Tom Jones International

Tom and the group played to 2, 500 people at the HOB in Boston last night. If you were there, please share. Meanwhile, here are two reviews:

Few performers can keep up with Tom Jones

By Brett Milano /Monday, March 2, 2009/Boston Herald

Tom Jones is one elder statesman who will never have to make a Viagra joke onstage. In fact, he might be the only 68-year-old performer who can do songs like Sex Bomb or Prince’s Kiss without a hint of embarrassment. Fueled by the familiar confidence and swagger, his sold-out show at the House of Blues on Sunday left little doubt that Jones is a man who knows how to live.

and one more review.

He also knows how to keep up with the times, and that’s one reason he’s still worth seeing after all these years. Jones has kept recording and scoring hits, at least in the UK; and his latest disc, 24 Hours, has a retro-soul sound that fans of Sharon Jones or Amy Winehouse will appreciate. He played about half of the new album on Sunday, and the show generally pushed up the soul-blues side of his repertoire while steering clear of the cheese. He hit the stage with the disc’s opener, I’m Alive, originally a non-hit album track by Tommy James & the Shondells. Jones’ version was grittier than the original, with a wild fuzz guitar that steered toward vintage garage rock.

The new material, some of which Jones co-wrote, was generally solid, but it meant fewer familiar tunes. Gone were his recent Talking Heads and Lenny Kravitz covers, along with the Arctic Monkeys number he played at Live 8 (Find it on YouTube; it’s worth the search). Instead Jones got low down on Howlin’ Wolf’s 300 Pounds of Heavenly Joy, a song that suited his character if not his weight – he scaled the lyric down to “200.”

The ’60s hits were scattered throughout the set: The breezy Help Yourself came early; the torchy Delilah livened up the middle; and his signature tune,It’s Not Unusual, was saved for last. All were served up faithfully with no lowering of energy or key.

The years have roughened Jones’ voice and toned down his stage gyrations, but only slightly. He still gives most songs a big vocal climax, and he still shakes his hips at strategic moments.

And, yes, there were a few panties flying toward the stage. But screaming females don’t dominate his audience nowadays. On Sunday night, there seemed to be as many guys on hand looking to absorb a bit of his mojo.

MUSIC REVIEW: Tom Jones is 68 years old and still a sex bomb

Jay N. Miller/March 2, 2009/Patriot Ledger

BOSTON —There’s no denying the dynamo that is Tom Jones. And there’s no surer bet to give music fans their money’s worth than the 68-year old Welsh singer, who captivated a near-sellout crowd of 2,500 Sunday night at the House of Blues with a typically extensive 24-song, 100-minute show.

Jones, his goatee now a distinguished gray, was a marvel of movement as he danced and led his 11-piece backing band through the night. His booming baritone was never better, and the music was so infectious the club’s young employees were often gyrating as much as the fans. Jones began the night in a black sportcoat over black dress shirt, and when he finally decided to take off the coat, 75 minutes into the set, female whoops filled the air.

Jones’ voice and rock ’n’ soul have always been catnip for the ladies, but it is still mind-boggling to see dozens of females, spanning every generation, swaying and singing gleefully to What’s New Pussycat?, a goofy song that appeared three decades ago. Yet, in Jones’ hands, that tune is, somehow, a good-natured invitation to seduction. When he followed it up with a grinding R&B take on You Can Leave Your Hat On it seemed like all the hormones running rampant on Lansdowne Street were going to overwhelm the arena.

Earlier, Delilah had been a catalyst, as Jones’ wide gestures and hip-shaking cool got the crowd in the groove. One woman gasped, “He’s 68 – and he’s still got moves!”

Jones does a nice reworking of Howlin’ Wolf’s 300 Pounds of Heavenly Joy, downscaling it to a more Jonesian 200 pounds, crediting its originator and turning it into bluesy funk.

But just when you think you’ve got him labeled, Jones shifts gears. Sunday night he did a terrific swing segment, with Fly Me to the Moon, and That Old Black Magic, both delivered with Sinatra-like flair, and considerably more grit.

Jones turned Bill Withers’ old Grandma’s Hands into a slow, folk ballad without losing that funky foundation. The acoustic blues Only Want to Get Me Some, done with just his core quartet (minus the four-man horn section and three backup vocalists) was one of the most sensual tunes of a heated night.

The faster tempo of the funk-rock Give a Little Love truly had every female in sight twisting and sashaying, and She’s a Lady only added to the frenzy.

The heartbreaking soul ballad Never displayed Jones’ voice at is finest, his range and tone still remarkable, again with the core quartet only. From there it was a fevered romp through some old favorites, I’ll Never Fall in Love Again, and Green Green Grass of Home prompting mass sing-alongs.

After that wild Pussycat-Hat sequence, Jones unloaded his own visceral version of disco with “Sex Bomb,” pretty silly but still irresistible. The rocking power of his first hit,It’s Not Unusual was undiminished as Jones closed the regular set.

But with the crowd roaring, Jones returned for a pounding romp through Venus. Jones ended the night with a funky – and of course sexy – take on Kiss by Prince, once again proving the Welshman has moves to spare.

There was no opening act, so late arrivals found Jones already onstage shortly after 8 p.m.