From The Jam

Family matters pried me away from lockdown on Saturday, and afterwards my brother and I went to see Bruce Foxton and Rick Buckler playing with their current group, From The Jam. We were a little gun-shy about the band playing without ex-front-man/principal songwriter Paul Weller, but it wound up being a great show.

The duo promised to play all The Jam's hits that Weller does not play in his solo shows, and they delivered. Opening with "In The City," they played all the songs with the original energy, crispness, and fervor: "A Bomb in Wardour Street," "All Mod Cons," "Going Underground," "Down in a Tube Station at Midnight," and everything else. Of course, "Smithers-Jones" sounded great. (The guys have indeed aged, but they looked sharp in their suits.)

Russell Hasting did a capable job of handling vocals and, for once, I didn't mind hearing the crowd sing along to every song. That's what he was doing! Big Dave Moore was quite good with the extra axe and keyboards, but the songs were kept in stripped-down, raw mode, with very little organ, string, or other sounds, even in songs like "Town Called Malice."

There aren't too many bands that can play a show where I know every single lyric. Maybe it's because I was in high school when I got into The Jam? Maybe it's because they're just great songs? (I can't imagine Mick Talbot making a From The Style Council band...) I've got to consult Pryor and Tom about this.

If you are even remotely into The Jam, you've got to catch this tour.