Joe Jackson's sold-out Clearwater, Florida debut was nothing short of sterling on June 3, 2017 as the songwriter and pianist treated a packed house to a 21-song, career-spanning set complete with witty and explanational anecdotes. Here's part of what of Gabe had to say is his review:
Taking his seated place on the darkened stage, a glow of purple lights beamed to find Jackson in front of his keyboard and electric piano set up to a round of thunderous applause. Dapperly dressed in black jacket and white dress shirt, the silver-haired, lanky figure wasted no time in making his Clearwater, Florida debut a jaw-dropper by immediately launching into a pristine piano-only version of his 1979 single, “It’s Different For Girls”.
Lumped in as a new wave artist based on his look and the climate of the business at the time his career began, Jackson benefitted from the exposure he gained from music press at the time, but he never really fit any corporate mold as fractured tales of romantic roles like this one proved. Still in fine vocal form and still an exquisite, emotive pianist, the opening number set the stage for the truly magnificent night of music to follow.
Read the rest of the review — and see more of Caesar's photos — here. Listen to a playlist featuring songs from the show below.
This article appears in Jun 1-8, 2017.