Tom Jones International

Tom played The Point Theatre in Dublin on Tuesday, October 24. This review from unison.ie is, alas, again less a review than the writer trying to be cute. For instance, Tom Jones has never been accused of being a singer of gentle ballads like Brian Kennedy. The guy was probably referring to what most critics (and people knowledgeable about music) would call “standards.” On the positive side, he did acknowledge the back up singers and Tom’s “chops.” But. wethinks he’s a smarmy guy.

As we’ve said, we don’t mind criticism and honest criticism, even if it’s not glowing, is useful and interesting, but this review just isn’t either honest or interesting. For the record, our Inside Scoop emailed us that the “Dublin show was a complete sell-out. Tom was great. Dublin is great, too.” And Scoop has been known to be honest and critical. Scoop will, by the way, hopefully be writing us after Wembley (by special specific request of the moderators).

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It’s rainin’ undies as Welsh star belts out ‘Sex Bomb’

ED POWER/unison.ie/Thursday October 26th 2006

SHOWERING a 66-year-old Welshman with knickers may strike you as an unusual way to spend a night out.

Clearly you aren’t a fan of Tom Jones - whenever he ventures on stage he must endure a volley of undies and briefs, not to mention the occasional full-length night gown.

By way of reward for his excitable fans, Jones occasionally swivels his crotch and pretends he is about to whip his jacket off. The screams that thunder around The Point are louder and bawdier than the hormonal yell that might greet a boy band.

Yet this show is about more than mere steamy-window cabaret. Notwithstanding his latter-day reinvention as a jokey crooner with a radioactive tan, Jones has real chops. Watching him romp through a songbook freighted with easy listening classics, one has a glimmer of what it must have been like to see Elvis in his Vegas twilight.

Nostalgia

Nor is Jones afraid of challenging his fans with unfamiliar material. Tempering the nostalgia are several new ditties, which are arguably a bit too *Brian Kennedy for comfort.

Later, perched on a stool, the Welshman belts out an old Mississippi blues number by Howlin’ Wolf while his guitarist artfully twangs on a steel pedal.

Die-hards aside, many in the room are surely dreading Sex Bomb the 2000 comeback single that saw Jones reinvented as a leery pensioner.

Actually, the song isn’t as awful as you remember. This perhaps is thanks to the crooner’s skilful backing ensemble, who rework the track into a brassy blues stomper.

Inevitably, Sex Bomb triggers an umpteenth salvo of undies. Because Jones is quite a distance from the audience, not all of the underwear reaches its target.

Several briefs rain down on the security men lining the front of the stage. You can’t accuse them of not earning their money.

[NOTE: *Brian Kennedy is an Irish singer-songwriter known for gentle ballads like his Every Song Is A Cry for Love.]