Jackson Browne - Fan Letters & Reviews
July 2001
I'm just in from the concert at the Nissan Pavilion. When we arrived Jackson was still in the middle of his soundcheck, and we got to listen to him warm up for a good 15 or 20 minutes. They were late letting people into the seating area because he took so long.
He was in fine form. He sounded great, looked great, and said if we felt half as good tonight as he felt, we were feeling fine. He wore black pants and shoes and a sort of tan colored button front shirt.
There were no real surprises. He started at 7 30 sharp, and played:
From The Pretender on, Scott Thurston joined the band and played along. The crowd was very receptive to Jackson, and at least where I was sitting, well mannered during his segment. He played for an hour.
Petty's only mention of Jackson was when he introduced Scott. He said we'd seen Scott earlier when he was playing with Jackson.
It was nice. I'm just sorry it was so short!
Well, unlike most of these other postings, I have not recently seen JB, not since last summer with his acoustic tour. But OH what a tour that was! To see and hear him play all those old favorites, songs I never thought I'd hear him play in concert, was such an incredible thrill. I have seen Jackson several other times with a full band, etc., but that concert made me happier than any concert I have ever attended! Just Jackson and his guitar(s) and piano... what more does one need? It also came at a pivotal point in my life... don't mean to place too much importance on a celebrity's appearance, but I think many of us can agree that Jackson's music touches us each very personally. I am hoping that a compilation of some of those acoustic dates might be made into an album. And Jackson, Iowa is really not such a bad place to live!!!
I spent last night at the Nissian pavilion at the JB and Tom Petty concert. It's my 5th JB concert in about 4 years. The last time I saw him was in Richmond on the acustical tour and that was fantasitc. Very intimate and personal.
This time way different. The pavilion is a huge place. There were swarns of people. The lawn area was a huge sea of bodies and glow sticks. To me it looked like a big ant hill. The pavilion was very nice too and almost full. The croud was mainly there to see Tom Petty. It seemed to be a mix crowd. The plus 30 crowd (I'm 44) and the 20 something crowd.
We got there right at 7:30 and Jackson was already playing, Boulevard, Fountiain of Sorrow, I'm Alive, Barracages of Heaven, Prentender, Miles Away, (sun goes down in the USA - World in Motion?) encore Running on Empty and maybe one or two others during the hour set. I think one of the guys that plays with him in his video is on the heartbreakers and played some during his set. Also , there was this new young backup signer, Jennifer?
Anyway, JB seems very relaxed, confident and they sounded great. The only time he played piano was on Running On Empty. They didn't have the big screens on for his performance so it was hard to see things close up from our position. Tom Petty really put on a great show, playing his greatest hits. I think the graying beard is cool but it makes him look older.
Don't know if they hooked up for the encore because we split to beat the traffic. In summary another great time for everyone (everyman) including the bands.
Not vintage Jackson Browne, probably because I have never heard him open before. It must be tough to play your heart out with only about 40% of the crowd sitting and half of them not paying much attention. He was good vocally, but the drums were too strong. The rest of the band was OK, however, the lead guitar, Goldberg or something like that, seemed off a little. Is this a makeshift group?
Same songs as the other Tom Petty, Jackson shows except I don't remember Next Voice You Hear. Also, I stayed for the whole show and Jackson never came back out. Too bad they didn't save "Running on Empty" for the Heartbreakers to perform with Jackson.
I came to see Jackson Browne and left thinking he did a fine job, considering the circumstances. I also left knowing that Tom Petty has a hell of a band around him, especially lead guitar, drums, and Scott Thurston. "Running Down a Dream was a powerful song and had everyone up for most of his set. Breakdown, Even the Losers, and Refugee were others that I thought were great. This crowd was a Saturday night, Tom Petty loving group. They were very loud and it looked like Petty was appreciative. Once again, he has a great band.
There were meteorological cataclysms in Matawan, New Jersey tonight, not too far from the Holmdel, NJ stage where Jackson Browne and friends took to the stage. A cold front collided with the stagnant heat, causing a tornado and a hailstorm and an end to the enveloping heatwave. This was surely a harbinger - since Jackson and band were making a long-awaited return to the New York area.
Jackson appeared relaxed in a gray-green shirt and bluejeans as he performed what has come to be known as "The Unvarying Set List for the Summer 2001 Tour with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers". Same set as the one in Northern Virginia 6/30. But a generous set it was, as JB was permitted to grace the stage for an hour. Many opening acts are granted a forty-minute time allotment. There were no musical moments that stood out for the habitual Jackson concert-goer - he was in usual fine voice and the band gave excellent support. Jackson indulged in some small talk of the "Thanks for coming out tonight" variety, but did lengthen his introduction to "Barricades of Heaven" by saying that it was a song about growing up in Southern California, then he corrected himself by saying it could be about growing up anywhere, stating "I can almost say I grew up around here, actually."
He was very warmly received by the audience. Where I was sitting, my neighbors listened with attention. In fact, the entire front sections were on their feet for the boisterous encore "Doctor My Eyes". A woman to my right asked me, "What is the name of the band?" and although the hallowed name meant nothing to her, I could see she was enjoying the set even though she had come to see the headliner.
I must say that the management of the PNC Bank Center at Garden State offer very little of the comforts of Carnegie Hall, the first venue I saw Jackson perform at, nearly thirty years ago. I was not permitted to bring my umbrella into the Center, despite the rain and my pleadings with the security guard. There must be a logical reason for this, I suppose it can be used as a weapon. So I was required to drop my umbrella in a growing pile near the security checkpoint. I did not stick around for Tom Petty so I took the pick of the umbrella litter from the large pile upon my exit, not finding my own. And the bathroom facilities were limited, the youthful rain-soaked Petty-worshipping beer drinkers relieved themselves in the sinks rather than wait their turn.
I hope that when I see the Jones Beach show Thursday they will offer more than one size of commemorative T-shirt. Unfortunately, they were only selling mediums, way too small for this growing boy.
I sat in the 3rd row at the PNC Bank Arts Center, in Holmdel, N.J. The weather turned beautiful -- cool and breezy, by show time, after hours of torrential rain and wind. Jackson came out promptly at 8:00, looked relaxed, and played an hour long set, identical to the ones previously written. His band, which consisted of four or five (when Scott Thurston was out) players, all of whom play with him regularly (with the exception of a new and quite attractive back-up singer), sounded impressively full. The highlight, for me, was "Fountain of Sorrow," even if it was a bit rished. He played the opening notes of "Sky Blue and Black," but that proved to be a teaser as he went on to something else.
I did not stay for the whole Tom Petty set. The Heartbreakers are a first-rate band, with unusually accomplished musicians -- each of them. They played the staples, but I found their performance largely lackluster and uninspired.
I would pay to hear Jackson sing names from the phone book. With that in mind, even with this abbreviated set, it was well worth it.
I saw JB again last night, so here's another quick review for you ... once again, Jackson looked great, smiled alot and appeared to be having fun last night. For the fashion conscious among us, looked like he was wearing an army green T-shirt and dark slacks from where I was sitting in the 300 level ...
The only change from the Camden show was the deletion of The Next Voice You Hear from the regular set and the addition of an encore -- Doctor My Eyes. In my opinion, this made perfect sense and made the show flow much better... Jackson is already battling at least some of the crowd for attention in the first half of the set, with people wandering in and trying to find their seats (although more people seemed to be seated earlier in the set than they were in Camden), talking, spilling beer on each other, you know the drill ... having The Next Voice You Hear in the set does little to really grab the audience's attention (although I do think this song always sounds better live)... don't get me wrong, I'm a fan so I am happy to hear it, but the casual listeners in the Petty audience seemed to respond to what they knew ... so the addition of a proper encore and making it a hit like Doctor My Eyes was, I think, the better way to go with the time constraints Jackson had to work with ...
I had the good fortune to see Jackson open for Tom Petty at the Art Center in Holmdel, NJ. Here's a copy of the set list: "Boulevard," "Fountain Of Sorrow," "I'm Alive," "Barricades Of Heaven," "Miles Away," "World In Motion," "Somebody's Baby," "The Pretender," "Running On Empty," and "Doctor My Eyes." While there were so many songs that were sorely missed--like "In The Shape Of A Heart," "That Girl Could Sing," "Sky Blue And Black," and so many more, it was still great to see him. It was a little disappointing that not only did he not do a new song he didn't even mention working on a new album. Still, it was well worth the hefty ticket price. This brief Jackson Browne fix will have to hold me over until he finishes the record and goes out on a tour to promote it. Fans should try to catch Browne in this unusual opening act situation if they can. I'm certainly glad I did.
Peace,
I saw Jackson on Saturday 6/30 at the Nissan Pavillion in Northern Va. I was seated in the rear middle section of the pavillion but was greatly bummed at first because I brought the binoculars only to leave them in the car. The large comcast video screens were not on for Jackson and his band, I think this is normal procedure at Nissan to turn on the screens at dark for the main act. Jackson followed the same set as mentioned earlier (minus Next Voice You hear) but adding Dr. My Eyes. I was walking in when I heard Boulevard start so I ran to my seat wishing I had made better time (with binocs). Miles Away was played with the similar variation mentioned earlier giving it a shuffle or kind of bluesy groove- an improvement. The band sounded stronger on the second half of the set with the addition of Scott Thurston. I think that a large outdoor venue like this needs a larger band to get a fuller sound.
It was'nt the ideal way for me to see Jackson being that it was not his show and he sort of took a back seat. He certainly won over the arriving crowd however and obviously had many of his own fans in toe from the looks of the standing crowd toward the end of the set. Early in the set Jackson had made a hand motion for someone to be turned up (I think the bassist) Kevin McCormick? Jackson was in good spirits and mentioned it was a great way to be spending his summer (playing before Tom Petty.) I wondered about the depth of his sincerity as this was a sudden change in his summer plans. Jacob Dillon was going to be the opening act but something happened. He paid Petty his due respect but I was disappointed that the gesture was not returned. Petty never mentioned Browne- accept to mention that Thurston joined him in his set. JB introduced Thurston as a Heartbreaker which suprised me. I had forgotten he was with them if I knew at all, and he has been with JB since the late 80s.
I echo the sentiment of other writers in hoping JB comes out with his new Album soon and follows with his own tour. I also missed the keyboards and vocals of Luis Conte who is hangin with sting right now. I am a little concerned about "the band" which seems to be branching off into different things and as always I miss the hard to replace David Lindley when he is not around. If anyone has some info. about the future of the band I'd be interested to know. I'm sure Jackson isn't short of options. Jackson, if you are doing smaller venues in the Wash. D.C. area in the future it would be great to see you at the Birchmere in Alexandria, VA. It is small but some great players and writers pass through there to be seen by a more serious music loving crowd. Hope to catch CPR there this summer. Thanks for a great webpage Russ! I hope you can fit my letter.
Webmaster's Reply:Jackson has had the same band for much of the past decade. But they need to have other projects to pay the bills between Jackson's tours. (It's been more than five and a half years since Jackson released a new studio album.) So each member of the band has been off doing their own thing... performing with Tom Petty, James Taylor, Sting and many others. Let's face it, Jackson has a fantastic band with some very top talent!! In the past few years, keyboardist Jeff Young has released a wonderful solo album and a couple of albums with trios he has worked with. He's currently on tour with Sting but has also recently toured with Alanis Morissette. Visit Jeff Young's website at www.jeffsmusicalworld.com.
Guitarist Mark Goldenberg (who has worked with Chris Isaak, Peter Frampton, Bonnie Raitt, and Ziggy Marley among others), Bassist Kevin McCormick (who has worked with Melissa Etheridge, John Mayall, Nils Lofgren, Roy Buchanan) and drummer Mauricio "Fritz" Lewak (who has worked with Melisssa Etheridge, Vonda Sheppard, and Bonnie Raitt) formed their own band with vocalist Jennifer Gross (who is singing backup with Jackson on the current shows with Tom Petty). Their band is called Love Nugget and they released an excellent CD called The Love Is On. More information is available on their website at www.lovenugget.com.
Backup vocalist Valerie Carter recently released an album called Find A River which was produced by Mark Goldenberg. Mark, Kevin, Fritz, and Jeff all backed Valerie on the album, which was released on Canyon International. She's currently on tour as a backup singer for James Taylor, with whom she has worked for a very long time. She also just released a "sampler" collection called Vanilla Grits which is available from her website. More information on Valerie can be found at www.valeriecarter.com
Percussionist, and Grammy winner Luis Conte has worked with Madonna, Eric Clapton, Phil Collins, Santana ("Supernatural" album), Celine Dion, Barbara Streisand, Ray Charles, Tony Bennett and Cuban legends Arturo Sandoval and Cachao. He recently released a new solo CD called Cuban Dreams. It can be ordered from his website at www.luisconte.com. And of course, Scott Thurston is back with Tom Petty and Heartbreakers. As I recall, Luis and Scott were not part of the last leg of the Looking East tour as they were already on to other things.
You also mentioned the group CPR. One of my personal favorites. CPR is David Crosby, Jeff Pevar and James Raymond... and they are fabulous. Their material includes some of the best work David Crosby has ever done. Their newest album Just Like Gravity was released just last month and is one of my favorite albums of the year. Information can be found at www.crosbycpr.com. Anyone who has never seen Jeff Pevar play guitar is missing one of the best of our generation!
It was a beautiful night at the beach, clear and breezy. List members Judi and Patti had the seats next to mine and Sherman was in the row ahead. The seats weren't the best and we were glad we had our binoculars with us because it was impossible to see the large screens on either side of the stage since it was still light when Jackson came out at 8:00. There were a lot of empty seats when JB started but the place was pretty full by midway through his set.
Guys, you can skip this part. Our boy wore jeans (close fitting) and a light gray shirt (maybe silk) patterned with little gray squares over a black T-shirt. The shirt was unbuttoned and blowing in the wind. It looked like he had black slip on type shoes.
Okay guys, it's safe to read again. Jackson seemed really happy and at ease and did a lot of foot tapping, both right and left. He made a comment about Jones Beach having waves like on the west coast and that he spent the afternoon enjoying Tom Petty's sound check. He also mentioned that he enjoys playing while it's light out.
As I remember it the set list was as follows:
Although Jackson only played for an hour it was well worth the price of the ticket. Tom Petty was an extra added bonus. He puts on a great show and really gets the crowd involved. For those of you attending the upcoming shows, you're in for a real treat.
Caught my third and, regrettably, final show of the summer tour last night at Jones Beach. Got there early enough to hear the end of JB's soundcheck (he was messing around with Boulevard, starting and stopping it ...) Once again, the set list changed .... while it was only one song, considering the short set, any change is welcome when you see the show a few times .... I think this set was the best of the three .... Jackson dropped Miles Away and, instead, played Your Bright Baby Blues in its slot in the set ... I think this song worked far better in the set ... a couple of funny moments worth mentioning .... Jackson started Fountain Of Sorrow in the wrong key and had to stop Fritz and start the song again ... Jackson laughed this off in his usual casual style ... also, during The Pretender, the keyboard lost power and Scott Thurston threw his hands up and just sang harmonies until someone got it fixed ... great show ... (slipping down to the third row made it even better :-) ) ... sorry it's my last for awhile ... hope everyone enjoys the rest of the tour ...
I saw Jackson Browne last night at Jones Beach and he still ROCKS!!! I wish he could've played all night (thanks to TP for getting him on the road). My kids got to see and hear live what their Dad has been playing at home all these years and they loved it too!! What a great and meaningful history of music from this man. Please pass along my best wishes and thanks to Jackson for giving me a soundtrack for Life!!
Hi All,
What a great show at Jones Beach last night! Even the weather cooperated...a warm and windy night, a perfect night to be at the beach.
Just like shows prior to this , Jackson came onstage promptly at 8 PM....no intro....and rocked right into *Boulevard*. There was a little bit of a false start on the next song, *Fountain Of Sorrow*, but then all went well. Jackson was in a relaxed, happy mood, seems to be enjoying this tour a great deal. As has been pointed out, his voice is strong, and what a pleasure to see and hear Mark, Kevin, and Fritz up there with him again! Makes me really anxious for a full tour with the band.
As Karen mentioned, *YBBB* was subbed for *Miles Away*. Since the former is a favorite of mine, and the latter is not, I for one was extremely happy about that single change in the setlist. It was also good to see Scott Thurston up there ....although it seemed there was some problem with his keyboard (Sherman, can you cover this part???:-) Our seats were pretty close, and I was so focused on JB, I honestly didn't notice!
By the time The Pretender was being played, the seats were pretty well filled, and even the non JB fans were caught up in the music. There was one odd couple a few rows behind us who, throughout the whole set, continued to yell *Jackson, do the dance!!!!*. We didn't know what on earth they were talking about, until my husband said to me "maybe they mean *For A Dancer*" That was a relief, I thought either they had him confused with Garth Brooks; or had seen him do some strange dance somewhere...which I couldn't even begin to imagine:-))
Of course the hour went by way too quickly, but it was wonderful while it lasted. And, hey, Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers made a pretty good *closing act*, this is the first time in years I've seen Jones Beach totally sold out.
As for Jackson's appearance....blue jeans, black T shirt, open button down long sleeved grey/blue shirt, black socks, black loafers....and a scruffy grey almost beard. Maybe he's been spending too much time with Tom Petty;-) Once again, no comment from TP regarding Jackson opening for him, except to mention , when introducing the Heartbreakers, that we had seen Scott Thurston earlier with Jackson Browne.
During intermission, the comments I heard regarding Jackson ranged from "Wow, he's really good!!!" to "Who was he?", but I am certain there were more than a few Tom Petty fans won over, especially since Jackson's set consisted of his more well known songs. On the Somebody's Baby topic....I think it was wise of him to include it...I must have heard "I didn't know he sang that song" at least a dozen times. And I like it:-)
I am sure I am forgetting some things, and I am hoping Sherman will come to my rescue . All of you attending upcoming shows, enjoy!!! (What else would you do????)
Take good care,
Here is the review from the Albany NY TImes Union for the show last night. A great 1 hr to the nose opener set from Jackson. The band was tight and playing the pretty much same set list as decscribed in your past letters from this tour. He opened with a very tight and strong, "Boulevard" and his voice throughout the set was in great form. Highlights for me was a great reading of Running On Empty, The Barricades of Heaven and a particularly strong Fountains of Sorrow. It was nice to hear Jackson play his own piano parts on this for a change. Missing from this set were Miles Away and The Next Voice You Hear. He did World in Motion and Your Bright Baby Blues.
Hope who ever reads these reviews apprecates the review below of the whole show. (On a good and bad note: met a few nice big Jackson fans from the Yahoo board who were very nice. We had no chance of meeting Jackson after the show though after trying to.)
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By GREG HAYMES, Staff writer First published: Sunday, July 8, 2001 SARATOGA SPRINGS -- About halfway through his two-hour show on Saturday night, Tom Petty declared to the crowd of over 18,000 fans at SPAC, "It's Good to Be King." Celebrating their 25th anniversary together as a band, Petty and the Heartbreakers have once and for all claimed their rightful spot among rock royalty. With a quintet of ballroom chandeliers hanging overhead, Petty led the band through a greatest-hits show that covered a quarter of a century of hits with ease and aplomb. But while Petty exuded the relaxed confidence of rock stardom, the trade-off is that he seems to have lost some of the exuberance and urgency that fueled his early hits. After opening with a steamrolling rendition of "Runnin' Down a Dream," the band dug deep into their history for nuggets like "Breakdown," "Even the Losers" and "Here Comes My Girl." Best of all on Saturday, however, were the unlikely "It's Good to Be King" (featuring a hot-wired, extended guitar duel between Petty and guitarslinger Mike Campbell) and the bristling psychedelia of "Don't Come Around Here No More." Another surprise of the show was a steamy cover of the old Booker T & the MG's R&B hit, "Green Onions," with keyboard master Benmont Tench leaning into the organ with his heart and soul. Petty did eventually cut loose, however, and late in the show, with chugging hits like "Refugee" and "You Wreck Me," Petty managed to reclaim his old fire. "I can't even count how many times I've played here," admitted Jackson Browne as he surveyed the amphitheater where he recorded part of his landmark '77 album, "Running On Empty." Looking eternally youthful, the 52-year-old Browne also followed the no-glitz, all-hits format during his 60-minute opening set. In his '70s heyday, the sensitive singer-songwriter was the master of the broken-hearted pop ballad, but on Saturday, he emphasized the more upbeat, rocking side of his hits catalog with surprisingly muscular readings of "The Pretender," "Running On Empty" and "Doctor My Eyes." Backed by a solid trio with occasional help from backing vocalist Jennifer Gross and adjunct Heartbreaker Scott Thurston, Browne also offered the bouncy pop of "Somebody's Baby," the swirling blues of "World in Motion" and the heart wrenching "Fountains of Sorrow." |
last night's concert was awesome. Petty & his band was great. JACKSON was awesome!!! it was worth the price of the ticket to see him. I was up in the balcony & it was going up & down pretty good when he did dr. my eyes. He was relaxed,gave one heck of a concert. too bad it was only 1 hour. I could have stayed all night.the songs were classic JACKSON,the band was good. No new songs and he didn't say if he was working on a new album.JACKSON when are you putting out a new album? I told my friends that couldn't make it last night,they missed out on a great night!AWESOME!! when you put out your album come back to Saratoga!! you are always welcome here!! we love ya!!!
I saw Jackson last at the Tweeter Center in Mansfield MA. He was very appreciative of the fans that came in early to see him. It was a little disheartening to watch him play to an audience who was obviously there to see Tom Petty. Most of the crowd did not react until they heard the familiar Running on Empty which was the second to last song. It seemed he was singing over noise most of the show, although it did not seem to bother him. Jackson was gratious and also praised Tom Petty twice. He had almost the same set list as the previous shows. He did a great version of Bright Baby Blues and an even better rendition of barracades which sounded great with the accoustic guitar which replaced the keyboard sound heard on the disc. He is a pretty darn good guitar player.
His voice was strong with the exception of some failed high notes in Somebody's baby. The overall sound was poor. I don't think back up bands have access to the same equipment as the headliner. They were not "tight" at all.
I questioned Jackson's motivation behind these shows. If anyone has any insight, I would love to hear it. I left Tom Petty after the first encore. Jackson had yet to appear, I assume he did not. Is he just trying to keep his name out there for when he releases a new album? I liked the show, but I am a huge fan. I have seen him do much better,
--Riders wanted! Can haul 2-3 people to Sandstone Ampitheatre in Bonner Springs, from Topeka, KS to the Jackson Browne/Tom Petty Show, Wednesday, July 18th. Would like to leave in PLENTY of time to get in, relax, hang out. I do plan on staying for most of the Petty show. I have a reserved seat so will be parking in the reserved lot. If interested, email me at: zzkarten@washburn.edu
I have little new to add, really, to the well-written and observant other fan reviews from the Petty East Coast tour. Jackson came on stage right at 7:30 and with no introduction or fanfare launched into Boulevard. It was a little shocking after having seen him twice in the 70's headlining shows and packing 15,000 seat arenas on his own. He was relaxed, comfortable and looked and sounded GREAT! His lovely and talented female vocalist sang many songs with him (unison, not harmony for the most part). I would have liked to see her a little more center stage instead of way off to the right side, almost off the stage.
Jackson sang the Pretender as well as he ever did in the 70s and with as much feeling. Twice he mentioned that it was nice to play in the daylight so he could see the fans' faces, and indeed, he seemed to be looking around with interest at the people looking at him! The set started with just a few people on the seats but by 8:15 it was nearly a full house and the Petty people as well seemed to really get into Jackson's music, staying on their feet throughout the last 3 songs (Somebody's Baby, Running on Empty and the encore Doctor My Eyes). Jackson was genuinely appreciative of the reception he got and the Boston fans appreciated him right back with a long, loud ovation.
a few additions from a limited perspective:
same set list:
His voice was strong, performance powerful. I had very high expectations, it would have been easy for me to be disappointed. Not the case. Your Bright Baby Blues should have been my personal highlight, but I loved it all. From my perspective, ROE and Dr My Eyes were fresh and tight. He (they) rocked, and by the end at least 1/2 the crowd was on its feet. I heard positive comments from audience members. (Petty fans were more gracious than Petty.)
Spirits still high,
--Riders wanted! If you're heading to Sandstone Ampitheatre on Wed. July 18th for the Jackson Browne/Tom Petty show, I'd be happy to take along 2-3 passengers. I do have a reserved seat and will be parking in the reserved lot. I hope to leave somewhat early to get there, hang-out, etc. I also plan on staying for most of Tom Petty's show--that can be worked out. I bought my ticket to see Jackson! I'll be leaving out of Topeka, KS. Email me at: zzkarten@washburn.edu if you're interested.
Hi Russ and everyman
I spent last night at the Nissian pavilion at the JB and Tom Petty concert. It's my 5th JB concert in about 4 years. The last time I saw him was in Richmond on the acustical tour and that was fantasitc. Very intimate and personal.
This time way different. The pavilion is a huge place. There were swarns of people. The lawn area was a huge sea of bodies and glow sticks. To me it looked like a big ant hill. The pavilion was very nice too and almost full. The croud was mainly there to see Tom Petty. It seemed to be a mix crowd. The plus 30 crowd (I'm 44) and the 20 something crowd.
We got there right at 7:30 and Jackson was already playing, Boulevard, Fountiain of Sorrow, I'm Alive, Barracages of Heaven, Prentender, Miles Away, (sun goes down in the USA - World in Motion?) encore Running on Empty and maybe one or two others during the hour set. I think one of the guys that plays with him in his video is on the heartbreakers and played some during his set. Also , there was this new young backup signer, Jennifer ? Anyway, JB seems very relaxed, confident and they sounded great. The only time he played piano was on Running On Empty. They didn't have the big screens on for his performance so it was hard to see things close up from our position. Tom Petty really put on a great show, playing his greatest hits. I think the graying beard is cool but it makes him look older. Don't know if they hooked up for the encore because we split to beat the traffic. In summary another great time for everyone (everyman) including the bands.
Caught JB last nite in Pittsburgh. Simply great. Have not seen him since 96 and it was sooooo good. He still maintains that impish,little boy grin, as he plays. He seems to enjoy playing his music. The show had the same order of songs as the others. The crowd was into it, must be a "Burgh" thing. Dr. My Eyes was jammin!!!
We were on vacation in Maryland (from California) and by chance saw the Tom Petty/Jackson Brown concert advertised. Amazingly we arrived at the concert only about 15 minutes late or so considering we had no clue where we were. By the time we suffered thru the will call lines, the full body cavity searches, getting my hand tattooed and banded and RUDE workers at the venue that did not help us find our seats I was only able to hear him sing 2 songs. (I did hear a bit of The Pretender in the far background.) But for the little bit that I had the privilege to hear I was amazed that his voice sounded better than the CD's. My personal feeling was he should have been the headliner. Tom Petty was excellent but I wanted Jackson. I'm definitely looking forward to a concert where he headlines, in fact, I'm looking right now and found this site by accident. Thanks for listening.
Great concert. Jackson was very talkative which ALWAYS enhances the show. The setlist was the same as Jones Beach....A few highlights....
Your Bright Baby Blues. I don't think anything can compare with the version he performed with Bonnie Raitt three years ago in Holmdel, but this was pretty nice. And especially meaningful in this locale since this is the town where it was written. Thanks for including it, Jackson.
The Pretender. It featured Scott Thurston on keyboards and a particularly emphatic "Get it up again!" from Jackson. Clearly he was having a good time. So was the audience.
Running on Empty. Scott Thurston on keyboards, Mark Goldenberg on slide guitar. WOW! Towards the end of the song, Jackson signaled the band to "turn down the volume" and sang the last eight lines of the song with minimal accompaniment. (a moment of Jackson solo acoustic....well almost). It was a nice touch. Great version.
In between songs Jackson took the time to banter with the crowd a bit. He talked about how much fun he was having on this tour, how great it was that the weather was co-operating (unlike some summer tours in the past!) and how much he enjoyed playing in daylight. He said that the earlier playing time enabled him to see the "beautiful" people in the audience and that he would make up stories about them: "who's married, who are lovers, who's brother and sister....who's loaded, who's not....yet".
I guess all this led to the inevitable --- requests. At one point someone called for a song and Jackson responded by thanking them. This then sparked a flurry of other requests prompting him to smile and say, "You're asking for all these QUIETER songs....you don't realize how DIFFERENT you are from the other places I've played". (In the end he didn't deviate from the setlist, though.)
I thought that, vocally, he sounded fantastic and that the sound in general was very good ---much better from this particular vantage point ("the hill" as Jackson calls it) than it had been from the orchestra seats in the past....because you could hear the full range of instruments. But it was a bit of a trade-off . You were a fair distance from the stage and, as was previously mentioned, it was difficult, though not impossible, to see Jackson on the screens since it was still light out. (He appeared ghostly white until the very last song, Doctor My Eyes, but by then the set was over. Too bad, because the camera work was impressive. I just WISH they would market some of these concert videos!)
The audience was quite appreciative of Jackson's set and better "behaved" than most concert patrons I've encountered in orchestra seats at this venue, although the majority stood throughout the entire two-hour plus Tom Petty set.
I enjoyed seeing Tom Petty perform and what a band he had! Although I don't have a lot of his CD's, I did recognize almost every song he played. These are the ones I remember :
Tom certainly seemed to be enjoying himself. Mr. Showmanship. Every so often he would look skyward and raise his outstretched arms, the crowd would go wild and Tom would get this "I can't believe they PAY me to do this!!" look on his face. But I'm sure he's paid his dues. He looks a little more "weathered" than Jackson (Let's face it....EVERYONE looks more "weathered" than Jackson) but still puts on a good show.
The last time I saw him perform live was 21 years ago. The opening act was a new wave band called Split Enz (where are they now?) and the sound was really awful. Tonight's set was MUCH better. They really have come a LONG way in terms of sound over the past 20 years.
Jackson was great but his set was TOO short. As usual, he gave 100% and provided us with some entertaining versions of his songs. I hope the the next time I see him he's headlining, though, and that he plays some new material.
Next summer would not be too soon....
I had the pleasure of seeing Jackson Browne perform on July 10. As always, he looked and sounded terrific, playing the same set list as previous concerts (with Your Bright Baby Blues substituted for Miles Away). His performances of The Pretender and World in Motion stood out from the others. It was obvious that there were many JB fans in the crowd, and the Tom Petty fans graciously received him.
He was in a great mood, smiling and commenting between most songs. He did offer an explanation for why he is touring with Petty. He said that he was working in the studio on his new record, and realized that he wouldn't get it finished by fall. He went to see Tom Petty play, and was offered the opening act spot. I was glad he explained this because I couldn't figure out why he was touring this way.
I've seen Jackson every time he's played in the Pittsburgh area since 1976. Even though he only performed ten songs, it was well worth the trip. I had originally planned on leaving after a few Petty songs, but stayed till the very end. He rocked!!!
to mr. jackson brown,
i am a big supporter of you since 18 years old. i have a awful experience of earthquake here in kobe japan and its been almost 6 years since then. i am waiting for you to come kobe for concert tour.
The concert at Starlake July 10th was fantastic!! I left Morgantown about 6pm with my friend Debi with a prayer said as there were warnings not to drive due to severe weather. We did drive through some heavy rain but the worst was behind us. It cleared up to a beautiful evening. Jackson was tremendous as usual and started with "I'm Alive" and ended with "Doctor My Eyes" it was too short. Everyone was enjoying it immensely. I had plenty of room to dance as due to my friend we were in handicapped seating. I also sent a present backstage for him.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers played for a little over 2 hours and were excellant.It was a good crowd and wonderful sound and lighting. The rain tried to rain on our parade again but blew over.
Hope Jackson tours alone soon...perhaps after new album.
Jackson's set list was the same as the others listed here recently for July, but that was cool for me because I knew going in what to expect. This was my first time seeing Jackson live, even though his music is a part of my memories growing up(good and bad). I know there is always one or two songs that you wish a performer will play for you; I think my favorite song of Jackson's that wasn't performed is "That Girl Could Sing", but I realize that he only has an hour to play. Maybe one day I'll get a chance to see a full set of his before he decides to call it a day(fingers crossed for a new album and tour for 2002!). He was incredible, and I recommend to anyone going to see Tom Petty to arrive early enough to give Mr. Browne your undivided attention, because the man and the band that is touring with him are awesome!!!!
Hey All! I for one had SECOND row ( a birthday gift for me :) and had an incredible view of this wonderous humble and utterly creative man (there was a moment where he came back on stage for his encore where i got to lock eyes with him and artfully move my mouth to say "I Love you so much in which i THOUGHT i saw him fluster"(??) - I for one, with pure humility admit that I was disappointed with the perfarmance and choices of song - jackson browne (Humbly placing himself into position of backup) wisefully stuck with number one hits from the past - being a avid JB fan, i prefer the more "Hidden" choice/undiscovered songs by non JB Fans - So i missed my fix - (there was i moment i mustered up all my courage to scream out "Skies Blue and Black" which was left unanswered - i got the feeling the set WAS THE SET and they were sticking to it - after all, again he humbly was a backup I had to remind myself and how much choice is in that :) Also it was clear that the band was seconds off in its rythym (no time to practice here fellas?) and appeared to not flow like JB usually does so eloquently- i for one prefer Jackson acoustic for this is the true concert - where you get ALL of him at his best! LETS ALL put a prayer into the universe for JB to travel acoustically again to a full state to state tour-
P.S. Hello to the two women from NJ and Colorado that traveled all the way up to see him from the list!! it was fun!
Hello. I appreciate your website. It is the best Jackson Page on the net. This was my first time seeing Jackson Browne although he has been one of my favorite artists for about 12 years. I am 27 years old. I saw Jackson July 17 at the Polaris Amphitheater in Columbus, OH. He played for one hour and the set list was the same as mentioned earlier on the Petty tour. Among the stand out performances in my opinion were 'Fountain of Sorrow', 'I'm Alive', 'Barricades of Heaven', 'The Pretender' and what I personally thought was the best performance that night was Jackson with acoustic guitar and light accompaniment from the band performing 'Bright Baby Blues'.
During the end of the set it began to rain rather heavily, I was seated in the lawn but was able to stick it out to hear 'Doctor My Eyes' and 'Running on Empty'. Jackson commented that every 4th or 5th show he feels a little "shy" and was having one of those nights tonight. He didn't say much but to comment on what a great band the Heartbreakers were and what a great 'rock' show we could expect. He didn't lie they are a great rock n' roll band. He also mentioned his involvement in 'No Nukes' and dedicated 'World in Motion' to one of his friends from Columbus, OH Harvey ----- I didn't get the last name. It was a great performance by Jackson concentrating a little bit more on the hits familiar to any radio listener but it was excellent. The show is worth seeing.
Atlanta was my first Jackson Browne show ever, and it seemed just PERFECT (apart from being so short)! We had wonderful seats opposite the stage, so even if we were not right up close, we had an excellent view, occasionally enhanced by binoculars. 8-) Jackson entered the stage very unceremoniously, just said "Hello Atlanta" and started playing. He looked incredibly young and energetic, though also a little tired which isn't surprising as the tour schedule is so very tight. But he was obviously in very good spirits and smiled a lot.
"Boulevard" has always been a favourite of mine, and this version just rocked! What a start! Interactive playing between Jackson and the band was fantastic, his voice sounded great, and they all seemed to have a lot of fun. I wanted to get up and sing and dance, but everyone remained seated at this stage and I didn't want to spoil the show for those sitting behind me. "Fountain of Sorrow" on the keyboard was equally impressive, the crowd loved it. Most people around us appreciated the music and applauded enthusiastically, they were clearly fans. Some seats were still empty, but that was a good thing because I tend to end up with giants sitting in front of me. "Barricades of Heaven" had some extended instrumental parts, it sounded very intense and charismatic. I also love the acoustic versions of "Barricades" where Jackson's voice is the centre of the song, but the band gave it a lot of additional power.
"I'm Alive" is another favourite and gave me the hardest time to remain seated. The song always fills me with an enormous amount of energy, and it has pulled me through hard times more than once. That night it sounded perfect, I could feel good vibrations passing through my body, maybe even through everyone present. Percussion was excellent on that song (and indeed throughout the show)! "Your Bright Baby Blues" was very different from the versions with Bonnie Raitt (as e.g. on the Songbird bootleg), but also very good. I had the impression that Jackson and the band must have had a great time rehearsing this (as a replacement for "Miles Away") because they smiled as if enjoying an insider joke. But maybe this was only my imagination.
I was very surprised that Scott Thurston, who joined the band after "Baby Blues", did the keyboard part of the "Pretender" while Jackson played the guitar. Scott is an absolutely awesome musician, I'd say no band can do without him. ;) Both Jackson and Tom Petty are very lucky to have him. To my ears his keyboard playing sounded exactly like Jackson's, I closed my eyes during the "Pretender" (not for too long, though!) and couldn't hear any difference. I don't know why, but the "Pretender" seemed to energize the crowd even more than the songs before. Most of the seats were occupied now, and there were more people standing and singing (though not in our section). "World in Motion" came next, in an extraordinarily inspired rendition. I wish Jackson had played some more of his critical songs, maybe he thought they wouldn't go well with the Petty fans. As far as I could see, this was not the case with "World in Motion", the crowd was very receptive and appreciative, and there was a lot of applause afterwards.
During "Somebody's Baby" I noticed all of a sudden that the background singer had gone which means I hadn't missed her since whenever she left. So much for her contribution to the show (she came back afterwards). But I don't want to be unfair, the setlist didn't offer too many background singer moments, and I think her microphone was not set right (individual band instruments sounded much louder). "Somebody's Baby" was indeed a perfect Summer song and another favourite with the crowd. I like that song very much, but hadn't heard it for a while. It was nice to hear Jackson perform it live. When "Running on Empty" started, I realized the show was almost over, but there was no time for sadness because the song rocked the house! My JB fandom started with "Running on Empty", so it has always been very special to me. It is a song where I clearly prefer the band version to the acoustic one, and that night it just blew me away. I was less happy with "Doctor my Eyes" as encore, as I had hoped against reason that there might be some other song. My favourite encore (under the circumstances, which means not considering the quieter songs) would have been "Take It Easy". But I'm not complaining, the rendition of "Doctor" was very vivid and good fun, with extended solos and variations. Sadly, we didn't applaud long or loud enough for a second encore.
The Jackson Browne hour went by very fast, but I wasn't quite as sad about it as some other JB fans because I'm also a huge Tom Petty fan and was looking forward to the second part of the show as well. I'm not going into detail on that one as this is not a TP forum, but it was a truly great show (and also too short!). The Heartbreakers seem to get better and better over the years (this tour celebrated their 25th anniversary). For me, it was absolutely overwhelming to get my two favourites all at once. The word for that feeling has yet to be invented!
Many thanks to the people in Atlanta for giving me such a wonderful time! I enjoyed every minute I was with you!
The weather was scorching and Jackson and his band were equally hot as they played at Sandstone Wednesday night. Some things at this show may have been a little bit different than the previous concerts others have reviewed, but the songs and the high quality of Jackson's performance remained the same. His voice was great and his band was tight.
First of all, Tom Petty came out in a straw hat and his new grey beard and asked everybody to welcome "a great songwriter and singer, Jackson Browne." The crowd that was there gave Jackson and his band a fine welcome. Since this show went on sale nearly 5 weeks before it was announced that Jackson would be opening the show, all of the reserved seats had been purchased by Petty fans, but those seats were still about 1/3 full and the lawn area was probably 2/3 full by the time Jackson started playing. (A friend of mine who manages the sale of pizza and soft drinks at the venue said that 3 weeks before they were told to prepare for 10,000 people but then sales suddenly went up to nearly 18.000. Gee,I wonder what caused that?)
Anyway Jackson started with Boulevard, wearing a white (Hobie?) t-shirt, baggy brown slacks, black shoes, and sunglasses. The rest of the band were all wearing shorts and sunglasses except Jennifer, who was in a full length red dress.
Jackson was evidently more talkative tonight than on many other nights. After the first song he remarked about how hot it was (He didn't say but the heat index was 110.) and remembered that the last time he played Sandstone there was 3 feet of water. I was at that show and I vividly remember that after the band all deserted the stage from the downpour, Jackson bravely came out by himself to do a solo show with his electric piano until he himself gave up for his own safety.
Next he played Fountain of Sorrow and for me this was his best performance of the night. He and the band played a great extended version of the song and the crowd really appreciated it. When he finished, he told the audience that this was a special day--the hottest weather he'd ever played a concert in, and he wondered if we Kansans were used to it. At that point he took off his shoes, got his acoustic guitar and started a nice rendition of I'm Alive.
Following that song, Jackson proceeded to take off his socks and sunglasses and played the rest of the concert barefooted. He said he wanted to dedicate the next song to a girl who he knew in California that moved here. He said that he used to visit her here and that her name had probably changed but it had been Diana Belvedere. He then launched into his song of growing up in California, The Barricades of Heaven. Next came an outstanding version of Your Bright Baby Blues. At the point in the song where the band sings "Close your eyes" Jennifer and Kevin subtly "gave each other five" for hitting the harmony just right along with Mark Goldenberg.
At this point, Jackson introduced the band, and when Scott Thurston came out, he said he was an old friend but that he is a Heartbreaker. I know Jackson didn't realize it, but after that, he forgot to introduce Mark Goldenberg.
The band then launched into a rocking version of The Pretender, which got the crowd up, followed by World in Motion. Jackson mentioned that they were using ear monitors rather than stage monitors and that his ears were filled with sweat and it made the sound that much louder for him. He mentioned again that he like playing in the daylight where he could see the audience, and that the show felt very intimate to him--like we were all in a sauna together.
Saying "Here's a summer song," the band started Somebody's Baby and the whole crowd really came alive. Running on Empty really rocked out before the band left the stage briefly to come back for an encore of Doctor My Eyes.
Jackson seemed to be very relaxed on stage and enjoying himself immensely. He smiled throughout the entire show and really appreciated the enthusiasm of the audience. At the beginning of the show, he remarked about how much he was enjoying this tour and that coming to the afternoon sound check and hearing Tom Petty was great--"like going to Heartbreaker school." Of course, his wonderful hour and five minute performance only left his fans hungry for more. Let's hope next year he has that new album out and does a full-blown tour.
Oh, and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers followed. They did a nice job, too.
Tom Petty came on stage, 7:30 on the dot and people went wild. The reserved seating was not full but the place went nuts. In only the way he can say it, he said "something big is about to happen"! Traveling all the way from Los Angeles, California, welcome Jackson Browne! It was so cool.
Jackson led his band out to a nice welcome. What he wore: white short sleeved shirt, tan baggy pants, sandals WITH socks. :) NOT for long though!
Temps here in northeast KS have been in the upper 90's to 100 or so, with high humidity. Heat indices of well over 105. It's oppressive but I'd deal with it again to see JB.
I got see Jackson last summer, July 11, at the Topeka Performing Arts Center, 4th row seat, so sitting as far back in the reserved section was disappointing. Last year being up close and personal was almost shocking, if you can relate. SO very enjoyable, that not being able to see him well was the let down. He didn't let down, though. He was very talkative, not at all shy. He made several comments about the heat. At first, he shed his sandals, we all laughed. Then a bit later, come the socks, that really got a reaction! Imagine, JB barefoot--it was great. He talked about it being like a sauna, which is highly accurate.
His band rocked. He introduced them, mentioned the drummer being from Brazil, and later referred back to it being so hot here, BRAZIL is hot, he said.
He talked about Scott Thurston being his friend for a long time, and Scott came out and played piano and stayed for the rest of the set. Jackson mentioned that Scott was a 'heartbreaker' now.
He talked A LOT! What an amazing time they were having on the road--it was like being at Heartbreaker camp!
Jackson has played Sandstone one other time, in 1994. Prior to that he's played the Municipal Auditorium, I have a shirt from a show in 1980. He mentioned playing Municipal and knowing a woman from here, Diane, and that perhaps her name has changed since then, but dedicated Barricades to her. I recall him dedicating a song to her in '94 as well.
Jackson talked about playing during daylight hours and how he enjoyed it, at that time he took off his sunglasses. The sun was almost setting behind the hill at this time. He said he liked being able to see 'who was here', peoples faces. He mentioned the next song was a summer song--Somebody's Baby.
I knew we were nearing the end of his set--reality sets in! The band is off stage getting big drinks of water no doubt, after Running on Empty; they come back out after a well deserved thanks from the now nearly full amphitheater. He sits down at the piano and talks about the sweat in his ears, and how it makes the monitors sound so very loud, it's hard to get used to! Doctor My Eyes was so good, love to see him play piano. Or acoustic. Or anything!
Lots of foot stomping by JB, he was in top form. So upbeat and talkative, I hope if you have the chance, you'll get to see him. His Petty tour ends but he's added the Denver show as a replacement for Melissa Etheridge, be sure and go if you live there!
I left my seat after JB and headed for the beer garden to sit in the shade and people watch. I decided not to stay for Petty, but heard the first 3-4 songs. What was amazing was the crowd singing along with _every song_, word for word. It stood out above Tom. I'm not sure what it sounded like in the crowd, but from the beer garden and parking lot, I heard mostly crowd. You don't see that kind of thing often, so I know he has MANY fans here. He did sound great, but I was really there for Jackson and was ready to get out of the heat.
I must mention Robin, the woman that sat next to me--she had the scope that I got to see Jackson through, sock-footed, then barefooted! The first thing Robin mentioned was NO GRAY HAIR! It's true, and I think everyone mentions how Jackson defies his age. He looks SO youthful, still. Robin, it was nice to meet you and thanks for letting me use your scope--whatever that was!
I feel really extremely lucky that I've seen Jackson two years in a row. After such a drought, I am now spoiled!
Thanks Russ for the most amazing website!
I tried hard to get a ticket to Jackson's July 12th concert at the Clarkston MI "old Pine Knob" venue. I couldn't even get a lawn ticket. Any reviews or comments from anyone attending? As stated by many of other Jackson Browne fans, I look forward to a new CD, video and concert tour which he headlines. Jackson: Don't be afraid to tour the Northeast (Detroit Metro area) in the spring, winter or fall. We have some great indoor concert halls to accommodate the non California weather seasons. Thanks,
Like Aaron above, I am a long-time Jackson Browne fan who attended the recent Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers show in Columbus, OH. For me, the show was a once in a lifetime event, since Jackson is my favorite solo artist and Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers are my favorite band.
Jackson started promptly at 7:00 (show-time) with no introduction and played the same set list as at the July 8th show in MA mentioned above, except the order of "The Barricades of Heaven" and "I'm Alive" were reversed:
Jackson sounded great, and I was not at all disappointed with his performance. I still have mixed feelings about the set list, though. Of course, personally, I would have loved to hear "Sky Blue and Black," "Late for the Sky," and all the other hardcore-JB-fan favorites. However, I think that if he is trying to win over the crowd with the radio hits (which I admit is a good idea in this situation), he should go all-out and replace songs such as "The Barricades of Heaven" and "World In Motion" with recognizable tunes like "Rock Me On the Water" or "Tender Is the Night." If he could find time, it would also be great to have "The Load Out/Stay" included.
I say this because the crowd was a MILLION times more into his performance during the songs they recognized. For the last few songs, it was almost like a real Jackson concert. During some of the early numbers, though, the crowd was completely disinterested. Of my six teenage friends who attended the show with me (I am 19), none really knew who Jackson was beforehand and unfortunately only one of them was impressed enough that she planned on purchasing his music. I think that with an improved set list and a little more hype (such as having his name on the ticket, an intro, and maybe a little acknowledgement from Tom Petty) Jackson's performance might be seen more as part of a double concert rather than just an opening act. It's unfortunate that the show wasn't done in this way, because I think Jackson could have gained many new fans if it had been.
I don't mean to be so negative, though. Jackson's voice sounded incredibly young, and my personal highlight was a very inspired rendition of "The Pretender." (Strangely enough, from where I sat the crowd favorite seemed to be "Somebody's Baby.") The whole show rocked. It was probably the best concert I have ever been to, and you should definitely check it out if you can. (Just make SURE that you get there right on time!)
I saw Jackson in Chicago this last hot, muggy, day, and I will try to relate to you what I saw and felt without repeating others observations of the shows. First, for the fashion update--black pants, probably cotton with slash pockets, black slip on type shoes with a high vamp, much like a popular style by Bjorn. Grey short sleeve very loose fitting shirt, with a raised pattern of diamonds of the same color. I thought the light color shirt was a good choice, since against the dark background of the stage, you could at least pick him out of the mess of wires, keyboards, mic stands, and guitar racks.
Since he plays while the sun is still out, it is not a very dramatic looking set. More like the strewn equipment of a garage band in the throes of some creative muse. That's ok though. It's ok too that from where I sat it seems that most were not really listening to him, or only half amused by his presence on the stage. I was listening though. I probably had more trouble reconciling the juxtaposition of this great artist, and songwriter, against a back drop of half listening beer drinking, talking, party time revelers, waiting for Tom, than Jackson himself did. I'm sure he's made peace with it, or he wouldn't be there. It reminded me of a craft show, where an artist is forced to sit and watch as people pass by with no interest in his beautiful works. But I think he just likes to play, and perhaps he searches for the faces in the crowd of those that are really listening to him, he plays for us.
The Tweeter Center itself is a lousy venue--you can't even see the stage very clearly unless you are 8 feet tall, the sound is mushy and shrill all at once. I hope he never plays there again!! I had my binoculars, and was prepared to put up with the people milling in front of me. I spent my time craning my neck back and forth around obstacles just to catch a glimpse of my musical idol so that I might glean a new bit of information on what he was playing, trying to memorize his guitar choices so that I could garner clues about what tuning he was in, and what chords he was playing. I watched his hands as he sat at the keyboard on FOS and DME. The big screens were slightly visible in the fading light, but I quickly learned I preferred straining to see the small dot, of the real man instead.
I discovered there were "3 of him." The one I have come to know on the TV/video screen, a two dimensional, almost cartoon of the real thing, the medium reducing him to familiar gestures, and the selected focus of the camera operator. And the one that I have seen several times in concert setting from a great distance. This one everyone describes as looking eternally youthful, and who appears to connect personally with the people in the back. And finally the one I have seen from the first row at the solo tour in Cedar Rapids last summer. This one was the biggest surprise of all. I found him to be older looking than everyone gushes about, but certainly not "old" looking.
However there ARE lines on his face, reminding me so much of the picture I have seen of his father on the cover of my well-worn songbook. Gray hair pops out in its wiry disobedience from his signature hairstyle. Also his gestures from up close give you a different sense of the person, much like meeting someone helps you make observations, through the glasses of your bias, do. He appears almost nebbish, and small up close. Much more like a man capable of penning, and actually living the words of Farther On, with it's lonely, isolated theme, than of a carefree rock and roller dating blonde movie stars, and moving glibly through large groups of "the beautiful people." Up close when you can really hear him sing, without the microphone, he has a way of humming in between words, as though ramping up to the note he is looking for. And also a breathy rasp in his chest that sounds as though air is being forced through a passage which is not very smooth. It is not at all an unpleasant sound, but almost 3 dimensional. It reminds me of an old gnarled piece of wood, not perfect or smooth, but so unique, and natural, telling it?s own story, and having a character that could never be duplicated by something plastic or man made.
I enjoyed Jackson's set. I don't know what he has done differently with Bright Baby Blues, perhaps playing it faster, or in a higher key, or maybe it's because he relegated the slide part to his sideman, but it sounded particularly poignant. Perhaps it is a song that he just needs to sing at this point in his life, and its words are resonating with him again. That came through in the show. His piano parts, as always are very simple--I was amazed by how lightly he seemed to be playing, and only seems to use 4 fingers for the most part on his right hand, leaving his pinky with no work to do. Perhaps he hurt himself, as I did, trying to emulate his style, and is resting it. His left hand mostly finds the root of the chord. Just because it is a simple way of playing, does not mean it is not effective. It is almost as if he has developed a shorthand, stylized way of playing. But it is his own, and any four or five chords played in this way can sound like a Jackson Browne song.
I would guess he has a new favorite electric guitar that must be inspiring him. Besides what looked like a gold Fender Strat, he played a weird looking something or another, with a large white pick guard, and what looks like a small speaker on the front? It's the one he is playing on the beautiful t-shirts for sale. He played what looked like the Mcallister acoustic we have heard about on the list, and a few cut away sunburst small body acoustics. As usual his chord forms confused me, because of his penchant for altered tunings--but I tried to memorize a few more for my collection anyway.
Compared with the other times I have seen him play with his band, I found him to be less animated, and more centered. He doesn't move around all that much, occasionally raising his arm to signal the band, or turning toward the drummer to help orchestrate the end of the tune. He seemed like he couldn't think of much to say to this crowd, and more than once used the phrase, "again I'd like to say." Then he would repeat a comment he had made earlier. It was like a phone conversation you are having with someone you don't know very well, and you aren't sure where things will go next. He also made several references to TP and his band, I think to rev the crowd up, and get a level of response he couldn't seem to get with his music. I wouldn't say no one in the crowd responded to him. Surely they did, but not with the god like reverence they showed for Tom. That was expected.
It was a real treat for me when Jackson came out as a surprise encore at the end of Tom Petty's set. He played "Take It Easy" with the Heartbreakers. It's not that I don't think Tom is a good performer, and I have always liked his work. But I guess I was very tired, weary of the beer drinking pigs behind me, and only mildly amused by the presence of this great artist on the stage. After all I was Jackson Browne's crowd.
TP started his set after a LONG delay, enough time I guess for the venue to make tons of money on beer sales. He played tirelessly, hit after hit. But I think I really had enough when the "person" behind me spilled his beer on my leg, and I turned just in time to see him urinate, as though he were in a public toilet. Having Jackson Browne come out for one more song buoyed my spirit enough to help me make the long drive home.
I FINALLY got to see Jackson Browne in concert for the FIRST time in my 41 years of life yesterday at the Verizon Wireless in Noblesville, Indiana. I got two tickets in the F section for my husband and daughter, and I was only able to get one ticket up in the A section up front where I sat......Anyway, this was a very exciting time for me because I have loved Jackson Browne for YEARS, but never got to go to any concerts. It's been 17 years since I've been to any concert as a matter of fact. So, just in case I got the opportunity, I obtained a favorite photo of Jackson and took my black sharpie with me to the concert. I got there about an hour and a half before the concert started, and there was Jackson already on stage working on the sound, etc. I was so thrilled just to see him out there already. But, it seemed that nobody was paying much attention to the fact that it was Jackson standing out there. My husband said,"Hurry, Becky, get down there and see if you can get your photo autographed!" So, I went down to the front and asked a security guard if there was any possiblity of my getting his autograph, but he said that Jackson was busy and I would just be wasting my time. Well, of course, that made me very sad. I went back up to the top of the section and told my husband and daughter what the guard said, but my husband said, "Forget the guard, just get your ass up there!" But, I was afraid I'd get in trouble......I'm really shy anyhow! But, just about then my husband said,"LOOK! Get down there fast! He's signing a couple of other people's things! Get down there!" So, I got down to my seat and got my photo, but couldn't find my pen in my bag! I was so afraid Jackson would leave and I would miss my one and only opportunity of my life! But, I finally found it and took it up the the stage. I was speachless, so I was just holding the photo up to him hoping he would sign it......and he did! Then I asked if he'd write "Becky" on it too......he asked,"Becky? With a "y"?" And I said "yes"! So he wrote, "To:Becky...Jackson Browne". I was so happy that I must have said "Thank you!" to him at least 6 times. Then he left the stage until the concert began. I was only one of maybe 3 or 4 people to get his autograph last night! And the only one with a photo autograph! The concert was WONDERFUL to say the least. I could have listening to just Jackson play all night! Tom Petty was great to, but I went to this event just to see Jackson for the first time in my life, and I got so much more than I ever dreamed!
But, I must go again someday, cause I would like to hear him sing "Everywhere I Go" and "Sky Blue and Black" next time.......but, I will never forget this day as long as I live!
The KBCO Winter Park Rockfest in Colorado was definitely a Rockfest. Jackson came onto the stage at 5:00pm- an hour later than scheduled. Sonia Dada, the group playing before Jackson Browne, played until almost 4:30pm. Jackson played quite a few of the same songs as listed before, but there were some surprises.
Boulevard was the opener- as expected. Following Boulevard, Jackson played Fountain of Sorrow. This was the most rocking version I have heard. It is quite a contrast hearing this song with his band compared to the solo versions with just him on piano. Next came I'm Alive. Jackson didn't have much to say except for he woke up in Indiana, and he was glad to be in Colorado. He went on to say that it's so beautiful here it's amazing. I would have to agree. The concert was set at Winter Park Resort. The stage was essentially at the bottom of a ski lift area. The seating went up the slope. Having arrived late, I was somewhere on the slope enjoying the views.
After I'm Alive, Jackson introduced the song Barricades of Heaven as a song about where he is from and added that Colorado is a mythical place where he comes from. After Barricades, Jackson introduced Scott Thurston, saying that he stole him from the Petty tour since it ended. They played Rock Me On The Water, with Scott on piano. Following this song, Jackson had to take some time to tune his guitar again. He said the heat and sun were making his guitar go out of tune. He said that this was something that you didn't see on the Petty Tour, because there's a guy for every guitar. The tuning was worth the wait. They played Everywhere I Go next. This was a fun song that each band member took at turn jamming on. Jackson was even dancing with his guitar in hand. There was another moment of humor after this song as Jackson realized that he forgot to put sunblock on. Some people close to the stage threw some sunblock on the stage, but Jackson said he couldn't use his hands--it was someone's job to anoint him. Anyhow, he tossed the sunblock back to the audience members and started playing How Long followed by Miles Away. Though Scott Thurston was there, Jennifer Gross sang the Miles Away backup alone. Jackson was trying to comment on the altitude after Miles Away and ended up making up his own word. I believe that he was trying to say that he needed to acclimate but used the word "alitvate". (Winter Park is a little over 12,000 feet above sea level.)
Next Voice You Hear was the next song. Mark Goldenberg's guitar work replaced the horn heard on the album. I still prefer this song solo acoustic. Your Bright Baby Blues was the tenth song played after taking time again to tune the "hot" guitars. I must say it was hot. Several people around me were not wearing sunblock- and were scantily clad. That led to some ugly red sunburns. A little humor during YBBB was when Jackson replaced radio with KBCO on the line "turn down your radio". He really did appreciate being invited to play there. It appeared to me that he was having a good time. This approached the halfway mark (for those that have the stamina to read on). At this point, he introduced the rest of the band members. Jennifer Gross, who was wearing a bright red "slip" for a dress, was introduced as herself. However, Jackson said that once she put that dress on, she became known as Tendeleo. (I'm guessing that this is a possible reference to Ian McDonald's novella Tendeleo' Story. During this story, Tendeleo is singing on stage at a little bar.) Jackson introduced Fritz as Fabritzio- then changed it to Fabio. And finally Scott was introduced as a heartbreaker in every sense of the word.
The next few songs were The Pretender, World In Motion, and For Everyman. After playing these songs, Jackson stated that his favorite part of playing during the day was that he really gets to see everyone (in the audience). Somebody's baby was up next. It was nice to hear this song without the falsetto. I enjoyed it much more, and Jennifer Gross did a nice job singing backup. Jackson was really getting into this song and stated that he finally had gotten his full oxygen intake- he said he surprised himself on that song. Running On Empty was the last song before the encore.
The band left the stage, and came back on after what appeared to be a discussion of what to play. Doctor My Eyes was the first encore song. It was a rocker. Adding to the rocking effect, a Union Pacific train passed directly (about 50 feet) behind the stage and blew a horn (as opposed to a whistle). The band was playing so loudly that I don't think they even heard it. As opposed to leaving the stage again, Jackson said that they were going to do away with the showbiz artifice and just play. The band then played Take It Easy, which Jackson dedicated to his "sort of father-in-law?, named Bob, which he clarified as his girlfriend's father. Jackson had to turn around and get Bob's attention because he said something about Bob liking to party. To end the show, Jackson played The Load Out (with Jackson playing along on piano joined late by Mark Goldenberg on guitar). As he led into Stay, the band joined in. The roadies joined in on tradition "won't you stay". Jackson literally took them by the hand to the microphone to sing. It was entertaining and terribly off-key. That ends the review. The show ended a little after 7:00pm. It was truly a treat. I hope he comes back to Colorado soon.
When I originally heard my Atlanta radio station announcing TOM PETTY CONCERT 7/14 with Jackson Browne, I assumed a mistake had been made....Jackson Browne doesn't open for someone, he has his own concert. They announced it enough that I began to believe it was in fact so, and not a mistake. Jackson Browne being the last concert I attended (20 some years ago in Chicago), I decided to conquer the little claustrophobic problem I have and go for it. Following the theory "go big or stay home" I was fortunate enough to get tickets for 2nd row center...they cost an arm and a leg but I rationalized that by convincing myself it was the money I hadn't spent in 20 years. Was it worth it? You bet it was - or at least I thought so until I read your reviews from people attending his other concerts over the summer. How fortunate for them that Jackson was animated and spoke to the crowd. The most we heard was "thank you for coming early tonight to hear me", which made me feel even worse for him that he was not, and should have been, the "main attraction". To hear that he enjoyed looking out over the crowd and imagining different scenarios amused me...our Jackson Browne had his eyes closed for most of his set, and I really felt he was (or wished he was) somewhere else. But I had come to hear the music, and the music held no disappointments. I regret that I was not privy to experiencing Jackson Browne as anything more than a voice in the night, but then again he does not make any promises to be anything more than that. I guess it was just wishful thinking on my part to hope to see more of the poet as a real life human being as his music portrays. Sorry Jackson didn't enjoy Atlanta.
I arrived at the Tweeter Center in scenic Tinley Park, Ill. (joshing) at a couple of minutes after 5 p.m. (30 minutes before the gates opened) to hear Jackson singing "Take it Easy" at the sound check with what I presumed to be his band. They spent about 15 minutes on the song, so I was anxious to hear it during JB's set.
I vaguely recall mentioning to my friend that it was strange that during the sound checks it seemed that Jackson had worked on that song, turned the stage over to the Heartbreakers and Tom Petty (my name for them) and then went back on stage again. I couldn't understand why that would take place. At about 11:30, I realized what was happening, as we headed for the car. But I digress ...
Because of the long sound check(s), JB and company didn't take the stage until 7:40-7:45 (forgot to check my watch ... d'oh). The y played for about an hour (don't know exactly how long ... d'oh). JB strolled onstage looking much like himself, and far too young for a guy in his fifties. I didn't notice what he was wearing or how many buttons were undone on his shirt (sorry ladies). Jennifer Gross looked kinda cute, though.
Those songs (in order):
The set ended and I mentioned to my friend how strange it was that JB would sound check "Take it Easy" and not perform it this late in the tour. I said something like "I wish I was going to Indiana for tomorrow night's show."
THE HEARTBREAKERS AND TOM PETTY ENCORES - During a not-too-inspired version of "Free Fallin'", we headed toward the car. As we walked, about 30 feet outside the Tweeter Center stage, I paused and told my friend "I don't believe it, but that's "TAKE IT EASY." Sure enough, JB finally got asked onstage for one of the Heartbreakers encores (kudos to Tom Petty). What a great moment. Excellent rendition.
As for me, I literally jogged from the walkway in front of the Tweeter Center to the nearest row of pavilion seats in time to catch the last two minutes and see JB, Petty, Howie Epstein and Campbell on stage and on the video screens.
For a moment, I thought I was a child.
What a magical night.