A Night With Joan Jett

So, last night I sent out two readers to go see a private show Joan Jett was doing for Yahoo!. Since they have the excalmation point in their name, how does the whole period thing work when it is directly after their name? They should seriously take this kind of s**t into account before they do these kinds of things. Yeah, I'm talking to you, E!, and OK!, and all of the other companies that think you are so cute doing that.

I must forewarn you that the person I sent to do the writing, has been in love with Joan Jett for about 20 years so, that kind of comes through just a touch. Nothing wrong with that. You introduce me to Jose Cuervo and I am going to be doing a little drooling also. Hell of a man.

Anyway, on with the review.

You know who looks absolutely amazing in person? Joan Jett. Seriously. Just looking at her makes you want to commit to a lifetime vegan diet. Last night Joan Jett and the Blackhearts played the last show (#46) of the "Nissan Live Sets on Y! Music" at Fox Studios. Part television taping and part rock and roll revival, the crowd, comprised mostly of young Jett look-a-likes and older biker chicks (with the leather and tatts to prove it), had an awesome time. Make no mistake about it, Joan and company know how to put on a great show launching into "Bad Reputation" followed by "Cherry Bomb" to get the show off to a strong start.

Jett has a new album out called "Sinner" (run out and get it, it's great) off of which she played four songs. Normally when a classic artist plays the new stuff there's a beeline for the bathroom but not here. "Androgynous," "Naked" and "AC/DC" are instant hits and fit right alongside Jett's classics. The first set ended with Jett's traditional audience participation version of "Do You Want To Touch Me" which made it even more of a shame that the band had to stop so Joan could do a q & a with the audience.

Assuming that all the Nissan / Yahoo shows have q & a's, this is one tradition, like my Uncle Ben getting drunk at Thanksgiving and telling off my mother's side of the family, that should be abolished. First, it kills the momentum the artist has built up and second, there's a reason why musicians are musicians. Because they best express themselves through music and not by answering a bunch of well intentioned but so boring I want to blow my brains out questions like, "Since you believe in reincarnation, what will you come back as" and "Have you ever had a great idea for a song and nothing to write it down on?" (The answers are respectively, we all go into an ocean of consciousness and yes.) Joan was a good sport but clearly was uncomfortable and who could blame her? Thankfully, it was time to rock again.

The second set kicked off with the three new songs mentioned earlier then (with that out of the way) The Blackhearts played the songs that made you love them in the first place starting with "Crimson and Clover," "I Hate Myself For Loving You" and closing with Sly Stone's "Everyday People." Now, you might've noticed that "I Love Rock and Roll" wasn't mentioned and that was because Jett didn't play it. Kudos. It was unnecessary and would've felt obligatory.

So, yeah, there was an element of nostalgia but not really because Joan Jett and the Blackhearts can still bring it. They're tight without being slick and Jett (did I mention how totally amazing she looks?) still hits all the notes. Seriously, she looks fantastic. I'm pretty sure that my question for the Q&A would've been: "Can I buy you dinner?" And then, you know, she'd make that hand signal for security to haul me out.