Product: Joe Cocker: Across from Midnight (1997)
Rating: 3.0
A Good Concert, Even If Joe Isn't Animated As He Used To Be
This is an unspectacular but solid 1997 concert by the gravel-voiced old-time rock/blues man Joe Cocker, still rocking after all these years although he's subdued from his Woodstock-era days. He just isn't animated and fun to watch as he was back then. His spastic gyrations used to be a part of his appeal.Now, Joe just stands there and croons away like so many other performers. The good news is that he is surrounded by a solid band and a couple of animated female singers. The instrumental parts in Cocker's songs now give it the vital energy he used to have. His songs are still very listenable, from his "Mad Dogs and Englishman" days to the present.Give him credit: he's still introducing new material, unlike a lot of other '60s performers. One of them: "Into The Mystic"" is a very nice piece.The capacity crowd is with him all the way and helps generate a little excitement, too.