Say what you like about Tom Jones, his Vegas history, or the size of the bulge he grabs during the biggest numbers at his shows. The fact is, this guy well into his "golden years" just keeps getting better. He puts more raw, ferocious, crowd-pleasing energy into one set than an army of Green Days.
From the moment he took the stage, the crowd was ecstatic, as T.J. boomed his way through a brilliant mix of 60's classics, new album songs, and his signature covers. "What's New Pussycat," "It's Not Unusual," and more were all greeted with deafening cheers, as Tom wiped the sweat from his brow with a grin. He did a Black Crowes hit and the Jackson Five's "ABC," finishing two sets with the crowd begging for more. It was impossible to get away from all the TJ Wannabe's who felt it their duty to "accompany" Mr. Jones on each and every song, but he drowned them all out, flashing an amused smile as wave upon wave of panties flew onto the stage.
After the band blazed through the 007 theme, Tom belted out "Thunderball" with the appropriate karate punching action on the word "strikes." He finally wound things up after at least four encores including Lenny Kravitz's "Are You Gonna Go My Way." As the crowd began to disperse, a guy in his 50's remarked, "Seeing him up there on stage like that gives me new hope. My life is just beginning." Uh yeah pal, sure. Anyway, Jones also expressed his surprise at seeing so many young people turn out for the show.
I guess there's something to say for a man who's been putting 100% into entertaining people for four decades. Some may say he's not "alternative enough" or perhaps his new album is a little too hip for his older fans - the fact is that Tom Jones can win you over on the strength of his concerts alone. It's not hard to imagine throngs of screaming women tossing hotel room keys onto the stage...they're still doing it. And Tom is still flashing that grin.
