From: frankl@torag.guild.org (Frank Lemire)
Subject: CONCERT REPORT: Howard Jones in Toronto, 4/8/92
Date: Fri, 10 Apr 92 13:09:30 GMT
Organization: Torag Systems, Toronto, Ontario.

                  Howard Jones 'The Acoustic Tour' in Toronto. 4/8/92
                            Music Review by Frank Lemire.
                               frankl@torag.guild.org

               Toronto was the first stop in the Acoustic Tour.  Howard
          Jones going all acoustic you say? True.   He's left all his
          synth's in England and touring with a grand piano and
          percussionist Carol Steele. In the extremely overcrowded El
          Mocombo in downtown Toronto, fans waited over 3 and a half hours
          for his 10pm start.

                He opened the show with one of the new songs from In The
          Running, his new album, Solo, just him and his piano.   The album
          was just released the same day here in Toronto, so no one had
          heard the song.   The small crowd of 450 looked visibly
          surprised, since the last tour Howard did he had millions of
          dollars in electronics.
               
                On this acoustic tour, joining Howard is percussionist
          Carol Steele.   In her section there were numerous bongos, a bass
          drum, tambourine, chimes, and a couple symbols. Her percussion
          really added to Howard's excellent piano playing and together
          they made a devastating duo, she loved to improvise from the
          looks of it, and even launched into a 3 minute solo during  "life
          in one day"

               The crowd was much more subdued than I've seen at other
          Jones concerts, mainly due to the change in venue (from the large
          Outdoor Kingswood theater to the 450 capacity El Mocombo bar),
          Also changing from all electronic to all acoustic changes the
          perception of the crowd, they sat and respectfully listened to
          what Howard had to play, and more often than not, sang along.


               As Howard finished a song from the new album, someone in the
          crowd yelled  "What's that song about?"  Howard quickly replied
          it was about "families" and was fooling around with the piano
          keys and played the opening bar to Look Mama.  The crowd roared
          its appreciation.  Howard and Carol stammered, Look Mama wasn't
          in the setlist.  The crowd continued to demand the song, and
          Howard agreed to play it if the crowd would sing it.

               The song started, and the intimate crowd dutifully sang the
          lyrics (and Howard backed them up).  Personally I felt a rush,
          the crowd was able to get what they wanted and Howard really got
          into the song.  He thought that he wouldn't sweat just sitting
          behind a piano.

                His setlist featured much of the unknown new material,
          often going back for new versions of hits like "Like to get to
          know you well" and "Everlasting Love".  After knowing these songs
          only in Synth format, I was blown away by what Howard can do with
          just a Piano. Even songs like "Hide and Seek" which is basically
          long synth notes was brought to a new life with the Piano.  He
          also tacked a cover of The Beatles "Come Together" at the end of
          one of the new songs.

                Howard really liked the intimacy that he was afforded by
          switching to small club venues for this tour.  Twice female fans
          walked right onto the stage and gave him flowers and compact
          discs.  He brought the audience into all the songs by encouraging
          them to sing along and they did.

                He ended the show with, of course, "No one is to blame."
          which he extended by about 5 minutes, adding in new music I've
          never heard before and leaping up from behind the piano to dance
          around the stage and get the crowd involved.singing the chorus at
          least fifteen times and yet the crowd still wanted more.  Just
          after midnight he finished and was wisked off the stage by
          security trying to prevent screaming female fans from ripping his
          clothes apart.

-- 
    < Frank Lemire >   < frankl@torag.guild.org >  < zippo@intacc.uucp >
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