What should have been an electric evening of unplugged music last Thursday night turned out to be a low-wattage fizzle when Sheryl Crow took the stage at the pint-size Roxy nightclub in West Hollywood. With Crow's latest album, "The Globe Sessions," at No. 15 on the Billboard chart and a stadium tour on hold until next year, the show offered fans, friends, and industry flacks a rare chance to spend some time up close and personal with the singer, who appeared sans band, opening act, and showbiz glitter. But even as Crow tried to rally enthusiasm with longtime tour guitarist Tim Smith by her side, the intimate evening turned out to be unplugged in more ways than one.

While Crow launched into such hits as "Everyday Is A Winding Road," "My Favorite Mistake," "Leaving Las Vegas," and "If It Makes You Happy" with businesslike efficiency, she seemed to have little energy to give to the proceedings. When handed a glass of red wine towards the beginning of her set, the singer cracked that the liquor might help the show go down smoother, but the unfortunate truth was that the evening could have used a shot of something stronger.

Without her band, Crow had no one except Smith to play off of, and the lack of backup only served to highlight that Crow's voice, albeit charming, is a limited instrument. Of course, the singer-songwriter had her work cut out for her, performing for an eclectic, industry-heavy crowd that included a hatless Dwight Yoakam, "Armageddon" star Owen Wilson, and "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch" actress Caroline Rhea. A representative for Crow explained that the show was a chance for the singer to try something different. With any luck, the next time the "All I Wanna Do" gal takes the stage, she'll remember to have more fun.