|
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.
Operation Paso Robles
from: Jetlag
|
Timing is everything. Take the three-minute egg, for example. Undercook it and you'll have to drink it with a straw; overcook and you can bounce it off the wall like silly putty. Timing is extremely crucial, as well, when one plans on attending a JOAN JETT gig with general admission seating - timing and strategy, since the gig in question was not going to be just another JOAN JETT show; it was going to be a doubleheader! And so, with the Paso Robles, California, concert date fast approaching, west coast Jettheads began a series of secret communiqués with only one goal in mind, securing the front row seats for the most loyal of all jettheads, the message board fanatics! Using cryptic identification tags like Sacto grrrl, Brettjett, and KJGJett, we communicated stealthily by way of the board, asking and answering vaguely coded questions like,
"Who's going to Paso Robles?"
And, "Where do ya want to meet?"
After developing a plan of attack, we synchronized watches and agreed to rendevous at 1700 hours on the day of the big event at the main gate of the concert venue. There we would secure our swiftest runners to dash inside, once the gates were opened, and snag those seats directly in front of the "Great One" herself. O.K., this plan was shot all to hell because the gates were already open and anyone could just walk in and sit down, but still, it was a great plan!
Most of the troops had secured those front row spots by 16:30 hours and that left nothing more to do than determine bathroom breaks, beer runs, and discuss with security the likelihood of being able to stand in front of the stage once the music blasted forth.
After that the waiting game got a little tense because of a troubling rumor circulating that we all might get the boot during sound check. Fortunately, that didn't happen and so we watched in happy fascination as roadies set up gear and various BLACKHEARTS appeared from time to time to tune instruments and smile at the truly obsessed who were constantly screaming out their names.
When the first set got underway and Joan and the boys (Tommy, Sammy, Kenny, and Dougie) took the stage, momentary chaos ensued as we shot out of our seats and jockeyed for position directly in front of the stage. It can be rough beating out several hundred people, all swarming forward at one time, but victory is sweet; we were in the front and Joan, as always, was in great form! Customary leather pants in place, complemented by a very cool looking mesh top, she rocked out loud and hard. The opening song, "Bad Reputation", always a good choice, got fans in the mood and they screamed incessantly for the first forty-five minute set. She belted out thirteen songs in that time including, "100 Feet Away" from Album and "Long Time" from Glorious Results of a Misspend Youth, new additions to the most recent set list. As always, it was great fun watching Joan work her audiences. Of course, everyone wanted to "touch", and even the little kids in the audience had the "yea, oh, yea" nailed ("Dog" was out, however, and I've always enjoyed watching people bark like little doggies!)
About five songs into the show she busted out with "Androgynous" which is the one point in the show where most of us take our eyes momentarily off Joan and gaze in the direction of guitarist, DOUGIE NEEDLES. He was wearing his bright red pleather mini-skirt, sans pants this time, and looked exceptionally fetching. That universal question frequently bantered about when seeing a Scotsman wearing a kilt popped into my head, but I let it go.
After the first gig ended, the dedicated and devoted scurried back to their seats to await the second coming as some of the first crowd wandered off and a new audience moved in. This time, security guys, who for the most part had been really easy going during the first show, got a little stricter and told everyone they were going to have to sit down until the second concert got well underway. So, we all grumbled and gripped loudly and when that didn't work, we pretended to head back to our seats, very, very slowly, that is until the first Blackheart hit the stage. Security didn't have a chance! Darkness had settled, the stage lights were throbbing, it was hot, and the fans were rowdy and ready to see Joan and do some serious rocking. We were as one with the Joan! There was one wardrobe change - a red and black latex top had rep laced the green mesh one Joan wore earlier - you know, the one she tugs on to drive the lovelorn crazy! Looking oh so hot, she opened the second set with "Science Fiction" and so vocal was the crowd, that it was actually difficult to hear the lyrics. Later, she got a bit personal with the fans explaining the background to "Rubber and Glue" before launching into that tune. It was a nice surprise.
The second set had a different feel to it than did the first, but I enjoyed it much more. For one thing the crowd was much more diverse. It was amazing to see little jettheads-in-training, Teen-agers, middle-agers, and even a few seniors, seeming to know the lyrics to, and sing along with, every song. A chorus numbering in the hundreds backed Joan! The second set also provided an opportunity for us to see Joan as a mere mortal! When the band broke out into "Real Wild Child", Joan was breaking out into something else (don't ask - I don't know). Always the pro, she quickly caught the error, finished the song, and went round to each of the guys to apologize afterward - just a little insignificant thing, but cool to see.
As with many of Joan's concerts, there were some rather interesting and amusing sideshows taking place. The first stage crasher made his attempt to reach Joan rather early in the evening. The ever-vigilant Elliot ran the miscreant down and hurtled down off the stage right on top of him. We didn't know Elliot could move that fast! The second stage crasher was a little spookier. As Joan was hitting the chorus of "Crimson and Clover", a preppy-looking gentleman approached from her left and stood probably less than three feet away for a good five seconds before security spotted him and ran him down somewhere behind Tommy and his drum set. This guy was so slick; some of us thought for a moment he was part of the show - a contest winner or something (you know, be a Jett back-up singer for a day or something). Joan was sooo... cool. She had to know he was there, but she kept right on singing and didn't miss a beat. It was the last guy, however, that proved just how professional, and savvy, Joan really is. A product of too few brain cells and too much beer, this guy began shoving his way through the crowd during one of the last numbers of the evening. He mowed down people like grass before finally making his way front and center. After being pushed and nearly falling myself, I deliberated whether or not to embed my camera into the side of his head, but Joan came to the edge of the stage, mic in hand. All she said was, "no" and "don't". She repeated it very calmly several times until he realized she was actually talking to him. At that point he caved and where he ended up after the security guys got him is anybody's guess. Again, I was totally amazed at how cool and calm she was about the whole thing.
When the love duet between Joan and Dougie's guitars ended the "Everyday People" encore, and the masses began filtering out of the venue, I was still stoked. Meeting fellow message-boarders was great and we had executed our front row coupe as planned (more or less), two shows in one night was truly awesome, and I left knowing that I was going to experience it all over again in two short weeks in my own home state.
Thank you, Joan, for another great evening of real rock n' Roll!
|
| |
This Week:
No shows scheduled this week.
Click on the LIVE DATES link for upcoming shows |
Item Of The Month:
|
