The Jackson Browne band is the best it has been sounding in a long, long time.
Browne is in Australia to a: visit his son who lives in Melbourne, b: sell a few tickets and c: sell a few albums.He can tick all three boxes for a job well done.
Jackson’s son Ryan is an Aussie. Browne’s second wife was model Lynne Sweeney and after their divorced, she moved back to Sydney.
Ryan recently relocated to Melbourne, Browne told the audience, and he was in the audience with a few mates last night. One of the most horrifying things you will ever hear from a 60-year old performer is “here is another song from my new album” but in Browne’s case, his latest ‘Time The Conqueror’ stands alongside his old sounds.
Last night, Browne managed to pull off performing eight songs from the album, and the audience got off on them.
The new songs worked because the band on stage was exactly the same band on the record. Kevin McCormick was on bass, Mauricio Lewak on drums, Mark Goldenberg on guitar, Jeff Young on piano and vocals and the absolutely amazing backing singers Chavonne Morris and Alethea Mills. In a word “wow”.
Browne was looking good too. On the cover of ‘Time The Conqueror’ he is wearing a long grey beard making him look every one of his 60 years. With the beard gone, the schoolboy looks were back and Browne looked younger than most 40 year olds in the audience.
The setlist dated back to his 1972 debut and his first ever hit ‘Doctor My Eyes’.
Melbourne got an extended show. He decided to do ‘For A Dancer’ and ‘Somebody’s Baby’ on the spur of the moment. They were not on the planned set list.
Now to sell a few albums you need to get the word at that. This tour is certainly doing that.
However, it was the epic ‘The Loadout/Stay’ that had the most applause. Those tracks have really become the Jackson Browne closing moment.
Here is the set list from March 5, 2009 at the Palais in Melbourne
Boulevard (from Hold Out, 1980)
The Barricades Of Heaven (from Looking East, 1996)
Fountain Of Sorrow (from Late For The Sky, 1974)
Rock Me On The Water (from Saturate Before Using, 1972)
Time The Conqueror (from Time The Conqueror, 2008)
Off Of Wonderland (from Time The Conqueror, 2008)
Live Nude Cabaret (from Time The Conqueror, 2008)
Culver Moon (from Looking East, 1996)
Giving That Heaven Away (from Time The Conqueror, 2008)
Doctor My Eyes (from Saturate Before Using, 1972)
About My Imagination (from The Naked Ride Home, 2002)
Something Fine (from Saturate Before Using, 1972)
These Days (from For Everyman, 1973)
For Taking The Trouble (from The Naked Ride Home, 2002)
Lives In The Balance (from Lives In The Balance, 1986)
Going Down To Cuba (from Time The Conqueror, 2008)
Just Say Yeah (from Time The Conqueror, 2008)
Drums Of War (from Time The Conqueror, 2008)
Far From These Arms Of Hunger (from Time The Conqueror, 2008)
The Pretender (from The Pretender, 1976)
Running On Empty (from Running On Empty, 1978)
Somebody’s Baby (from Fast Times At Ridgemont High)
For A Dancer (from Late For The Sky, 1974)
The Load-Out/Stay (from Running On Empty, 1978)
Jackson Browne’s remaining shows are:
March 7, Sutton Grange, Sutton Grange Winery
March 8, Melbourne, The Palais
March 10, Townsville, Entertainment Centre
March 11, Cairns, Convention Centre
March 14, Perth, King Park
March 15, Adelaide, Festival Theatre
