Good review found for the Shepherds Bush London gig

[Captain Tony]

After 40 years of gig going I thought I had seen it all, but last night was something the like of which I have never seen before. Complete reverence of the man by a sell-out crowd, decked in grass skirts (even some men), very scantily clad women of all ages in cocunut bras and other beach ragalia. Not a normal shirt or t-shirt in sight and more inflatable beach balls, sharks, dolphins and parrots than I have ever seen in one place. The crowd demographic must have covered all ages between 25 and 70!!!! 20 minutes or so before he was due on the stage the chant "We want Jimmy" went up and the lights eventually dimmed and on to the stage came the man. Looking like a slighly older, and shorter James Taylor, in a bright orange t-shirt and bermuda shorts, no footwear, he bounced around and from the opening chord of the first song (Will Kimbrough's "Piece Of Work" with Will trading lead vocals with Jimmy) the crowd sang along, very loudly, and as he said, in time and in tune. For the next 2 and a half hours the stage was his, the crowd loved every moment and he said he could not believe he had not played London during his 39 year music career. It was a total experience, not like any gig I have ever been to. Sure I've heard crowds sing along with Bruce etc., but nothing on this scale. To his fans this man means good time, up beat music, the crowd upstairs stood most of the night making the moves in all the right places at all the right times. As he says "it's summertime music to enjoy". Lyrically he is witty, sarcastic, writes from everyday experience, is topical, political and has great pop sensibilities. He is close to John Prine in many ways as an observer of life's trials and tribulations e.g. "We Are The People Our Parents Warned Us About". The 8 piece Coral Reefer Band, 3 guitarists, keyboards, bass, drums, percusionist/steel drummer and backing singer, plus Jimmy's own, rather good guitar work, gave it their all. We had a calypso "Brown Eyed Girl", a storming encore (there were 5) of "Werewolves of London" and a finale of "Yellow Submarine". In between, apart from a rousing "Southern Cross" it was all Jimmy and his songs of the past 39 years. His biggest hit "Come Monday" which was heading up the top 40 here until the BBC banned it because of the line "I've got my hush puppies on" which was seen as advertising, by the time he re-recorded the line for airplay the momentum was lost, as was his music to the UK public, the recently co-written with Will Kimbrough "Surfin' In A Hurricane" dedicated to their home town of Mobile, Alabama, "Son Of A Sailor" , "A Pirate Looks At 40", "Stars On The Water", "It's 5 o'Clock Somewhere", "Last Mango In Paris", "Cheeseburger In Paradise", "Lets Get Drunk and Screw" (his attempt to write a bona-fide country hit!!), the gorgeous "He Went To Paris" and the majestic finale "Margaritaville", before the the first encore "Fins". There is nothing more to say, other than he said he would be back every summer from now on as London was clearly his place now, and if you get the chance and just love good time, well sung, well played pop music, get yourself along, because I can guarantee you will never have witnessed anything quite like it. I was lucky enough to get an invite back to the aftershow party at the bands hotel where Jimmy told me he was absolutely blown away by the reception as he thought a few might turn up, not the 1,900 who did. He was genuine in his desire to make this a regular occurence and bearing in mind he is America's biggest grossing touring act over the last 20 years, bar none (Stones, Bruce, MJ etc.) that is a great commitment. I for one look forward to it.
G-Man

BTW this is not my writings, but i wish i had gone to the aftershow party

[Bicycle Bill]

After 40 years of gig going I thought I had seen it all, but last night was something the like of which I have never seen before. Complete reverence of the man by a sell-out crowd, decked in grass skirts (even some men), very scantily clad women of all ages in cocunut bras and other beach ragalia. Not a normal shirt or t-shirt in sight and more inflatable beach balls, sharks, dolphins and parrots than I have ever seen in one place. The crowd demographic must have covered all ages between 25 and 70!!!! 20 minutes or so before he was due on the stage the chant "We want Jimmy" went up and the lights eventually dimmed and on to the stage came the man. Looking like a slighly older, and shorter James Taylor, in a bright orange t-shirt and bermuda shorts, no footwear, he bounced around and from the opening chord of the first song (Will Kimbrough's "Piece Of Work" with Will trading lead vocals with Jimmy) the crowd sang along, very loudly, and as he said, in time and in tune. For the next 2 and a half hours the stage was his, the crowd loved every moment and he said he could not believe he had not played London during his 39 year music career. It was a total experience, not like any gig I have ever been to. Sure I've heard crowds sing along with Bruce etc., but nothing on this scale. To his fans this man means good time, up beat music, the crowd upstairs stood most of the night making the moves in all the right places at all the right times. As he says "it's summertime music to enjoy". Lyrically he is witty, sarcastic, writes from everyday experience, is topical, political and has great pop sensibilities. He is close to John Prine in many ways as an observer of life's trials and tribulations e.g. "We Are The People Our Parents Warned Us About". The 8 piece Coral Reefer Band, 3 guitarists, keyboards, bass, drums, percusionist/steel drummer and backing singer, plus Jimmy's own, rather good guitar work, gave it their all. We had a calypso "Brown Eyed Girl", a storming encore (there were 5) of "Werewolves of London" and a finale of "Yellow Submarine". In between, apart from a rousing "Southern Cross" it was all Jimmy and his songs of the past 39 years. His biggest hit "Come Monday" which was heading up the top 40 here until the BBC banned it because of the line "I've got my hush puppies on" which was seen as advertising, by the time he re-recorded the line for airplay the momentum was lost, as was his music to the UK public, the recently co-written with Will Kimbrough "Surfin' In A Hurricane" dedicated to their home town of Mobile, Alabama, "Son Of A Sailor" , "A Pirate Looks At 40", "Stars On The Water", "It's 5 o'Clock Somewhere", "Last Mango In Paris", "Cheeseburger In Paradise", "Lets Get Drunk and Screw" (his attempt to write a bona-fide country hit!!), the gorgeous "He Went To Paris" and the majestic finale "Margaritaville", before the the first encore "Fins". There is nothing more to say, other than he said he would be back every summer from now on as London was clearly his place now, and if you get the chance and just love good time, well sung, well played pop music, get yourself along, because I can guarantee you will never have witnessed anything quite like it. I was lucky enough to get an invite back to the aftershow party at the bands hotel where Jimmy told me he was absolutely blown away by the reception as he thought a few might turn up, not the 1,900 who did. He was genuine in his desire to make this a regular occurence and bearing in mind he is America's biggest grossing touring act over the last 20 years, bar none (Stones, Bruce, MJ etc.) that is a great commitment. I for one look forward to it.
G-Man

It's a favorable review, to be sure, but the way it was written leaves a lot to be desired. My old English teacher, were she still alive, would probably be throwing herself onto her blackboard pointer about now. Note the run-on sentence I highlighted above. There were several misspellings also, but I digress.

It appears evident that this is a review by a fan for a blog or personal website and not something from the more formal/'legitimate' media. It would be interesting to see how the Times or one of London's other, more traditional, newspapers might have reviewed it. At any rate, it sounds like it was one hell of a party. Just wish I had the disposable income that I could have chucked everything and flown over myself.

Guess I'll just have to console myself with Alpine Valley.

-"BB"-

[Migration Michelle]

Good review, Tony. Thanks!

[surfpirate]

Jimmy told me he was absolutely blown away by the reception as he thought a few might turn up, not the 1,900 who did.

Seriously? Jimmy pretended to be surprised that he sold out a small venue? I rather doubt that.

[no shoes]

Despite some the bad grammar - I think it captures the evening perfectly.............

You guys may be jaded by having these shows on tap every summer but believe me sunday night was something really special!

We waited nearly 40 years for our first show this side of the pond - it was worth it!!

Roll on next year..................

[Captain Tony]

Despite some the bad grammar - I think it captures the evening perfectly.............

You guys may be jaded by having these shows on tap every summer but believe me sunday night was something really special!

We waited nearly 40 years for our first show this side of the pond - it was worth it!!

Roll on next year..................

Well put Roxy

It meant sooooo much to us that he took time out to come play for us

[Frank4]

I never knew that story about "Come Monday", that's pretty funny

[dnw]

Good review, Tony. Thanks!

wMs

[Captain Tony]

I never knew that story about "Come Monday", that's pretty funny

Come Monday was soon covered by...ahem....Jonathan King..To quote NME "Its ban in the UK by the BBC because of a reference to Hush Puppies shoes led to a shrewd Jonathan King cover version, referring to tennis shoes instead." And Jonathan King is lets say not a popular man anymore!

[The Remittance Man]

Jimmy told me he was absolutely blown away by the reception as he thought a few might turn up, not the 1,900 who did.

Seriously? Jimmy pretended to be surprised that he sold out a small venue? I rather doubt that.

I'm not so sure. You'd be amazed at how many Europeans have no idea who he is. For the most part when I was there, the most recognition I ever got was, "Oh, the margarita song?" And even that was rare.

[Wrexham Mackem]

Come Monday was soon covered by...ahem....Jonathan King

I never knew that!... thank god I've never heard it, and hope I never do

Jimmy did say on Sunday that the first time he heard himself on the radio was in London - 'Come Monday' on Capital Radio - and it made him think something big was about to happen and he'd better get himself back home.

It was a truly great show, I'm still buzzing now.

[Yorkshire Parrothead]

Jimmy told me he was absolutely blown away by the reception as he thought a few might turn up, not the 1,900 who did.

Seriously? Jimmy pretended to be surprised that he sold out a small venue? I rather doubt that.

I'm not so sure. You'd be amazed at how many Europeans have no idea who he is. For the most part when I was there, the most recognition I ever got was, "Oh, the margarita song?" And even that was rare.

Yes you are right there. How many times I have told people from England that I am a Jimmy Buffett fan and going to see him and they ask did you say Jimmy Ruffin! I wish I had a pound for everyone that. Not many English people have heard of Jimmy Buffett.

Derek I thought your report on the show was excellent and really jealous that you went to the party. How did you manage that? No one has mentioned that Tina was missing from the show. I love Tina and really missed her and think her and Nadirah work so well together. Why wasn't she there?

[Captain Tony]

Jimmy told me he was absolutely blown away by the reception as he thought a few might turn up, not the 1,900 who did.

Seriously? Jimmy pretended to be surprised that he sold out a small venue? I rather doubt that.

I'm not so sure. You'd be amazed at how many Europeans have no idea who he is. For the most part when I was there, the most recognition I ever got was, "Oh, the margarita song?" And even that was rare.

Yes you are right there. How many times I have told people from England that I am a Jimmy Buffett fan and going to see him and they ask did you say Jimmy Ruffin! I wish I had a pound for everyone that. Not many English people have heard of Jimmy Buffett.

Derek I thought your report on the show was excellent and really jealous that you went to the party. How did you manage that? No one has mentioned that Tina was missing from the show. I love Tina and really missed her and think her and Nadirah work so well together. Why wasn't she there?

I wish i was at the after show party But sadly not!! i just copy and pasted it for others to read, anyway my grammer is probably worse than the person who penned the article
In all my years of being a Parrothead and all the people i have mentioned Jimmy Buffett to only a handful have heard or know of him!! Jimmy is still the best kept secret us UK parrotheads have

[honey dew vine water]

id like a pound for every time i heard Jimmy who! and yes my grammers pants.

[JustDucky]

Please provide some facts about JB being the biggest touring act in the United States please.

Most consistent - yes.