Students looking for a good time, good company and good music filled the Stein last Thursday for an evening of inspiring music from activist and singer-songwriter Pamela Means. Sponsored by over a dozen club, including Students for Environmental Action and the Brandeis University Recycling Program, the event benefited the Local Action, Global Impact project.Rebecca Katz '05 opened the evening with covers that included "Breakfast at Tiffany's" and "Storming the Castle." During "Tiffany's," the audience got involved, singing and clapping along with the chorus.

Following Katz, Means took the stage, providing a clear and vivid presence with her voice and guitar. Many of her songs had an overt political message.

Every note of Mean's performance was filled with vibrant enthusiasm and energy. Her whole body moved passionately as she sang. She discussed her sources of inspiration between songs.

She started with "Truth," a work detailing her belief that anyone can make a difference. Emphasizing the maxim, "truth is ammunition," Means discussed the importance of self-expression.

"OD" discussed the political clout of the oil industry. In the song, she sang about what she saw as the dubiousness of the Bush administration's connection to such companies, and injustices that have surfaced as a result.

"James Cameron" was about a man from her hometown of Milwaukee who founded America's Black Holocaust Museum.

Serious songs were interspersed with pieces about love. Even as the pieces grew more lyrical, Means still injected a soulful emotion into her works with softness absent from her more politically-charged material.

Still, most songs shared both a common political theme and a strong beat. Means' vibrant music and a vivid enthusiasm delighted her audience throughout the show.