CONCERT RE-view: Ageless Joan Jett, Rocks Seattle!

SCOTT/2012

by MK Scott

It is great to go back to the past and experience a moment you never had the chance to in your youth. Back in 1982, I was barely in Grade school but remembered that the #3 song of that year was a leather clad chick singing 'I love Rock n Roll'. She reminded me of 'Leather Tuscadero' (Suzi Quatro) from 'Happy Days'. Joan Jett was real and a true pioneer.

According to Wiki, Quatro was Jett's Idol.  Joan adopted many of Suzi's qualities including her shag haircut and style. Jett would quietly wait in the lobby of various hotels that Suzi was staying in during her US tours, just to catch a glimpse of her. She wore wooden platform shoes with "Suzi Quatro" carved into the side. Fast forward 30 yrs and Jett (agless at 53) appeared in Seattle's Snoqualmie Casino for an OUTdoor concert this past Tuesday. Jett has had relationships with men and women (Carmen Electra, Cherie Currie), and has both a Gay and straight following. Jett even performed on the 2008 True colors tour.

SCOTT/2012

Jett started the show with "Bad Reputation" and "Do You Want to Touch Me", "Cherry Bomb"' from 'the Runaways', the first all-girl band to play instruments (Before the Go-Gos) She talked about her experience of living in Seattle in the early 90's and produced the debut album for the Punk band, the Gits. The lead singer, Mia Zapata, had been raped and murdered in 1993. The results of their collaboration was a live LP, Evil Stig and a single, "Bob", whose earnings were contributed to the investigation of Zapata's murder. The case was solved in 2004, when Zapata's murderer, Jesus Mezquia, was brought to trial and convicted.

Jett performed the chilling, "Crimson and Clover" and performed some new songs like "TMI (Too much Info)"  and finished  with 'I Love Rock n' Roll" and "I Hate Myself for Loving You" What I love about going to these concerts as an adult is I appreciate the nostalgia and the music plus the longevity of the Iconic artist.