Valentine’s Day is usually a day for spending time with a significant other, but those who find themselves unlucky in love have another option this year. Singer Liz Phair will play Goldstein Auditorium at 8 p.m.

Phair rose to indie fame with the release of her first album, Exile in Guyville, in 1993, which sold over 200,000 copies. Her follow-up albums, 1994’s Whip-Smart and 1998’s whitechocolatespaceegg, followed in the same offbeat feminist style. After a brief hiatus, she returned in 2003 with a new self-titled album and a new sound. Die-hard fans of her original sound blasted the artist for selling out, but Phair said she knew what was best for her career.

‘When I set out in my position, I had a list of things I wanted to accomplish,’ said Rich Pedine, head of UU concerts. ‘One of those was bringing a female headliner. Liz is a personal favorite of mine, and we had never really programmed for ourselves before.’

‘I think she’s very aware of what she’s doing musically,’ said Meryl Klemow, University Union Concerts board member. ‘Some people think she’s being manipulated by the industry, but I think she’s in control of her musical direction. I do think her new single sounds Hillary Duff-ish.’

Klemow is disappointed that it took an image change to bring Phair to SU, though she is optimistic that old songs will resurface during the show.

‘Hopefully there’ll be a lot of material from Exile in Guyville,’ she said. ‘I’m really glad it’s not a hip-hop show. We haven’t had a solo female rocker yet.’

‘(The show) should include a lot of the new record, but also a lot of older songs,’ said Andy Adelewitz, Phair’s tour manager. ‘It’s a pretty healthy mix of the four albums.’

Pedine is pleased by the opportunity to bring Phair to SU.

‘The days of Dave Matthews shows and stuff like that are pretty much over because of budget constraints,’ he said, ‘so this is quite an accomplishment for a college. She has a reputation as a college rocker, and is a good fit for the Syracuse scene.’

Syracuse band Merit will open for Phair as a last-minute addition to the bill. The band sees the show as a great way to gain more exposure in the public eye.

‘This is the biggest thing that’s happened to the four of us,’ said Wil Mecum, Merit’s bassist. ‘We’ve never opened for more than 400 people, and we’ve never opened for a national act before. She’s the closest thing to a real rock star that we’ve played with.’

Merit formed in May 2002, and is composed of Mecum, singer/songwriter Brenna Merritt, guitarist Hal Appleby and drummer Jeff Nelson. Their first album, When We Fight, will be released at the end of March.

‘We’ve been playing around for about a year and half,’ Mecum said. ‘We’ve been out more in the city scene lately.’

Mecum admitted to knowing Phair’s reputation more than her music, but he remained eager for the show.

‘My sister is flying up from NYU,’ Mecum said. ‘She’s really into it.’

Phair will kick off her official US tour on Feb. 26, but chose to come to SU because she knew Syracuse was a good time, Pedine said.

‘This is kind of a dry run for her tour,’ he said. ‘It’s a chance to test out new material.’

Phair’s music, known for its down-on-love themes, is far from what a happy couple looks for on the most romantic day of the year. The irony of the show’s timing is not lost on the organizers.

‘It’s our way of counter-programming for the entire loveless campus,’ Pedine said.

‘It’s a good alternative to all the other stuff on Valentine’s Day,’ Klemow said. ‘Her lyrics suggest that she doesn’t take love too seriously. I know we’re all kind of in that mood right now.’

Published on February 12, 2004 at 12:00 pm