Live Review: Tom Jones – Ages & Stages Tour 2024 in Perth
20 March 2024 at Kings Park Botanic Gardens in Perth, Western Australia
Review by Sheldon Ang
Photography by Sheldon Ang Photography
We are immersed in a momentous chapter in music history through our five sences, de-crystallising the dreamy imagery engraved in our subconscious from the preludes of his stratospheric fame on the black and white TV, to the trademark gyration across the world stage of the discotheque era. Tonight, there may be 50 shades of grey among the crowd, with thousands attending as repeat customers of Tom Jones, though many have renewed their vows with Sir Tom Jones through the attendance of their children and grand-children. With the seeds and flowers bloomed with the younger generation gravitating towards the 83 year old icon, the legacy of Tom Jones shall linger in the playlist of the next generations for another 60 years.
From the sex bomb to a charismatic statesman; “I’m Growing Old”, said the octogenarian Tom Jones in a lyrical rendition as he graced the stage for the first time in the Ages and Stages Tour of Australia. His presence was magnified by a whiskey-on-ice baritone that reverberated across Kings Park like no other. The Welshman still commands his fair share of crowd aggregation, as the iconic star stood and sang at the sold-out night at King Park, Perth in Western Australia. And if that wasn’t not enough, he will return for the following night to a near sell-out crowd.
Understandably, the ageless statesman is no longer the trademarked gyrating, hip twirling, knee bending and squatting performer of the last millennium. Instead, he projects his stunning rich vocals as his weapon of choice – and frankly – that’s appreciated by the paying fans. No fancy props, just Tom, his band, large screen of context and that high end whisky-signature voice. The charisma of Tom Jones was undeniably addictive as he lifted through the hooks of his songs, spanning across 60 years.
Following the confession at the start of Bobby Cole cover, he continued with Not Dark Yet (Bob Dylan cover) and the sing along track of It’s Not Usual through a bossa nova, shaka shaka, Iberian calypso rendition as the evening transformed into a beach bar café par ambience. The bodies on the floor jiggled, with foot as the nostalgic rain poured from the heavens in this serene open air venue.
For the sake of career longevity, the choreography have been rehashed to suit. Sex bomb were immersed in a rendition of vocal seduction, almost a reflection of his time over the years that involved sipping champagne in a Las Vegas club with the likes of Elvis and Chuck Berry – more of that later. Tom Jones’s vocal projection drove deep. If our eyes were shut, we would be listening to the Tom Jones of the 70’s – the decade that is. His vocals in a Capella propagated effortlessly without the clutter of music at the intro. As the rhythm section struck accord, the crowd were wood by the bluesy rendition of this classic. The punchy projection of the words, “Sex Bomb Sex Bomb” thundered through the sound system, explosively reverberating across the grounds of Kings Park. He occasionally moved with the innuendo, purring through the extension of the “R”, oozing a desire that only Tom Jones could emanate. Fans who gravitated towards the classic mirrored his stance, with fists grabbing and punching into the air through the canopy of heads, as the crowd sang as if they were unashamedly extolling about their own sexual prowess and virtues. At this point, it was obvious that Tom Jones’ deep driving voice is richer than most working artists half his age, overriding the accumulative karaoke faux pas recoiling from the well-intendef fans in Perth.
Green Green Grass of Home was one of the sing-alongs of the night, with the intro taking fans to the 60’s within 0.7 of a second, followed by the self-appointed voices of seven thousand riding on the groove train of Tom Jones. Indeed, the pasture was greener on this side of town tonight. The track is the single of the 1967 album of the same name where Jones began to shift from the teenage-targeted audience to the more matured crowd. Song Fact – the track tells the story of a condemned person within four walls in a prison, reminiscing a poignant part of his life. From the euphoria among the fans, we doubt they knew the gruesome meaning to this Jonny Darrell cover of 1965.
And as if Tom Jones needing validation, the vocal clarity performed in ballads such as Borderline and I Won’t Crumble If You Fall were accentuated without the music clutter. The crowd dived into dead silence, grappling to every word of this Welsh crooner. The magical moment was catalysed by the stunning lighting from above, forming a silhouette through the smoky air.
A dedication to the late Prince was in order, as Tom Jones still conveyed the message with an “adults only” believability with swaggerish track in Kiss. The propensity, the bravado and the occasional cheeky “Wooh” with the attitude of a 40-something silver fox strengthened his tenacious fortitude of his performance. The energy in his voice and the physical projection resonated as he jived in slow motion, moving his hand across his body and upper thighs while the crowd screamed. Indeed, the remnants from the 70s and 80s linger.
You still got it, Tom! Said a fan.
If I Only Knew was a stunning mixture of rock, staccato projection and almost rap in some parts, without any signs of lethargy, whatsoever. Like a rocker, he crossed the stage and thrusted his hips gently while winking at the crowd, subtlety oozing the sexual flair and charm. The breathing techniques and timing were perfect, and not just for his age.
Towards the end, Tom reminiscence, “I was in Las Vegas in 71, 72, and I was with Elvis Presley one night…Elvis Presley (emphasising his name, and the crowd acknowledged)…and one night after our show where we were performing in different venues, Elvis said, ‘Chuck Berry is playing, do you want to go and see him’ and I said ‘Sure’ and we went to see Chuck Berry…when we were sitting there, Elvis (again emphasising Elvis) and myself…woo Elvis….this is the truth…’and you know something’ Elvis said, ‘There is the king of rock and roll…right there’”. And so the final song of the night was the upbeat Jonny B Goode. The performance was world class, for any age.
The late Chuck Berry and Elvis are still known as the King of Rock and Roll, and anyone to have witnessed them live would have had a story to tell to their grandchildren. In a similar fashion of legacy and narrative to follow, seeing Tom Jones live carries the same level of wonderment.
Tonight, we’ve witnessed one of the greatest chapters of music history.
Sheldon Ang Media would like to thank Revolutions Per Minute, Live Nation Australia and Tom Jones for the media accreditation.
Sir Tom Jones is touring across Australia. Visit Live Nation Australia for details.
About the Writer/Photographer: Perth based Sheldon Ang Media (est. May 2022) have been accredited to over 80 of the hottest acts including Taylor Swift (ERAS Tour in Sydney), Coldplay, KISS, P!NK, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Blink 182 and Lizzo with reviews shared by the likes of UB40, Delta Goodrem and Toni Childs. He has interviewed rockers Ace Frehley (KISS), John Steel (The Animals), Frank Ferrer (Guns N Roses), Phil X (Bon Jovi), Andrew Farris (INXS) plus over 50 artists.
