After an audience request for “Undertow,” Bareilles said with a shrug, “Sure, I’ll sing it.” She warned everyone she hadn’t rehearsed this one and might stop if she starts messing up.

The concert had a casual tone, with Bareilles simply walking up to the piano, saying hi to the audience and joking about someone having spilled a drink on stage already. The show featured a variety of songs, including hit singles such as “King of Anything” and “Love Song,” but there was also room for plenty of older material, including opening song “Love on the Rocks” and “Let the Rain.” The songs had unique arrangements, with Bareilles providing the music herself on the piano or guitar.

Bareilles’ powerhouse vocals filled the room, and during the between-song banter, she interacted directly with the audience. With no band or opening act, the show featured more than an hour and a half of stripped-down versions of classic hits and songs off her next album, which will be released in July. The intimate Park West theater was the perfect location for the sixth stop on Bareilles’ Brave Enough tour. Sara Bareilles was quick to state the obvious at Thursday night’s sold-out show in Chicago, mentioning how close the audience was to the stage.

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