With four Country Lowdown team members attending Jackson Dean’s London show at Forum, Kentish Town, last Thursday, we thought it a good idea to each contribute our “gig highlights” instead of writing a full review!
Happy reading….what would yours have been?
Helen Pocock
The Jackson Dean gig was fun, I have three highlights from the evening. I love the track “Heavens To Betsy“, I don’t think I am alone in that as I know it is a fan favourite. It was the song I was most looking forward to hearing and I was not disappointed the whole crowd were jumping around.
Next favourite was when a track was being played (sorry, I have no idea what the track was or is called!!) there was suddenly the noise of an odd instrument being played. I wondered what it was and looked around the band to see who it was playing and what it was. As I looked I realised it was a recorder and it was the keys/percussion guy was playing it! Just as I realised, he actually came forward to the front of the stage and played, don’t think I have ever heard a recorder being played at a gig before! Lesley and I joked that it was far removed from ‘London Bridge is Falling Down’ or ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’, songs you normally associate with a recorder!!
(Edit by Lesley…the song was “Train” and we have now agreed it was probably a type of penny whistle being played!)
The absolute highlight though was when Jackson had left the stage and came back on for the encore, as he looked around the crowd, Lesley, who had interviewed Jackson the day before, jumped up (we were 2nd row on the balcony) and started waving like a loon! Jackson actually saw her, his face lit up, he pointed at her, then put both arms up in the air and pointed to her again … he hugged her from the stage!! It was so lovely to see and for him to acknowledge Lesley like that!
(Edit by Lesley…I still love Helen even tho she referred to me as a loon! And yes, it was a super cool moment for me too!)
Orla Duffy
I enjoyed getting to see Jackson Dean live in London. This was my first time seeing him, and he bought the party! I think Jackson is a great entertainer and performer and my favourite moment was when he sang Fearless. It’s a great song with a catchy tune and the meaning behind the lyrics is so powerful. I thought his fun and upbeat energy was priceless.
Caroline Duffy
Attending a midweek gig in London is always a pain when you live in the Shires and the trains are so hit and miss. Working in a school means no early doors in the rush to get to your destination and get in line early, so it was a delight to turn up at the Kentish Town Forum and be able to squirrel my way near the front for the start of Jackson’s gig. Not too packed but plenty of support for Maryland’s charismatic Mr Dean. ‘Heavens to Betsy‘ is always exquisite and a firm favourite of mine, but the real highlight of the setlist was the exclusive debut of two new songs ‘Be Your Man‘ & ‘Hey Mississippi’ which were lapped up by the crowd. Punctuated every now and again by his evil laugh (Jackson’s own admission), a flourish of his arm that a flamenco dancer would be proud of and some chat that, quite frankly, I couldn’t understand a word of, he gave his all to every song and performed like the rockstar he is.
Having to sneak out of the gig like a ninja at the end as I had an early train to catch, trying to be unobtrusive but probably looking like Mr Bean on acid as I couldn’t resist dancing to “Don’t Come Lookin’ ” was probably not my finest moment, but who cares? I’d had a brilliant time and can’t wait for Jackson Dean to come back already.
Lesley Hastings
Many of my highlights of this brilliant gig have already been mentioned by my fellow team members….in particular being privy to the first live performances of two rather different new songs which held the audience captivated. And of course “that moment” which Helen regaled!!
A couple of things to add…firstly I’m so happy that “1971” continues to make the set list…the first song he and his longtime band mates wrote together, obviously a very meaningful one to them all for that reason (I love their on stage rapport).
Secondly I’d really just like to add that having seen Jackson and his band live twice before it really struck me this time what an incredible vocalist he is. He has a lot of power when needed, but also sings with tenderness and heartfelt feeling, and his vocal range and control is really impressive. One song that particularly showcased all of this at the gig was “Another Century”, which started with him on stage solo and relatively “reigned in” (I was mesmerised, beautiful finger picking too) before his band members joined him and he let rip.
