Friday 23 April 2010

Let's Have A Party! Wanda Jackson At The Luminaire



In the late nineties Rick Rubin lifted the long forgotten Johnny Cash out of relative obscurity and thrust him back into the limelight with the American Recordings. Jack White is about to do the same for Wanda Jackson. Jackson will soon be releasing an album of cover versions including contemporary songs and classic rockabilly on White's Third Man Records. Wanda dated Elvis briefly in the fifties and she has been aptly dubbed the Queen of Rockabilly. She was keen to talk about her associations with The King during last night's gig at The Luminaire but in my view there are more parallels between Wanda Jackson and Johnny Cash. What I have always adored about Cash and Jackson is their ability convey their personalities in their music and their ability to inject warmth and humour into their songs. To quote The Man in Black,
“You've got a song you're singing from your gut, you want that audience to feel it in their gut...They've got to be able to relate to what you're doing.”

Wanda sings from the gut. In the fifties, an era when woman were expected to be coy and demure, Wanda was feisty, sexy and funny. Last night Jackson had the audience in thrall with her wonderful stage presence, her wit, her unique voice and her boundless energy. At 72 years old she look fabulous in white tassels and diamante. She was ably supported by the beautiful Imelda May and she joked that although her and May were both wearing tassels she has to have her tassels in different places these days.

Although she started off a little raspy with Mean Mean Man her voice soon returned to its fabulously expressive form. She sang hit after hit and engaged with audience all the way through. A spirited tongue and cheek cover of Winehouse's You Know I'm No Good gave a preview of what we can expect of the Jack White collaboration.



She followed it with another of the songs selected for her by White, a cover of Johnny Kidd and The Pirates' Shaking All Over and she sure did shake it all over.



When Imelda May's guitarist husband strapped her into her kitschy feminine pink guitar she quipped, 'He's cute. Watch out Imelda!'
The blushing guitarist was clearly chuffed to have a rockabilly legend flirting with him and Wanda proved that although she maybe advancing in years she still has no trouble charming the gentlemen.
She went on to explain her guitar was specially crafted for ladies with a groove 'in just the right place' she said, pointing cheekily to her bosom.

She invited Imelda May back on stage for Riot in Cell Block Number Nine. A song with controversial lyrics about female inmates eyeing up prison guards.

The set also included Funnel of Love, Rock Your Baby, Hard Headed Woman, Fujiyama Mama and and a rousing, if slightly evangelical, cover of Hank William's I Saw The Light.

The evening culminated with an energetic sing along to Let's Have A Party. After the show Wanda was gracious enough to stay and chat to fans and sign CDs and photographs. I predict that once Mr White has finished having his way with her she'll be far too busy for such things.

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