That Christian Siriano dude from “Project Runway” has nothing on Joan Jett in the fierce department.
The ageless singer/guitarist and her Blackhearts landed in Richmond yesterday for the Cinco de Mayo fest on Brown’s Island – a strange pairing given the number of toddlers placed on shoulders and the very adult nature of some of Jett’s songs (not that a 6-year-old would understand “Fetish” or her current cover of Sweet’s “A.C.D.C.,” but still...).
Jett’s set began about 30 minutes late due to an airline issue (apparently her flight from Atlanta was delayed when the aircraft was struck by lightning – presumably on the ground).
Her eventual appearance was all-the-more welcomed considering fans had been waiting more than an hour since the last musical act, Evans Blue, left the stage (the silence was actually an improvement over the Canadian screamo band, which was the musical equivalent of the CRX train rumbling above—except less melodic).
But Jett produced exactly what fans of her three decades of hits could have wanted.
The underappreciated and cautiously optimistic“Light of Day,” the snappy tom-toms and fist-pumping choruses of “Bad Reputation” and “Cherry Bomb,” and even her awesome grit-rock remake of “Love is All Around,” the theme from “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” made appearances during her brisk hour-long set.
Jett is still a stickler for sound, as anyone who has seen her in the past can attest. The pre-show soundcheck was as intricate and obsessive as if the Led Zeppelin reunion were about to take place. And once on stage, Jett spent much of the first handful of songs futzing with her guitar and mouthing commands to a nearby tech.
But, as soon as she turned back to the audience, the smile was on and the hands raised overhead, urging the crowd of about 1,000 to clap along to “Do You Wanna Touch Me” (another one for the kids!) and the iconic “I Love Rock N’ Roll,” which, despite its worn-out jukebox status, still sounded crisp and punchy.
The 49-year-old Jett also performed vigorously, ripping out some tough guitar riffs on “I Hate Myself for Loving You” and relishing the newness of “Five” and “Naked,” from her current album, “Sinner.”
She also looked fantastic. The coal-black shag is back (what was she thinking when she shaved her head and then went to a spiky blonde ‘do several years ago?) and in a skimpy black halter and tight pants (presumably not leather since Jett is a devoted vegetarian), she appeared, well, fierce.
But even though Jett is an indisputable rock chick, she’s never lost her gift for crafting massive hooks and leading the Blackhearts through multi-layered harmonies.
Her encore of Sly and the Family Stone’s “Everyday People” not only epitomized her talents, but seemingly summed up her personal philosophy on life.
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