(Photos and Film by Tina)
Joan Jett and The Blackhearts are over as tour support with Green Day and are playing many large-scale events with them (The last time she was over was on the tour with Alice Cooper and Motorhead) so I was pleased to see the addition of an intimate gig at the 100 Club in London's Oxford Street. There was no support band, just a selection of great records (think T-Rex, Clash, Pistols etc) that created an electric atmosphere of anticipation before the band came onstage. They immediately launched into 'Bad Reputation' and didn't let up for 90 mins until the end song of the encore ('Everyday People').
I was very impressed with Joan's staggeringly powerful band The Blackhearts, especially Drummer Thommy Price - he really keeps the sprit of Jerry Nolan alive in his playing, and is indeed a legend in his own right, having played with everyone from Tom Verlaine, The Psychedelic Furs and Ron Wood to Michael Monroe, Ronnie Spector and Debbie Harry. Dougie Needles on Guitar and Enzo Penizzotto played excellently as well, really driving things along and keeping the spirit just right. (Enzo and Thommy recently did some recording with Cheetah Chrome from The Dead Boys new band - 'The Batusis' - looking forward to hearing the results of that I must say). A salute must be sent to the legendary Kenny Laguna on Keyboards and backing vocals too - he did a sterling job and really rounded the sound out.
Joan herself radiated Rock and Roll throughout, and it is easy to forget how many great songs she's written and played. Her album from 2006 'Sinner' is thoroughly recommended, and songs she played from it, including 'A.C.D.C.', 'Change The World', 'Androgynous', 'Naked' and 'Fetish' were certainly some of the set's highlights for me. Joan knows how to really energize and electrify a crowd and she really raised the temperature in the 100 Club so the perspiration was pouring down both herself, the audience and the walls. The closing trilogy of the main set really was especially stunning - 'I Love Rock 'n Roll', 'Crimson and Clover' (another highlight of the night) and 'I Hate Myself For Loving You'. After the show she made a point of hanging round for ages talking to her fans and really seemed to have genuinely enjoyed the night.
Highlights were the whole thing really, but possibly some of The Runaways material really shone through most. 'Cherry Bomb' is up there in the pantheon, but I really liked 'You Drive Me Wild', 'School Days' and my favourite song of the night 'I Love Playing With Fire'. With the upcoming Runaways film on the horizon, there's never been a better time to investigate their work.
- Steve
Joan Jett & The Blackhearts - The 100 Club - 14.06.10
Bad Reputation
Cherry Bomb
Light of Day
Do You Wanna Touch Me (Oh Yeah)
Change The World
Androgynous
You Drive Me Wild
Backlash
Victim of Circumstance
Love is Pain
I Love Playing With Fire
Naked
Fake Friends
School Days
Fetish
I Love Rock 'n Roll
Crimson and Clover
I Hate Myself For Loving You
Encore
A.C.D.C.
The French Song
Everyday People