Class of '77: From the Jam

Class of '77:  From the Jam

The Sage, Gateshead

19.12.2012

Class of '77 reached it's conclusion with the headline act - From the Jam. ''Come on, up you get;  you don't want to sit down all night'' was the instruction as they took to the stage in determined fashion and unleashed the bug guns right at the start with Eton Rifles, swiftly followed by Going Underground.

From the Jam started life as two thirds of The Jam, but now that Rick Buckler is no longer with the band they are down to one third, namely Bruce Foxton. He was joined by Russ Hastings (vocals and guitar), Mark Brzezicki (drums) and Tom Van Heel (keyboards).

A new CD - Back In The Room - was released earlier this year featuring the same personnel (plus a guest appearance by Paul Weller). Two of the new songs - Number Six and Window Shopping were included in the set list. They both sounded faithful to the authentic Jam sound.

Set List

Eton Rifles
Going Underground
The Modern World
Slow Down
Ghost
Smithers-Jones
Pretty Green
Number Six
Non-Stop Dancing
David Watts
Window Shopping
That's Entertainment
Start!
When You're Young
Strange Town

Encore

Down in the Tube Station at Midnight
Beat Surrender
Town Called Malice

It was a performance big on energy, with Russ Hastings looking and sounding not too dissimilar to Paul Weller to change the essence and flavour of The Jam.

After 65 frantic minutes, Bruce Foxton left us with the words: ''Thanks for coming to this venue. It's a bit of weird one, isn't it? But we made the most of it. See you in the New Year!''

Was he reacting to the reduced audience, or the unique ambiance of the wood-panelled Sage? It's unclear, but hopefully they'll back in the North East some time soon.

Follow all the From the Jam news on their official website.