Subject: REVIEW OF HOWARD JONES Wed 8th July 1998 @ Jazz Cafe
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1998 08:51:38 PDT


  Today was a quiet day waiting to hear from some agencies. There was 
supposedly a small music fair down the road but the hall I looked at was 
closed. I stroll down the market and check out the stalls looking for 
cheap film and check out the secondhand music store that was just 
opening up last time I was here. I spend a fun 2 hours here checking 
stuff out and walk away with some stuff to resell as well as a french cd 
I thought I'd never find aftr 2 years. I also manage to findn an Auteurs 
cd single for someone...............

  The Howard Jones concert doors open at 7pm at the Jazz Cafe. I turn up 
and the doorman syas it'll start at 9pm so I grab my iron fill for the 
day. I get there on time and despite my fears and others I talk to later 
there's a good crowd here. I grab my customary righthand side of the 
stage.
  The band comes on at 9:20pm to thunderous applause. An 
electric/acoustic guitarist, drummer and an awesome bass player who I 
would later find out was Nick Beggs (being a musical trainspotter I can 
say he was in Kajagoogoo and in Ellis Beggs and Howard whos' 1 famous 
song "Big Bubbles No Troubles" was sampled by Will SMith or Coolio or 
someone like that for one of their major hits - I can't remember 
!!!!!!!!    

  Suffice to say he still looks damn young !

  The show was 1 1/2 hours. The old songs have been updated to a 90s 
rock feel with distinctive keyboards so would fit in well in a stadium. 
Everyone was about my age and at moments I started feeling weepy as we 
all knew and SHOUTED along to the songs !!  The big burly rugby player 
in front of me was especially boistrous !
  As I said the songs have been updated with sometimes a heavy electric 
guitar or a reggae feel or a longer intro.

SETLIST : you know I love you (don't you), new song, life is good, sleep 
my angel, like to get to know you well, wedding song, I must go, pearl 
in shell, dreaming on, what is love, buddah, tomorrow is now [the latest 
single], life in one day, no one is to blame, things can only get 
better, don't always look at the rain [?], everylasting love, let the 
people have their say !

That's it ! the Andy Bell lookalike behind me was shouting for "Lift Me 
Up" and so was I !  No "Look Mama".  It was a great concert, the band 
was feeding on the crowd and we were all grinning all the way through. 

  This is where things get good cos I hang around for hopefully an 
autograph. There are several other people hanging around. All are guys 
standingby themselves with glasses and paper/records/cds in hand - looks 
familiar for some reason, oh well at least I have a funyish haircut !  
We get together anyway and one guy is from Seattle, one from Adelaide 
and a guy from South London. I also meet up with Anthony who rujns an 
80s club whom we hang around with afterwards. What strikes me is that 
these guys are massively obsessed fans, constantly referring to HOJO as 
"the man" and "god". The South Londonder makes a joke that he should've 
brought in all his 12" records to be signed !!

HA HA HA !! we all laughed !! what a wheeze !!!
[footnote : if you do not get this you are gay]

  Anyway we manage to get to the dressing room, the people hanging 
aroudn have been whittled down from 25 to 8. So YUP I got a cd signed 
and get my photo taken !! I put on a funny grin and he "does not" put on 
a funny haircut.
[looking at the photo now I actually ruin it!]
I join the others to see him depart in his car. Yes I have now joined 
the ranks of the obsessed fan !!!!

  Me and Ant get on like a house on fire - we fire song titles/artists/ 
remixes etc at each other and ae overjoyed as in some cases we've never 
found anyone else who likes some of our artists.
[he likes Mr. Fingers !!]
  He runs an 80s music club which I have since checked out. Full of new 
romantics/goths/punks etc. (it is also an uindustrial music club).
Every 5-6th song is by Depeche Mode and we all go crazy on the 
dancefloor. I request "Ruby Red" by Marc Almond  and in doing so empty 
the dancefloor !
  We take the bus downtown and for the first time I on the top of a 
doubledecker bus speeding through London Night. It stops at the main bus 
dropoff in  Trafalgar Square, plenty of people around. We have 1/2 hour 
to burn so grab a bite - everytime someone alternative or gothic 
(especially females ;-) happens by he hands them a flyer for the club. 
We get asked by a french couple in leather and dog collars etc for 
directions to another club - no luck I'm afraid. Me and Ant part ways 
when he chases a woman in sandals and black makeup down the road.  I 
return home at 1:30am and awake the next day and rave about my night 
with Howard Jones...............


Postscript : me and Ant still keep in touch every week and share musical 
gems.