Joe Jackson played two nights at Town Hall (setlists & pics from Night 1)

photos by Greg Cristman

Joe Jackson @ Town Hall 10/20/2015

Jackson’s band (longtime bassist Graham Maby; Teddy Kumpel on guitar and Doug Yowell on drums) took the stage one by one during “Is She Really Going Out with Him?,” a tune he has reinvented so many ways that he once put three versions on a live album and left listeners wanting more. On Wednesday, he reserved that tweaking for “Real Men,” letting Kumpel’s expressive guitar substitute for his usual “whoa-oh” vocal refrain and finding room for hints of Jamaican dub.

The set caught fire with Jackson’s 1984 hit “You Can’t Get What You Want (Till You Know What You Want)” before shifting the spotlight back to new material. Introducing “Junkie Diva,” the songwriter complained about a Denver newspaper article that “stated as an absolute fact” the song was about the late Amy Winehouse. “It’s not,” he declared, explaining that the song is about a fan, not a singer, and that in any case, “just so you know, I was thinking about Billie Holiday.” – [Hollywood Reporter]

The great Joe Jackson played two nights at NYC’s Town Hall this week, in support of his new album, Fast Forward, but included most of his biggest hits as well, from “Is She Really Going Out With Him?” and “It’s Different for Girls” to “You Can’t Get What You Want (Till You Know What You Want)” and “Steppin’ Out.” Starting with a solo set then joined by his band, Jackson on Tuesday (10/20) also treated Town Hall to covers of The Beatles’ “Girl,” Bowie’s “Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)” and Television’s “I See No Evil” (which is on Fast Forward). Setlist from both Town Hall shows and more pics from Tuesday’s (10/20), below…

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SETLIST: Joe Jackson @ Town Hall 10/20/2015
Joe Jackson solo
It’s Different for Girls
Be My Number Two
Home Town
Girl (The Beatles cover)
Fast Forward

… With Full band
Is She Really Going Out With Him?
Real Men
You Can’t Get What You Want (Till You Know What You Want)
Junkie Diva
Kings of the City
A Little Smile
Chinatown
The Blue Time
Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) (David Bowie cover)
Sunday Papers
Keep on Dreaming
Ode to Joy
Steppin’ Out

Encore:
See No Evil (Television cover)
One More Time
A Slow Song

SETLIST: Joe Jackson @ Town Hall 10/21/2015
Joe Jackson solo
It’s Different For Girls
Home Town
Be My Number Two (solo)
Big Yellow Taxi (Joni Mitchell cover)
Fast Forward

With the Band
Is She Really Going Out With Him?
Real Men
You Can’t Get What You Want (Till You Know What You Want)
Poor Thing
Kings of the City
A Little Smile
Another World
Love at First Light
See No Evil (Television cover)
Sunday Papers
Neon Rain
Ode to Joy
Steppin’ Out

Encore:
It Don’t Mean a Thing (Duke Ellington cover)
On Your Radio
A Slow Song