Joe Jackson at Curran Theatre, June 28, 2024

SHNSF presents Mr. Joe Jackson's 'the Two Rounds of Racket Tour' featuring Joe Jackson Solo and The Music of Max Champion
Curran Theatre
445 Geary St, San Francisco, CA 94102-1222 USA
8:00 PM, Friday, June 28, 2024

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[8:11 PM] {lights down; Joe out alone}

1. [8:12 PM] Dave
2. [8:16 PM] Take It Like a Man
   [8:19 PM] {Greetings; back announcements - that was a couple of tunes from the 21st Century; I'd like to go back now to the 1990's; false start on next tune – pause to get the audience clapping along}
3. [8:20 PM] Stranger Than Fiction
   [8:24 PM] {JJ: I'm gonna take you back to the 1980's}
4. [8:25 PM] You Can't Get What You Want (Till You Know What You Want)
   [8:29 PM] {JJ continues noodling through the applause at tune end}
5. [8:29 PM] Real Men
   [8:34 PM] {false start for Steppin' Out: pause to talk about it being a workout}
6. [8:34 PM] Steppin' Out
   07. [8:38 PM] It's Different for Girls
   08. [8:42 PM] On Your Radio
   [8:44 PM] {JJ yack about the 60's}
7. [8:46 PM] Waterloo Sunset
   [8:50 PM] {JJ introduction to the Music Hall portion of the first segment: I'd like to keep going back in time now …. to the late Victorian/Edwardian era music hall tunes before World War One}
8. [8:53 PM] Hello‚ Hello‚ Who's Your Lady Friend?
   [8:57 PM] {JJ pause to talk a little about the next tune}
9. [8:57 PM] My Old Dutch
   [8:58 PM] {JJ says this isn't setbreak‚ don't go away…}
   [9:00 PM] {JJ departs; PA up while the stagehands setup for part two}
   [9:03 PM] {end of interstitial pause; begin Max Champion segment of the show}
10. [9:03 PM] (Overture): Why‚ Why‚ Why?
11. [9:08 PM] What a Racket!
    [9:11 PM] {drop contrabass; trombone swaps to tuba; JJ explains that the title is an idomatic British expression}
12. [9:13 PM] The Bishop and the Actress
    [9:16 PM] {add contrabass; tuba swaps back to trombone}
13. [9:16 PM] Health & Safety
    [9:20 PM] {drop horns; JJ pokes fun at pompous actor/politician types}
14. [9:22 PM] Think of the Show! - A Thespian's Lament
    [9:25 PM] {JJ explains who the London-Irish are}
15. [9:26 PM] Dear Old Mum - A London-Irish Lament
    [9:31 PM] {add horns; JJ gives a very brief intro to the next tune}
16. [9:32 PM] The Shades of Night
17. [9:37 PM] Monty Mundy (Is Maltese)!
    [9:41 PM] {JJ introduction to the next tune}
18. [9:42 PM] Never So Nice in the Morning
    [9:48 PM] {false ending! JJ: 'One More Time!'}
19. [9:48 PM] Never So Nice in the Morning (reprise)
    [9:49 PM] {JJ introduces the last song and offers a champagne toast to his band}
20. [9:49 PM] The Sporting Life »
    [9:53 PM] {JJ introduces the band} »
    [9:56 PM] {The Sporting Life (finale)}
    [9:57 PM] {applause at end of set; disappearing drumstick gag; encore break}
    
    Encore
21. [9:59 PM] Is She Really Going Out With Him?
    [10:03 PM] {JJ talks about his dad}
22. [10:04 PM] Worse Things Happen at Sea
    [10:09 PM] {final applause; JJ: TYVM - Good night! - PA up immediately}
    [10:10 PM] {show ends}

• [Susan Aquila]: violin;
• [Jackie Coleman]: trumpet;
• [Richard Hammond]: contrabass;
• Joe Jackson: piano, vox;
• [Sam Kulik]: trombone, tuba, harmony vox;
• [Daniel Mintseris]: piano, ukulele, harmony vox;
• [Lourdes Rosales Martinez]: viola;
• Ricky Roshell: flute, piccolo;
• Christa Van Alstine: clarinet, bass clarinet, harmony vox;
• Doug Yowell: drums, harmony vox.

When we first entered the theatre and I saw the stage was empty except for a keyboard, I thought, “uh-oh, I dunno if I can go for a whole show of solo Joe.” Luckily, that wasn't the plan, and after a 45 minute musical sojourn from the present into the past, Joe paused to let us know that the second half of the show would be British music hall tunes he'd resurrected from the dustbin of the late Victorian pre-phonograph era.

It was a conceit that worked out quite well: I was really happy hearing him survey his hits (even if a few classics got left out), and the theatrical element in the presentation of the second half made that party really fun, even if the music and lyrics was a little trite.

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Program Notes or program notes

Big thanks to Ting for the photo gallery!

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Back to the previous event! ☸ Up to the 2024 yearbox! ☸ Up to the 2024 event list! ☸ On to the next event!