Joe Jackson At Town Hall

j

So sometimes when the music stops, I seem to hear a distant sound

of waves and seagulls, football crowds and church bells.

And I wanna go back to my home town,

though I know it'll never be the same,

back to my home town, 'cause it's been so long,

and I'm wondering if it's still there...

h

- excerpted from Home Town by Joe Jackson

;

As I surveyed the crowd I jotted down the following: "Back in 1978 Joe Jackson fans thought they'd be teenagers forever. Now, in 2006, while no longer teenagers, they remain fans." At the end of the show Joe came back out and said that in 1978 when he released his first album he never dreamt that he'd even be alive in 2006, let alone performing to a sold out crowd in Town Hall. He seemed genuinely grateful, for everything.

-

The three guys in their business suits and goaties dancing in the front row said it all with enthusiasm. I'd like to believe that they were much older than me. I appreciate my brother's comment that I may have been the youngest audience member there. But if that's so, it was by a metaphorical hair. These men were transformed back to the hometowns, back to their youth. And Joe Jackson did that for them.

Q

The talent of this man is remarkable. His playing and singing is in its own realm. He played together with bassist Graham Maby and drummer Dave Houghton (pointing out that "yes it is possible to make good music without guitar"). These are the original members of his band that broke up in 1980, and they sound like it's just a minute later. They sing and play in such an in synch way that it's like they're one unit (though he stands out, and made that clear by starting and ending on stage alone).

w

There is something about Joe Jackson and his bandmates that is a cut above. I am grateful to have seen this show with my brother (HSLABW), in our first outing like this since The Sunshine Boys with Randall and Klugman. Good night and G-d bless.