“Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce to you a sister so bad, she just kicked cancer in the arse. Ms. Sharon. JOOOOOOOONNESSSS!”
One of the most formidable touring forces on the planet was pushed into respite midway through 2013, with Sharon Jones, the undisputed ruler of the past decade’s soul revival, being diagnosed with bile duct cancer, delaying the launch of the LP Give The People What They Want as Ms. Jones underwent extensive and exhaustive treatment.
As Binky Griptite, the MC-come-guitarist for tonight’s show, stated in Ms. Jones’ eventual introduction, that cancer was well and truly kicked in the ass, with no hesitation in returning to a prolific touring schedule (this Australian tour was planned before Sharon’s final chemotherapy administration at the beginning of the year).
Tonight’s show was a loose affair as it was the last stop of this Australian tour. Taking place at Melbourne Town Hall, which is a venue not often privy to live music, the setting imbued a sense of old school blues revue. The sound wasn’t great, the mix evaporating in the expansive ceiling, but a sense of nonstandard charm more than compensated.
Things took a little while to take off after tonight’s main star took the stage. The music was solid, but ear-monitor difficulties appeared to be a minor distraction for Ms. Jones. Of course, she soon hit her stride, emanating star power over the band and show, acting as benevolent band dictator a la the Godfather of Soul. The homespun connection with the audience resulted in a rotating roster of characters gracing the stage for a dance-off with Ms. Jones, all hitting their mark better than any well-cast plant could. The control over the band extended to the crowd as an unruly interaction resulted in the band being cut mid-song by Ms. Jones, until she diplomatically resolved the minor fracas with resounding diplomacy.
Shortly after, Ms Jones made her way to the bar onstage (yep, there was a bar complete with a cocktail bartender placed just beside the amp stack), grabbed a martini as she perched an elbow, looking like an icon, turning to the audience as she took a sip.
BY LACHLAN KANONIUK
Photo by Amelia King
Loved: Ms Jones’ commanding cool.
Hated: Strict 11pm curfew.
Drank: Not much, but craved the cocktails being served up onstage.
