Morissette bonds with fans at special L.A. gig

submitted by Cesar102684@aol.com

By DEAN GOODMAN

LOS ANGELES, (Reuters) - Hippie vibes and group hugs were the order of the evening as Alanis Morissette played a special concert for some emotional fans at the Museum of Tolerance Thursday. The Canadian pop singer performed eight songs acoustically and answered about a dozen questions from among the 300 audience members at the private gathering. Among the revelations: she's "most likely" going into the studio next month; she has "no idea" what the tone of her new songs will be; she believes "we're all one, we're all connected;" she has rejected Catholicism, but "actually felt very close to God the second I stepped out of religion." Several of her interrogators could barely hold back tears, and one of them asked that everyone hug the person next to them. Most people appeared to comply. The performance was organized by Netcaster Z.com, which will webcast the event beginning Sept. 12 at its site, http://www.club.z.com. Tickets were auctioned off on two Web sites, and fans flew in from as far afield as Argentina, Texas and Florida. Proceeds went to two charities: the Museum of Tolerance, an arm of the anti-Holocaust Simon Wiesenthal Center; and the Active Element Foundation, an anti-capitalist group. Backed by her six-piece band, Morissette played songs drawn mostly from her 1998 studio album, "Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie." The set list included "Can't Not", "Joining You", "I Was Hoping", "So Pure" and "Thank U". Morissette has just finished a three-week tour of countries not generally on most rock stars' itineraries, including Lebanon, Israel, Croatia and Turkey. Before she took the stage Thursday, the audience was treated to a film detailing some of her stops and escapades with local fans.