included songs across her catalog, ranging from 1994's "Overlap," through 2006's "78% H2O." However, her first five albums seemed untouched. Also missing were former concert staples "Gravel," "Fuel," "Anticipate" and "Both Hands," among others.

In their place, DiFranco brought out a new era of concert staples, including "Manhole," from 2005's "Knuckle Down." The song provided an opportunity for DiFranco to break loose with her trademark staccato guitar-playing style, which has earned her a place on various "best of" guitar-player lists. As the song ebbed and flowed, the lyrics simply told it like it is: "I look up to see who's different here, the latest me or the latest you ... I guess I'm pretty different now, considering."

Other mainstays and fan favorites, including "Little Plastic Castles," brought big smiles to those wanting a taste of "their" Ani, the one from the 1990s who inspired girls to be girls.

Through the years, DiFranco has kept her live sound fresh by changing band configurations. For this tour, the addition of a new member--Mike Dillon on vibes/percussion--is a nice touch. He brings a jazzy flavor to Ani's music--"lagniappe," as they say in DiFranco's newly adopted hometown of New Orleans.

Looking very much content and confident, DiFranco shared some new songs with the San Diego audience, including the self-reflective "Present/Infant," which appears on her newest DVD, "Live at Babeville."

DiFranco said the latter song, which questions her thought processes, reveals her new mantra: "Don't forget to have a good time." Rather than defiantly singing "I'm not a pretty girl," DiFranco's newer work is tender, with soon-to-be classic lyrics such as, "Love is all over the place/there's nothing wrong with your face"

Despite the less-than edgy feel of the show, DiFranco didn't neglect her die-hard fans who worship her as a fiercely independent feminist icon. As she broke into "Two Little Girls," the pleasant, comfortable feeling in the air began to give way to the revved-up vibe DiFranco is known for stimulating.

By the time she brought out the fan favorite "Untouchable Face"--with the classic lyric, "So, f--- you and your untouchable face. And f--- you for existing in the first place"--the crowd was on their feet.

A small handful of people ran to the front of the stage and started dancing; they were promptly met by security personnel insisting they return to their seats.

From the stage, DiFranco casually protested. "They're cool. They're not hurting anyone," she said. That comment inspired more people to pseudo-rush the stage. "And what good timing," DiFranco added. "The next few songs are dance numbers." With that, security basically threw their hands in the air, and let the crowd fill into the aisles.

True to her word, DiFranco played "Shameless," another girlie-era rockin' gem. The crowd dancing in the aisles, the frustrated security officers, and the little folk singer belting out her infamous feminist hits gave new fans a look at what many others discovered long ago: an Ani DiFranco concert simply rocks.

However, the fire that often makes a DiFranco concert four-alarm exhilarating seemed more like a beach bonfire on which to roast marshmallows. But, at this stage of the game, California has had more than its share of raging fires.

Martyn Joseph, a solo singer/songwriter/guitarist from Wales, opened the night, singing and strumming a set of songs he described as "miserable." The songs weren't bad, actually. In fact, Joseph was quite entertaining--he simply painted rather bleak portraits in most of his folk songs.

He told the audience that he was enjoying opening for Ani DiFranco because he doesn't get booed off the stage for doing protest songs.

With a nice, clean guitar sound, a socially conscious message and a bit of anger reminiscent of early Bruce Springsteen and Elvis Costello, getting booed off the stage was the last thing Joseph had to worry about.