Originally published by L.S. Media. December 2nd 2009.

Don’t let the name fool you, it may sound like your typical tribute band cashing in on former glories of a group that no longer tours but From The Jam are hardly a tribute act. With Bruce Foxton powering through chords and riffs that made him and the rest of the Jam one of the top acts of their day this in no way called a tribute act. Joining the original member of the band on stage was Russell Hastings who shows how much he loves this type of music with a superb performance that would have made former vocalist Paul Weller seethe with jealousy.

Even without original drummer Rick Buckler in tow, the guys pulled a masterstroke by having the revered Mark Brzezicki play on drums for them for this tour. The one time Big Country and Fish stalwart looked at home as he ploughed through songs that were a departure for him but made them look like he had been playing them all his life.

The guys opened up a tight, well worked and enjoyable set with the classic Going Underground and the excellent Modern World.

The ever youthful Bruce never kept still during the set. As a young man he used to dash around the stage and put on a hell of a show as he played bass to great effect, now thirty years later he is still that young man who wowed audiences and inspired a generation of people to dust down the sentiments of the past and get to grips with the coming age.

All the recognisable hits and classics were there were a few surprises in the set with an acoustic version of That’s Entertainment thrown in during the set. With a set list as good as this on offer to the public it is sometimes hard to think why the band split up when they did, but with good tunes such as News of the World, Smithers Jones and the Ray Davies hit David Watts being showcased it was a timely reminder that the music the Jam play should never go out of fashion or be subject to trends.

A storming main set was finished in some style as they played the ironic Start!, “A” Bomb Down in Wardour Street and the lyrically wonderful Strange Town to an audience sensing that they had witnessed a truly great gig.

The band came back on stage to huge applause from the loyal crowd and proceeded to play the encores which included A Town Called Malice and the storming Down in the Tube Station at Midnight.

As Bruce Foxton left the stage he saluted the fans, almost in acknowledgement for coming out on a cold December night and for sticking by the band through a tumultuous autumn.

Ian D. Hall