Is she really going out with him?

Last night, we went to see Karen's favourite musician ever, Joe Jackson. It was held in "The Plug", a sort of cowshed turned night club with disco lighting. The walk to the live venue was relieved (slightly) by urban graffiti style murals, whilst the main hall (which resembled an agricultural or industrial unit) was painted midnight blue with the only lighting (other than the audience wobblies & stage rig) being very deep blue panels behind the bar.

It has a high stage and a crash barrier, but it is standing throughout.

Shortly after it started to fill up, the ventilation system was turned on and it sounded as though one of those road sweeper sucker trucks was parked backstage. Fortunately the sound of the PA was mostly loud enough to overcome the sounds of a thousand Dysons, whilst the ear bleeding and the subsonic woomph becomes comfortable after prolonged exposure.

After several dirges by a fairly uninspiring support act, the Jackson Band came on to a warm reception from a mostly middle-aged crowd and performed for about 90 minutes with new songs as well as old.

He didn't do my personal favourite- (Home Town from the Big World album, suitably balladized for solo piano) but he did do "Different for Girls" and "Is she really going out with him?" (It is bizarre that he still gets put off by everyone shouting Where? after the line Look over there. He started the show with Stepping Out and finished it with A Slow Song.

Here is the one that made him famous:


(Photo image montage from Mondaypapers.com)