I just went to the first Jewel concert that I've been too since her Spirit days and I was 13. But let me just tell you, she has gotten better than I could ever have imagined. She is doing a greatest hits tour and has that cd out (of which I bought a signed vinyl of at the show last night in Niagara Falls, NY).
Besides her amazing talent as a singer/songwriter, what I love most about her is her honesty and the way she reaches out to her fans. I constantly see her answering tweets or retweeting her fans. Also, on this tour she is taking REQUESTS for songs. She travels with a BINDER OF SONGS, so she can look up a song if she can't remember it. Granted, she will pick ones she knows better, but she has thrown in a few she hasn't done in years (per her). Looking at the set lists that people have posted on her website forums, she does pretty much the same material (but in a somewhat different order) with a handful different ones from audience request. She also played for almost TWO HOURS. She had no opening act, it was just pure her. No band, just her and guitar.
At this show, she opened with Near You Always (Pieces of You) which is one of my favs from that CD. She sang a lot of older material actually about half of Pieces of You, including Adrian which made me cry (she sang it for a woman she met in the meet and greet who asked her to play it as her son had been in a coma for 10 years). She only did I think 2 of her country songs and 2 brand new songs she has written, plus she YODELED at the end. As far as I can see from past set lists, this is the first time she yodeled all tour!
In addition to doing all this material, they are recording each show so you can buy the CD sleeve at the merchandise table (then later put the info in and get the CD sent to you) of the show you saw!! So no more worrying about getting the show recorded, you can just sit and enjoy!
Now, while I love Vanessa and her work...Jewel is just way more giving in terms of her fans. At the Iheartradio show she did a few weeks ago, she said to audience "I stalk her too" or something along those lines, talking about a fan whose tweets she follows. That's just unreal to me, especially after following the reclusive Vanessa! Don't get me wrong, I know why Vanessa does what she does, or doesn't do what she doesn't do, that's part of why I do like her as much as I do, but it was very refreshing to see Jewel, I'll just say that much.
I am just sad I can't finagle another show. Maybe when she releases another CD which I'm sure she will, she is just full of songs, it's amazing really.
