ALL'S FAIR AT LILITH FESTIVAL; FOR LACK OF A LABEL, CALL IT MEGA-TALENT ON THE RISE.

Byline: Rob Lowman Daily News Staff Writer

Critics, mostly men, have tried for years to put women rockers into nice, neat categories - Kewpie dolls, madonnas, confessional princesses or angry, uh, you know.

The all-women Lilith Fair festival, which rolled into Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre on Wednesday as the fourth stop on its 35-show tour, sends a message back: Forget the labels. We're just going to be ourselves and enjoy it, thank you very much.

The festival, which was organized by singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan as an answer to the usual testosterone-heavy summer events, turned out to be a celebration of diversity as much as it was communality.

Although women outnumbered men 3-1 in the sellout crowd of 14,000, fans of both sexes were digging just being there no matter who was on stage. It was a good-time carnival atmosphere, with a crowd that ranged in age from teens to 50s. And, this being Southern California, celebrities such as Sharon Stone, Fran Drescher and Matthew Perry were on hand.

But it wasn't the stars - either on stage or off - so much as the event that ultimately seemed to matter.

``I'm totally happy to have all these women here,'' said Lalani Beech, 19, of Oceanside, who attended with three of her female friends.

Shelly Leth, 39, of Huntington Beach expressed similar sentiments, adding that she thought ``the festival was sending a message'' and that she ``expected to see more of them.''

Which isn't to say the music wasn't important or good. It was, and it was obvious that the performers were drawing off the energy of the crowd.

When a fired-up Paula Cole stormed onto the stage, attacked her first song and then thrust her fist up in the air at the end of the number, it was like a fighter who had just delivered a knockout punch. And in a way she had.

Although she may have been technically a bit off and was unapologetically over the top as she dressed in a harem-style outfit complete with a sparkling gold chain around her bare midriff, it was clear from the response that Cole scored with the audience. At the beginning, many in the crowd may have been unfamiliar with Cole or only knew her from her current hit, ``Where Have All the Cowboys Gone,'' a cleverly produced and crafted pop song with wry, ironic lyrics.

Some critics already have faulted Cole's performance Wednesday as she strained her voice and pranced around barefoot on stage, yet in the end, sheer chutzpah and exuberance win out and are welcomed at events like this. And perhaps the fans are seeing something the critics aren't. Polished performances are too often like expensive stones, pretty and cold.

Speaking of chutzpah, there was Jewel of ``Who Will Save Your Soul'' fame. The 23-year-old rising star came out in short shorts, which seemed calculated to fly in the face of the sensitive-folkie image too often hung on her. She sang the first few songs without a band, playing only an acoustic guitar, and then switched to electric. As she did so, she quipped, ``Oh, s---, I just plugged in.'' It was a sly reference to when Bob Dylan went electric at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival, upsetting his fans and changing the face of rock for good. And while Jewel was making such a dramatic change, she was making a statement: Don't label me.

Though raw at times, Jewel showed that she has the talent and spirit to be more than a one-hit album wonder. She also scored points by covering rock icon Patti Smith's ``Dancing Barefoot.''

But if it's polish you want, there was plenty around with McLachlan, Tracy Chapman, Cassandra Wilson and Suzanne Vega, who opened on the main stage.

Vega, who has consistently been an interesting and - at times - powerful songwriter, played an engaging set on acoustic guitar, accompanied by only a bass player. Mostly, she covered her best-known works, such as ``Marlene on the Wall'' and ``Luka.'' Serious songs, but her stage presence said fun. Vega's banter was light and self-deprecating (``I'm from New York; that's why I'm dressed in black''), and her rendition of ``Tom's Diner'' was done with the help of the audience, who got to sing the ``ta-do-do-do-do'' chorus. It was a good time for both Vega and the audience.

Wilson was the star of the second stage, which also had performances by Leah Andreone and Mudgirl.

``Baby, you should be on that other stage,'' a woman in the audience shouted. Although Wilson only shrugged and smiled, the fan was right. Wilson should have been with the rest of the main acts. We can only hope that enough of the crowd caught her quietly sizzling jazz-blues-pop act to boost her career.

McLachlan also sizzled, but in a different fashion. The 55-minute set showcased the range of McLachlan's considerable vocal talents as well as songs from her new album, ``Surfacing.'' That her performance seemed so effortless is a tribute to her, considering that she was the force behind the tour and has been heavily into promoting it. This was compounded by the fact that, as the last act, she followed Tracy Chapman.

How tough was that? After Chapman finished ``Fast Car,'' her first hit, the crowd responded enthusiastically, but as Chapman stood there smiling and acknowledging them, the applause and cheers suddenly swelled louder. It was a moment of unabashed affection for the veteran performer.

It was a defining moment for the whole show. Lilith Fair is a festival that is more than the sum of its parts - more than the music, more than the fans. It's some incalculable combination.

One note: Anyone wanting to know how to put on a festival should use this as a model. It was efficent while not being overbearing.

As for any men who felt left out, they shouldn't have. They had one significant advantage over the women - the lines to the restrooms were a lot shorter.

CAPTION(S):

4 Photos

PHOTO (1) At Lilith Fair at Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre, Cassandra Wilson was the star of the second stage.

(2) Although Paula Cole was over the top, it was clear from the response that she scored with the audience.

(3) Jewel sang her first few songs without a band, playing only an acoustic guitar, and then switched to electric.

(4) McLachlan

Rob Lowman/Daily News