It was a chilly Monday night in Los Angeles hills when Tom Jones took to the stage at the Greek Theatre. One of the seminal Los Angeles venues was quickly filling up for the Ages and Stages tour. The tour takes Jones generations of fans through his legendary song career, telling tidbits and often witty anecdotes from his life in between songs. The show overall strikes a more intimate and reflective tone, with Jones, now 84, using this tour to reflect on his illustrious career. The show opens with Tom walking out to applause, a singular spotlight onstage, and a black stool. Although slower and his hair grayer, that famous Baritone of his it is still there. It has aged like a fine wine, still robust, booming, and is as stunning as ever. Jones opened up his nearly two-hour-long set with I’m Growing Old and then, Not Dark Yet.
While I am not the target audience for this show, it was a joy seeing the pure exuberance from the fans who have been along for much of Tom Jones's 60+ year career. It felt like we were at a rock show or teen pop concert. The screaming was so loud, a true testament to his star power. Many of these people have been with him for decades, so this was the perfect tour for them as he played through much of his catalog. There was the ’60s Orchestral Pop swing of It’s Not Unusual, which he launched into right after those two first two heart-wrenching ballads, a bit of disco and acid rock throughout his set. The cheeky Burt Bacharach traditional pop classic, What’s New Pussycat got the crowd riled up and on their feet. I personally loved The Windmills of Your Mind. His take on this song was a nod to his friend Dusty Springfield and her version. He also sang Talking Reality Television Blues by Todd Snider, which is unfortunately still relevant. Leonard Cohen's Tower of Song was utterly haunting. Lastly, the cover of Kiss by Prince was unexpected yet super fun and groovy. The true highlight of the night belonged to flamenco-infused Delilah. The song barely started, and the crowd was on their feet, singing, dancing, swaying along with cellphones up. That was a special moment. The band playing with Tom was fantastic, so locked in, bringing their unique flavor and talent. It was also a real treat to hear all the stories behind the songs played and to see a living legend, an artist who has honed their craft over decades. Nevertheless, whether or not it is your style of music, or young or old, I would highly recommend checking out a stop on the Ages & Stages tour.
