Jack: Le Botanique, Brussels
Chris Roberts, Uncut, May 2002
THE BEAUTY of it, and also the pain, is that you never know quite what to expect from Jack's live shows. Loose-cannon bohemians, within 10 minutes here they've profoundly surprised their hushed and reverent, chin-stroking Belgian audience. Tantrums, technical hitches and even some self-heckling enliven the opening to their first set in two years. Another day at the office for Jack, like the spirit of Serge Gainsbourg fronting a cerebral Left Bank riot, it's as far from anodyne pop as the brain can conceive. Nerves shredded, corpuscles pumping, I'm proud to be British. After this heart-in-mouth opening, everything comes together. Jack regroup, and orchestrate a memorable occasion.
Total word count of piece: 443
Best Databases: RBP is Runner-up in Best Niche category
Video: Johnny Marr talks about Rock's Backpages
RBP on Spotify: The genius of Judee Sill
RBP Album Club in Chicago, June 30th: Paul Yamada and Liam (Plush) Hayes celebrate a Curtis Mayfield classic
Essential Listening: Roy Trakin meets the Replacements in '87
Essential Reading: Andrew Smith's history of the first dotcom boom
RBP Album Club, July 11th: Nick Hornby and Nick Coleman celebrate Southside Johnny's debut
Join the Facebook group now