I saw a most amazing concert the other night. I’ve never considered myself a huge fan of Jewel, but I like her music. Well, it just so happened that my sister had bought two tickets to see Jewel in concert at the Ferguson Center for the Arts at Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Virginia. It was a birthday present for herself — the concert was Sunday, November 19 and her birthday was Wednesday, November 22. Her husband was supposed to go with her, but unfortunately, he ended up having duty that day. Ah, the trials of military wives. Anyhow, I ended up being the lucky one to go with my sister instead. I was amazed!
Steve Poltz opened up for Jewel. For those of you who do not who Steve Poltz is, he is one of the reasons why Jewel is so famous today. They met while Jewel was waiting tables at a coffee house in San Diego. He called her up onto the stage with him. The rest, as they say, is history. I think they dated for a while and I know that they wrote her hit song “You Were Meant for Me” together — which, might I add, is the longest running song on the Billboard Top 100. I had heard of Steve from my sister who had seen Jewel in concert four times previously. We actually met him before the concert, but that’s a whole other story. He has a folksy style and reminds me of a cross between Bob Dylan and Dan Zanes. And you all know what a fan I am of Dan Zanes. Steve’s performance was one-of-a-kind, and he even talked to my sister and me (we were in the front row) having recognized us from before the concert. I bought one of his CD’s before we left the concert hall and I listen to it on a daily basis. It is fabulous.
As for Jewel — what else can I say but “WOW!” I am a singer so I enjoy listening to other singers. I also enjoy watching other singers. Watching Jewel and listening to her was one of the most incredible musical experiences of my life. You can tell when someone genuinely loves their music, and she is absolutely one of those people. The expressions on her face were priceless. If you have listened to her music, you can hear that she changes her voice a great deal during her songs. I saw the faces that made those changes. It was incredible. Many performers are just in it for the money and fame, but not her. I can also say that Steve Poltz has quite a passion for his music, but I digress. She ran through an array of old favorites, including “You Were Meant for Me” and “Foolish Games,” as well as some songs from her new album “Goodbye Alice in Wonderland.” At one point, she asked for requests from the audience. My sister was shouting, “Absence of Fear!” because that is here favorite song by Jewel, so I joined. Jewel heard us shouting and said, “‘Absence of Fear.’ Oh my gosh, I don’t know if I remember that one.” Then she looked right at my sister and said, “Have you heard me sing that in concert before?” When my sister said, “Yes, once,” Jewel said, “Wow, you guys must really be fans, huh?” My sister cried practically the entire time because she was so excited.
Overall, I have to say that not only is Jewel a gifted musician, but she is also a great performer. She interacted with the audience, told some anecdotes, and even introduced some of her songs with the stories behind them. It was an amazing night, and I left that concert hall feeling like I had just shared some of Jewel’s life with her. If you ever have the chance to see her in concert, I highly recommend it.
For more information on Steve Poltz and to purchase his music, please visit his web site.
For more information on Jewel, please visit her web site.