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Goodbye Alice

June 09, 2006

ph_jun_jewel.jpg

Lucky me. I saw Jewel in concert last night with my sweet friend Kathleen (who also happens to be the database programmer and application guru for Banjo Bunny.) I fondly refer to her as the "Wizard Behind the Curtain". We sat a picnic table and ate a delicious dinner consisting of wraps, green bean salad and strawberries while watching a gorgeous black horse pace back and forth with a park policeman perched on top on him. I asked Kathleen to come with me to the concert on short notice via an email sent earlier this week, and she quickly replied with a "YES!" email within about 45 seconds. Considering her seemingly unbridled excitement for going to the concert with me, I was highly amused and taken aback when we took our seats inside the pavillion.

"I have no idea who Jewel is!" she giggled.

"You don't? Silly Girl!" I comically smacked her on top of the head with my program. This Kathleen... she's enthusiastic about anything... unafraid to just dive in with both feet into the unknow ocean of Jewel! I attempted to serenade her with some Jewel lyrics, but since I myself hadn't listened to any of her music within the last 2 or 3 years, I couldn't remember any of the melodies, and only bits and pieces of lyrics. I kept saying, "You know, you know.. the HANDS song... mmm, mmmm, mmm... hands are small I know... not yours ... mine you know... never broken.. LA, LA, LA... OH! ~ YOU KNOW the song, I KNOW YOU DO!"

Blank stare from Kathleen with intermittent blinking.

It didn't take long for Kathleen to become a fan. The show opened with Jewel alone on the stage singing the most unique, creative, and mind-blowing accapella rendition of Somewhere Over the Rainbow I've ever heard. It made the hair stand up on the back of my neck. I knew she was good, but damn, that woman has an enormous range, and a variety of personalities to her vocalizations. Surprisingly enough, she's a bit of a stand-up comic too. We had a totally rockin' time.

I didn't bring my longer lens with me (duh), but I did walk half-way down the aisle near the end of the show to snap off this picture. The title song of her new album is Goodbye Alice in Wonderland, and the set was decorated with a transparent scrim showing Alice running out of an enchanted forest and leaving her fantasies behind her. The much bigger curtain shown above with Alice running was revealed at the end of the concert. I loved the illustration, it's so magical ~ and the idea of running away from one's childish fantasies, made me think of what illusions I'm still holding onto in my grown-up life.

{Am I a grown up?}

Anyway... I don't post snap-shotty images here very often, but I was taken by the synchronicity in this picture of Jewel walking off the stage after her final song. If you look to the bottom right of the picture, Jewel's back is to the audience as she walks downstage. She's in exactly the same position as Alice on the screen above her. Kind of cool, isn't it? Too bad I didn't have the right equipment at the time, and I wasn't closer... it always happens this way... you bring all your gear, you don't need it. You don't bring it.. you wish you had it.

Oh.. and for the second encore, Jewel yodeled for the crowd. Her parents are Swiss, and she learned yodeling in her teens. The choice to wrap up the show with something so unique, quirky, and personal really won me over. What a great performance!

Posted by vincent at June 9, 2006 08:25 AM

Comments

I'm happy you had a totally rockin' good time, and even your "snap-shotty" pictures are great.

Posted by: Lynn at June 9, 2006 09:20 AM

...and with the background story and your interpretation of the scene? Nope, not a 'snapshot' at all, rather a 'moment in time'.

Posted by: dan at June 9, 2006 12:11 PM

Do-do-do-do, do-do-do-do.... I was listening to Goodbye Alice in Wonderland not even a hour ago in the car on my way home from work, then tune in to your blog, where I was filled with green envy reading about your evening! Wahhhh... I want to go, I want to go!

Posted by: samtzmom at June 9, 2006 04:37 PM

very cool.

Posted by: candy at June 10, 2006 08:38 AM

You always get the shot from near or far. SO GLAD you had a great time. You'll have to play me some Jewell stuff

Posted by: janet at June 10, 2006 05:16 PM

Wolf Trap! Yeehaw! I was just there on Memorial Day for Garrison Keillor's radio show; planning a trip in August to see Bela Fleck. What a great, beautiful venue. Thanks for the story and the pic - it was excellent!

Posted by: beth at June 10, 2006 09:08 PM