Livia
06-12-2006, 09:34 AM
Sounds like she really had an off-night...
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/living/articles/2006/06/12/thomas_saves_night_for_flawed_jewel/
MUSIC REVIEW
Thomas saves night for flawed Jewel
By Sarah Rodman, Globe Staff | June 12, 2006
Rob Thomas and Jewel
With Toby Lightman
At: Bank of America Pavilion, Friday night
Jewel may have been the prettier of the big names on the bill at the Bank of America Pavilion Friday night but Rob Thomas ended up being the beauty.
The harsh quality of the Alaskan songbird's set wasn't entirely her fault, however, as she appeared gracious, if a bit subdued, and as committed as ever to her wading-pool-deep poetry pop. Instead it was the oddly flat, washed - out sound mix that did the shrill high end of her voice no favors.
A couple of the tunes broke through , including the bluesy ``Love Me Just Leave Me Alone," the perky, satiric dance pop track ``Intuition" and a sweet and soft acoustic version of ``You Were Meant for Me." But much of the rest -- unconvincing, Stonesy rockers played by her bored - looking band, screechy ballads -- was a wash , especially the unwieldy closer ``Who Will Save Your Soul." Like the call-and-response scatting Jewel did with her guitarist, the hourlong performance was half brilliant, half ear-piercingly unbearable.
After that monochromatic set, Thomas 's storming onstage to the brawny beat of ``This Is How a Heart Breaks " -- stalking and singing with his charming neck-vein-popping intensity in front of a lively band and a bank of video screens -- felt like touching down in the technicolor Oz .
For two hours Thomas showed heart with tenderly sung ballads like the pretty acoustic matchbox twenty song ``The Difference, " pop smarts on hooky tunes like ``Something to Be , " and nerve taking on early '80s covers including a chunky, funky stab at Talking Heads ' ``Burning Down the House " and an acoustic version of Cyndi Lauper's ``Time After Time. "
The crowd was clearly his as well , as they popped up and stayed up singing along to rejiggered version of matchbox hits like ``3 A.M. " and ``Push. "
A spirited run through the Stevie Nicks-Tom Petty duet ``Stop Draggin' My Heart Around with Jewel was fun, even when she goofed the words , and the bouncy ``Lonely No More" was a slick, danceable guilty pop treat.
Of course, like the wizard , Thomas at times offered the illusion that he was doing something greater and more powerful than he actually was, stomping around and making a lot of noise, and the show deflated in places because of it.
This was especially true of a chilled out and self-consciously ``arty" reduction of his smash Santana duet ``Smooth." Without its strutting rhythm , and Santana's signature riff and solo -- replaced by an artless keyboard break -- the performance was a major anti climax. Sort of like seeing the man behind the curtain.
Thomas and Jewel's Atlantic labelmate Toby Lightman got a short shrift opening slot that showed off her impressive pipes .
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/living/articles/2006/06/12/thomas_saves_night_for_flawed_jewel/
MUSIC REVIEW
Thomas saves night for flawed Jewel
By Sarah Rodman, Globe Staff | June 12, 2006
Rob Thomas and Jewel
With Toby Lightman
At: Bank of America Pavilion, Friday night
Jewel may have been the prettier of the big names on the bill at the Bank of America Pavilion Friday night but Rob Thomas ended up being the beauty.
The harsh quality of the Alaskan songbird's set wasn't entirely her fault, however, as she appeared gracious, if a bit subdued, and as committed as ever to her wading-pool-deep poetry pop. Instead it was the oddly flat, washed - out sound mix that did the shrill high end of her voice no favors.
A couple of the tunes broke through , including the bluesy ``Love Me Just Leave Me Alone," the perky, satiric dance pop track ``Intuition" and a sweet and soft acoustic version of ``You Were Meant for Me." But much of the rest -- unconvincing, Stonesy rockers played by her bored - looking band, screechy ballads -- was a wash , especially the unwieldy closer ``Who Will Save Your Soul." Like the call-and-response scatting Jewel did with her guitarist, the hourlong performance was half brilliant, half ear-piercingly unbearable.
After that monochromatic set, Thomas 's storming onstage to the brawny beat of ``This Is How a Heart Breaks " -- stalking and singing with his charming neck-vein-popping intensity in front of a lively band and a bank of video screens -- felt like touching down in the technicolor Oz .
For two hours Thomas showed heart with tenderly sung ballads like the pretty acoustic matchbox twenty song ``The Difference, " pop smarts on hooky tunes like ``Something to Be , " and nerve taking on early '80s covers including a chunky, funky stab at Talking Heads ' ``Burning Down the House " and an acoustic version of Cyndi Lauper's ``Time After Time. "
The crowd was clearly his as well , as they popped up and stayed up singing along to rejiggered version of matchbox hits like ``3 A.M. " and ``Push. "
A spirited run through the Stevie Nicks-Tom Petty duet ``Stop Draggin' My Heart Around with Jewel was fun, even when she goofed the words , and the bouncy ``Lonely No More" was a slick, danceable guilty pop treat.
Of course, like the wizard , Thomas at times offered the illusion that he was doing something greater and more powerful than he actually was, stomping around and making a lot of noise, and the show deflated in places because of it.
This was especially true of a chilled out and self-consciously ``arty" reduction of his smash Santana duet ``Smooth." Without its strutting rhythm , and Santana's signature riff and solo -- replaced by an artless keyboard break -- the performance was a major anti climax. Sort of like seeing the man behind the curtain.
Thomas and Jewel's Atlantic labelmate Toby Lightman got a short shrift opening slot that showed off her impressive pipes .