Music Blog - Tom Jones rocks the O2
I've never walked away from a Tom Jones concert disappointed… and things weren't about to change last Monday night at the 02 in Dublin.
Playing a decent blend of both old and new (with plenty of focus on the new), Mr Jones was in flying form once again, bringing his usual brand of energy and fun to the show, with hip thrusts and knickers-collecting (It's a tough job I'm sure but somebody has to do it!)
When I tried to think about what made his shows so entertaining to watch (and participate in) I came up with two things:
1. Tom Jones loves his audience – he seems to really appreciate that everyone has turned out to see him and feeds off the positive vibes in the venue. What's more he talks to the crowd - enjoys a bit of banter, shares a few funny stories and generally encourages people to get involved. (A technical hitch with the sound didn't phase him – why would it? He had jokes about hearing aids and dance moves to try out!)
2. The set-list doesn't really matter – Let me explain this one. I know everyone goes to a concert hoping to hear their favourite tracks and, especially in the case of a seasoned performer like Tom Jones, someone is always going to be left wanting. There just aren't enough hours in the day to cover all the hits. But with Tom Jones, I've never come away from a gig saying: "Aw, he didn't play that" or "I really wanted to hear such and such". I always enjoy the new songs as much as the old ones that I can sing along to. Why? Because his voice is so powerful that you're just left in awe of that. Honestly, I'd say that I'd be just as impressed listening to him singing a car manual!
And I think that it says a lot about him that he constantly talks about the earlier days in his career (performing stripped-back country versions of his songs from his club days), always seeming to remember his roots. It's refreshing to see a performer, especially one this famous, who really seems to appreciate his career and his fans.
Don't give up any time soon Tom!
Linda McGee
