When Paula Cole released This Fire in 1996, she wasn't just delivering a collection of hits; she was lighting a match under the industry’s expectations of what a female singer-songwriter could be. This year marks the 30th anniversary of this double-platinum masterpiece and its legacy feels more vital than ever. This Fire wasn't just the birthplace of the catchy Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?, which mixed 90s pop with a "tongue-in-cheek" country-western aesthetic, and the Dawson’s Creek theme song I Don’t Want To Wait - it was a technical and cultural milestone. By self-producing the record, Paula became the first woman in history to be solely nominated for the Producer of the Year Grammy, shattering a glass ceiling that had existed for decades.
I was thrilled when she announced a 30th anniversary tour on her social media accounts: “30 YEARS AGO "This Fire" came into the world and changed my life. So I'm hitting the road with my amazing band THIS FALL 2026 to celebrate this pivotal album. Let's share the stories, the songs, and this fire that still burns.”
I got a ticket to the opening show of the tour at NYC’s Webster Hall. She performed the smoldering seminal album in its entirety, supported by a three-person band and with stunning visuals of soothing imagery from nature, ranging from birds to flowers to shimmering water. It was an intimate, emotionally charged performance that triggered a flood of memories - I may have got a little teary thinking of my teenage self listening to the album in my room. Paula was also visibly overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support she got from the audience, declaring that the moment would be something she remembered for the rest of her life.
I have to say, shoutout to the dare I say more mature audience for showing the artist some respect by not talking through the more somber moments and not making the experience all about themselves (sorry but a Gen Z-dominated concert where everyone thinks their commentary is more important than the music, or anyone around them, is just not an enjoyable experience).
The complete setlist was as follows:
Dirty Words/Running
Chiaroscuro
Suwannee Jo
Red Corsette
Tiger
Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?
Throwing Stones
Carmen
Mississippi
Nietzsche’s Eyes
Road to Dead
Me
Feelin' Love
Hush, Hush, Hush.
I Don't Want to Wait
Encore:
I Believe in Love
Wildflower
Flying Home
Imagine (John Lennon cover)
Dreams (Fleetwood Mac cover) with Joan as Police Woman
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