|
All news is attributed to the source from which it was received so that readers may judge the validity of the statements for themselves.
Have Joan Jett news to report? Email us at jettfc@aol.com, and please include the source of the information so it can be validated.
JOAN JETT... Don't Take Her For Granted!
(JOAN JETT Live Review, July 26, 2002)
from: RockHardPlace.com
One of the first records, and yes, I mean "record" as in vinyl, those 12 inch black flat plastic things that you put on a record player, was JOAN JETT's "I Love Rock N' Roll". So when I was given the opportunity to not only see her in concert, but hang out backstage before the show I was more than happy to jump at it.
Let me back up a bit first. We were supposed to interview Joan's partner, producer, manager, keyboard player, etc., etc., etc., KENNY LAGUNA for "The Big Show" on 101.9 "The Box". I set it up and was in charge of getting everyone on the same page. Well, to make a long story short, wires got crossed and it didn't happen... in fact their publicist was kept on hold for around 15 minutes and finally gave up. I was called away on a client call so I wasn't in the building, but when I returned and found out I was mortified!
Laguna has a resume that dates back to the 60's. He's been an integral part of Joan's and many other's careers, and we couldn't pull off the simplest of tasks! That's modern radio for you, we don't have enough staff to wipe our own ass anymore! So after this debacle and my pathetic groveling, I was amazed to have been offered a spot on the guest list.
The show was being held at and Indian Reservation Casino, and this one does a great job of creating that "Las Vegas" atmosphere. The room the show is held in produces a great sound, but the crowd has to sit in chairs which makes it hard to get too crazy during the show. I was a bit concerned with this as JOAN JETT's music is high-energy Rock N' Roll, not some Tom Jones lounge lizard music.
After talking with KENNY LAGUNA and some of the band members, I got my first glimpse of Joan. She was stretching and warming up for the show in the back hallway. Now, as a member of the media, you walk this fine line of trying to show your appreciation while not coming off as a dorky fan. I have yet to master this skill and more often than not come off as the latter. The truth is, I AM fan! This woman's music had a huge influence on my early musical tastes, you could say that without that first record, I might not be who I am today! So trying to be "cool" was pretty much out of the question.
When Kenny called Joan over she was pleasant, but I could sense she was a bit tired perhaps and her mind was on the show. Shortly after that a group of fans showed up for the meet and greet. I nonchalantly leaned over to Joan and said "Do you ever get tired of these?", again, trying to act like I know what I'm talking about. She replied, "Nah, I'm glad just to have fans." and walked towards the group.
I had to smile at this point, I knew I hadn't met someone who hasn't been jaded by stardom and who appreciates what she has going for her. On one hand I was saying "that was a stupid thing to ask", but on the other, I'm glad I did because I got an answer that increased my respect for her.
Kenny made sure we had excellent seats for the show, in fact we sat about 20 feet from Joan backstage... how cool is that! At this point, I don't think it had struck me yet that this WAS JOAN JETT, and I WAS watching from backstage! After they kicked into "Bad Reputation" it soon hit me and a smile came across my face that couldn't be removed with a crowbar.
Since there was no opening act for the show, the crowd was still moving around a little and finding their seats. But by the time they hit "Do You Wanna Touch Me (Oh Yeah)" a few songs in, the crowd was settled and all fired up. It was at this point that I realized that JOAN JETT has become taken for granted. This is Rock N' Roll at it's truest form, hard, heavy, nasty and sweaty. Looking into the crowd you'll see a huge mixture of people from all ages, race and backgrounds. With all the "genres" and flavor-of-the-weeks out there, Jett's music stands the test of time... and most of us don't appreciate what's going on here.
You've Country Music that's leaned to far into the Rock genre it's about to tip over. You have "Kid Rock" who even though he as the term "Rock" in his name plays every variation imaginable. You have your "Rap-Rock and Rap-Metal" that defies logic to those of us traditionalists. There's very few left who can claim to be "all about Rock" like JOAN JETT. She's keeping this music alive through her awesome covers of the Classics and her original brand of Rock N' Roll. So while other's are busy trying to find the latest thing, JOAN JETT AND THE BLACKHEARTS still go out and knock out traditional Rock N' Roll to anyone who'll listen.
They played the songs you'd expect to hear, like "Light Of Day", "I Love Rock N' Roll", "I Hate Myself For Lovin' You", "Crimson And Clover" along with "Cherry Bomb" and "The French Song". Then there was some you didn't really expect, but thoroughly enjoyed, "Fetish" and "I Wanna Be Your Dog". Joan oozed her sexuality on these two, reminding me why I STILL have a crush on her, 22 years after buying her first record. Hearing the crowd bark and howl like dogs just showed how easily she held the crowd in the palm of her hand, not to mention it was just damn funny!
One of my all-time favorite songs from her library is "Love Is Pain" so I was thrilled to hear it done live. Overall, the entire show flowed very well, she was able to slow it down from time to time with songs like "Baby Blue" which just added emphasis to her punchier numbers like "The Mary Tyler Moore Theme" that was used by ESPN for the WNBA.
Let's face it, at this point in JOAN JETT's career she could simply put it on cruise-control, but after seeing the show I realize she still has the drive and the fire inside her. The show, from a production standpoint, seemed flawless. The BLACKHEARTS are obviously very accomplished musicians and it shows.
The show seemed to fly by, when in reality it was longer than normal. For an encore she did "Science Fiction" from "Rocky Horror Picture Show" and then the fitting "Everyday People". Overall, one of the better pure Rock N' Roll shows you'll see. She has been as consistent of performer as you'll find, next to maybe AC/DC, she's never strayed from the formula that's worked for her.
I can't tell you how glad I was I made this show. Sometimes you need a wake-up call to make you realize where your roots are. JOAN JETT doesn't try to confuse you with artistic garbage. Her music makes you feel good, it makes you feel alive and THAT'S what it's all about. I hope the next time Joan's in your area you check out the show. Don't take JOAN JETT or Rock N' Roll for granted, they both deserve better.
|
| |
This Week:
No shows scheduled this week.
Click on the LIVE DATES link for upcoming shows |
Item Of The Month:
|
