Tom Jones International

The first entry below is a great review is from the Manchester Evening News. This guy knows what he’s talking about; knows how to review a show. And, of course, he’s right about Sir Tom as well as the “superb” backing singers and the band that is “slick as you would expect.” The one that follows is kind of lame. The photo on the left is from the first review; the one on the right from the second.

SHOW-STOPPER: Tom Jones




Tom Jones @ M.E.N. Arena/Glenn Meads/13/10/06




***** (5 Stars Out of 5 =”Excellent”)




THE atmosphere at a Tom Jones’ gig has to be seen to be believed. His audience may be wide in age range, but the one thing they have in common is they worship the man.

Some like the swivelling hips and others love the cheesiness of his lavish shows. The one thing that I realised though is that for all the flack this man gets, he has the best voice in the business and can sing absolutely anything, as he proved on Friday night during his brilliant show.

As the tanned one steps onto the stage oozing confidence the feel of the gig is Las Vegas; big, brash, full of atmosphere and the audience are just as wild. The backing singers are superb at complimenting this big voice and the band is as slick as you would expect.

“Love is like candy on a shelf…..” sings Mr Jones and the fans, recognising the opening line from Help Yourself begin to dance, singing every line. More hits from the 1960′s follow such as Delilah, which has them eating out of his hands.

The audience are mainly here for the old stuff but for me and a few others, some of these hits like What’s New Pussycat fail to test this man’s vocal range. But he knows he has to sing them in order to showcase more powerful tunes. Such as the soul classic Treat Her Right, which has the “hey hey hey hey” chorus hitting the rafters.

Standards like Fly Me To The Moon and That Old Black Magic show you that the great man can slow it down and still keep you enamoured.

Whereas, Mamma Told Me Not To Come appeals to the younger audience members.

Versatility

Bill Withers’ blues classic Grandma’s Hands is absolutely stunning and again displays the man’s versatility.

Is there anything he cannot sing?





His recent hit with Chicane, Stoned In Love confirms the fact that he is the father of reinvention. If anyone else his age sang this, they would be laughed at. But Tom has earned our respect so artistically can turn his hand at anything.

He throws some shapes for Leave Your Hat On and Sex Bomb and two pairs of knickers land at my feet, I presume they are for Mr Jones!

Moving like a man half his age, fully aware of what they want and how amusing it all is, he delivers with relish. Self-deprecation is the key here and Jones’ uses it to propel his voice and dance like his life depends on it.

Next is a track which could be written by the female contingent, a cover of The Bodyrockers’ I Like The Way You Move.

It should be embarrassing but isn’t, as like much of this gig it’s tongue in cheek and bloody brilliant.

The Welsh warbler finishes the show with the show stopping ‘Kiss’ as the crowd file out of the arena, knowing that this is a Friday night to savour. Jonesy certainly burned down the house and then some!

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Tom in Manchester October 13 from This Is Lancshire. More a rehash than a review.


Tom’s still a sex bomb


By Tracy Scott

TOM JONES: Still a star at 66


THE Voice from the Valleys left fans screaming for more in Manchesterlast night, after winning the crowd over with a mix of rock, pop, country and blues.

A crowd almost 10,000-strong flocked to the MEN arena to hear 66-year-old Sir Tom Jones belt out timeless classics including She’s A Lady, Delilah, Sex Bomb and Leave Your Hat On.

From the moment Glaswegian indie rockers Cosmic Rough Ride stepped on stage to warm up the crowd, the atmosphere was electric.

And when Sir Tom walked out in a rich purple suit to kick-start his 90-minute performance, arms were swaying, bunny ears flashing and hands held high in an attempt to catch the attention of the Pontypridd-born singing sensation.

One women, wearing a pink fluffy cowboy hat, could barely contain herself when Tom flicked open his jacket to reveal a glittering black shirt.

And other screaming fans expressed their love for the singer in time-honoured fashion by throwing pairs of knickers on stage.

The deafening screams from adoring women proved that Sir Tom, who was sporting a neatly trimmed beard, still has the X-factor – despite being just four years away from 70.

He had strong support from his backing singers and brass-based instrumental section.

Fans travelled from across the country to hear his soulful sound. Emma McEwen, aged 27, from Ashton-Under-Lyne, said: “Tom Jones needs to stick to his old stuff. That’s what he’s known for.

“He’s a natural sex god with what he knows, and as soon as he sings a classic song the atmosphere’s fantastic.”

Emma’s mum Shirley Smith agreed.

“Everybody wants Tom’s old stuff back,” she said.

Although a large proportion of the crowd were middle-aged women, there were also plenty of men bopping away to classics like What’s New Pussycat, Mama Told Me Not To Come and It’s Not Unusual.

One, who had travelled all the way from Brighton to see “Tiger Tom” in action, was 27-year-old Richard Willard.

Richard said: “I missed Tom’s performance in Brighton, so I was over the moon when I got tickets for the MEN arena. I’ve seen Tom in concert before, and I’ve got to say tonight was one of his best.”

As Sir Tom sweated his way through the concert, teasing the crowd with flashes of flesh, their enthusiasm showed no signs of faltering – especially when Tom revealed how great it was to be back in Manchester.

Right through to the concert’s closing song, Kiss, the fans sang along passionately.

Manchester was the third stop of the Tom Jones International 2006 UK tour. Birmingham, Newcastle, Sheffield and Cardiff are next on his agenda.

For the past 40 years, Tom has toured the world, winning adoring fans along the way.

He has sung with Pavarotti, Wyclef Jean and Jools Holland, demonstrating his vocal flexibility and ability to move with the musical times.

In recent years, reports have been published expressing concerns over the rocking pensioner’s health.

But with more than 50 albums under his belt — not to mention the Silver Clef Lifetime Achievement Award — there really is life in the old dog yet.