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BSJ 07 JOAN JETT AND THE BLACKHEARTS
from: valleyplanet.com
by By Jennifer Roberts
It had been years since I’d been to the Big Spring Jam. After a decade and a half of attending music festivals and packed shows, I’ve developed intolerance for masses of strange, sweaty people rubbing against me. I ate that lifestyle up with a spoon in my early twenties, but times change. However, this year I braved the crowds with my photographer friend, Beverly, to see the Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll—JOAN JETT. And I’m so glad I did.
When I first saw the lineup, JOAN JETT jumped off the page. Among the Eddie Grant, Donna Summers, Toni Basil, and Sheena Easton 45s in my collection is "I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll." I was five years old when it was released, and two days before my 31st birthday, I finally got the chance to hear it live for the first time.
The band kicked the show off at the Rocket 95.1 stage with another oldie but goodie, "Bad Reputation." I liked this song long before it hit the "Shrek" soundtrack, but somehow I still found myself visualizing Donkey rolling around on a barrel and kicking butt. That thought led me to yet another of my coveted 45s—Eddie Murphy’s recording of the 1985 Rick James tune "Party All the Time." And then I looked up to find a taut, spunky brunette who doesn’t appear to have aged a day since 1981. Her outfit was nearly identical to the one she wore on the cover of the band’s 1996 release entitled "Great Hits." I didn’t have binoculars with me, but from just a few rows back, I’d have guessed she and I are about the same age rather than two decades apart.
Jett’s striking vixen looks were quite a spectacle, but so was the audience. The entire population of Huntsville seemed to be represented by jovial fans, from multi-generational punk rockers to soccer moms to corporate executives. I spent just as much time watching the audience as I did the act. Everyone was very respectful of each other’s space. There was dancing but no moshing. I wouldn’t expect an older crowd to mosh anyway, but with the younger population well represented, I didn’t know what to expect. It was all a pleasant and appreciated surprise.
The band’s energy did drop off here and there, but it returned for "I Hate Myself for Loving You," the show’s climactic song. The bulk of the show’s emphasis was on the promotion of their new album, but being hopelessly stuck in the ‘80s like I am, I was admittedly there for the classics.
In closing, I’d like to say thanks to the Big Spring Jam for making my childhood dream of seeing JOAN JETT live come true…And for providing a plethora of funnel cake and lemonade vendors that were as easy to spot at any given moment as a Starbucks in Seattle. Looks like this semi agoraphobic-claustrophobic music lover will be back for more of this kind of fun in ’08.
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