The Jam were quite simply one of the great British bands of the 1970s and 1980s, delivering 18 consecutive top 40 hits including absolute bangers like Town Called Malice, That’s Entertainment and Beat Surrender. While the band broke up in 1982, From The Jam came out of the ashes in 2007, and they were in town on Friday night, playing a gig at the Forum Bath to mark the 45th anniversary of the Setting Sons album, with the equally awesome Ruts DC in support.
The result was a cracking night of banging tunes and youths revisited by a busy audience of predominantly 50 and 60 somethings digging out their parkas and polo shirts, and enjoying live music at a great venue.
First on was the Ruts DC, a stunning and often overlooked band of a similar vintage to The Jam and responsible for a catalogue of quality songs that often covered political subjects of the time, as well as the challenges of drug abuse that eventually caused the death of their original singer, Malcolm Owen.
The Ruts DC have carried on pretty much ever since, a super tight, hugely talented three piece who combine excellent musicianship with a obvious love of performing to produce a tight set of classics including Staring At The Rude Boys, SUS and of course, the incredible Babylon’s Burning.
Bands like Ruts DC are absolute gold dust; yes, they’re knocking on a bit but they are still so great to see. Grab a ticket to any upcoming gigs as soon as you can!
And then From The Jam took to the stage, sadly without Jam stalwart Bruce Foxton who has toured with the band since the start but is now having to take a break due to ill health. The result is a slick, well played and thorough tribute act headed by main man Russell Hastings and covering a great range of album tracks and big hits.
Each track was greeted with joy by an increasingly energetic audience, many of whom seemed to know the songs word for word. Mixed in with stories from Hastings about how the band came out, the result is a night of nostalgia and memories. What perhaps it missed was the youthful energy and menace of those old Jam gigs – this was more of a ‘Russell Hastings does The Jam’ cabaret.
Still, as a creaking and slightly arthritic mosh pit built, and the gig climaxed with some of The Jams most memorable hits including Down In The Tube Station At Midnight and Going Underground, this was clearly a hugely popular gig enjoyed by a happy crowd of dancing oldies.
Find out about more great gigs coming up at the Forum Bath at www.bathforum.co.uk