20 January 2024 (gig)
22 January 2024
Saturday’s Kids’ from the 70s and 80s had a jam-packed treat in store at the Cambridge Corn Exchange when From the Jam made a welcome return to the iconic venue.
The sell-out band, featuring legendary The Jam bassist Bruce Foxton, lead singer and guitarist, Russell Hastings, keyboardist Andy Fairclough, drummer Mike Randon and bassist Gary Simons, were given a rousing reception by appreciative fans on Saturday.
As always, lifelong Jam fans were given a night in Jam heaven, with the band belting through The Jam’s classic 1978 album All Mod Cons, as well as many more hit songs, from A Town Called Malice to Eton Rifles and Going Underground.
If you’ve been a Jam fan since your teenage years, to hear the albums played in entirety – LPs you played to death back in the day and whose lyrics are etched in your memory – this is your stand-out gig of the year.
Their third studio album, All Mod Cons came at a critical point for The Jam after lead singer, songwriter and guitarist Paul Weller admitted to losing interest during the writing and recording process. After producer Chris Parry rejected the first batch of songs as being sub-standard, a then 20-year-old Weller had to go back to the drawing board, coming up trumps with these fantastic songs.
As well as including well-received single David Watts (a Kinks cover) with the B-side of ‘A’ Bomb in Wardour Street’, this hit album contained Down in the Tube Station at Midnight, an all-time favourite for Jam fans, securing a second Top 20 hit for the band.
As always, lead singer Russell delivers these songs with all the passion, gusto and aplomb of Paul Weller, adding a unique richness to the songs with his own distinct vocals. A singer, songwriter and guitarist in his own right, Russell has forged his own path musically, producing three successful studio albums with Bruce Foxton and From the Jam, most recently The Butterfly Effect, released in October 2022 to critical acclaim.
Original Jam bassist and singer/songwriter Bruce Foxton always gives a showstopping performance, recreating the signature sounds that made The Jam The Jam. The love the crowd has for Bruce is always palpable, manifesting itself through the customary crowd chants of “Bruce” at every gig, paying homage to the man who was not only a bassist with The Jam, but a songwriter and singer too.
The band’s rendition of this album’s much-loved single Lula was given a warm reception by the crowd who were mouthing along to the lyrics, just as they did with all The Jam favourites, proving the acceptance and popularity of Russell and Bruce’s own material.
Every song on All Mod Cons is a winner, covering a diverse mix of arrangements, from the rousing punk-driven opener All Mod Cons, to the memorably lyrical and thought-provoking In the Crowd, to the sinister sentiments of Mr Clean and sheer urban drama of Down in the Tube Station at midnight, a tune which always gets the crowd moshing.
Nestled among those rousing classic were a sprinkling of love songs and ballards, with It’s too Bad telling the story about a relationship break-up, Fly a touching love song with a mesmerising poetry and the equally dreamy The Place I love, all demonstrating the sheer versatility of The Jam’s repertoire.
While he famously never likes to blow his own trumpet, being the down-to-earth legend he is, Paul Weller will always be recognised as being a lyrical genius by his fans (at least these ones anyway).
The icing on the cake for fans as always was a selection of Jam hits including Saturday’s Kids, English Rose, A Town Called Malice and a dynamic encore of In The City, an extended Eton Rifles and Going Underground.
Huge thanks to the band and audience for making this a very special gig which exuded with love for The Jam and From the Jam. Kudos to the band for keeping the Jam legacy alive and for bringing us those unforgettable soundtracks that shaped our lives. A lot of happy mods left the building on Saturday!
* From the Jam were ably supported by Scottish punk rockers The Skids who performed a blistering set of much-loved hits, including Into The Valley and Working for the Yankee Dollar, interspersed with humorous anecdotes from exuberant lead singer Richard Jobson. Richard also paid a poignant tribute to former friend and Skids founder, the late, great Stuart Adamson.
