Opening act Wheat was a pleasant time. With a rootsy sound that managed to have Cheap Trick / ELO sized hooks, they should make a dent soon enough. Any band that the audience has never heard that winds up with a venue sized sing-a-long on an original is cool with me.

So what is it that Liz Phair does? She’s an indie Queen, a provocateur, a sell-out, a divorced mom and an engaging live performer. At The Roxy, she proved that she’s an inspiration to young women, male libidos and a pretty stellar songwriter to boot.

Opening with “6’ 1””, she captured the attention of those who jumped on her bandwagon when she was still the future of alt-rock. With her current look, you’d never believe she had that tag once upon a time. Decked out in a midriff baring tank top and unbuttoned hot pants that showed off red panties, there was actually a gasp when the lights went up. It was pretty hilarious. I actually heard the phrase “hootchie mama” uttered.

The other surprise was the headset mic. For the first time ever, Ms. Phair was unencumbered by a mic stand. She declared the Atlanta show “the maiden voyage of the headset. It’s so wrong, it’s right.” She took the opportunity to dance and writhe around while singing super-dirty songs like “Flower” and “My Favorite Underwear.” Before launching into that pair, she blushingly warned moms to cover the ears of the 13 and under attendees, which were more plentiful than you’d think.