the truth is in the details

Another day, another night. I just saw Joe Jackson last night and it was simply awesome. I was a little scared because... well, I honestly don't like a lot of his "newer" stuff (although, the new album, Night and Day 2, is quite good). Since was the tour for the new album, there was a lot off of it but he did play a whole bunch of songs off "night and day," "body and soul," and "Look Sharp." The highlights of the night for me were him playing "it's different for girls," "you can't get what you want (till you know what you want)," "one more time," "breaking us in two," "be my number two," and "got the time" (which was played at a break neck speed. I don't know how they did it).

Problems? Yes, there were a few. In the first part the drums and percussion were much louder than the rest of the band (which included a keyboard player, violin, cello, and long-time bassist, Graham Maby). That and Joe didn't talk to the crowd the whole time.Then there was a fifteen minute break, at which point I thought all my worst fears about Joe being a complete dick were coming true. But the second half was completely different. The first three or four songs it was just Joe and a piano. Yeah, he screwed up the words and some of the "improv" things didn't work, but it seemed he was enjoying playing. That make the show so much better when the preformer gives the impression that he's enjoying himself.

The greatest part of the night was when he ended with "A Slow Song." Anyone who owns Night and Day knows that the albums worth buying just for this song. The "idea" behind the song is some guy wants to bridge a gap with his girlfriend by going to a club for a last, slow dance. Problem is that the DJ won't play a slow song. Hence, the irony of Joe singing a slow song about a DJ that wouldn't play a slow song. Anyway,. that's the last song the played and it was a show stopper. Through out the whole song, different members of the band would leave the stage. First the percussion and drums left, then the string section, and final the keyboard player left. The only people left on the stage where Joe and the bassist. Thinking the bassist would leave first, it was Joe that left first. The last person on stage was the bassist, who had been with Joe since the first album. It was pretty cool.