At one point Jackson Browne commented how he “doesn’t think of himself as 75 and doesn’t think of his beard as grey” but that is what a lifetime of success will do to you. For many people in the room (including myself) who started the Jackson Browne journey with his first album in 1972, this show delivered a deep dive across the entire career.
Jackson Browne performed at MCA Melbourne. This was the make-up show for shows cancelled earlier this year when Jackson contracted covid after arriving in Australia. He could have curated the obvious setlist but for the true fan, there were a lot of deep dives throughout the night.
The first six Jackson Browne albums (from 1972 to 1980) were represented but so were the two most recent records ‘Downhill From Everywhere, 2021) and ‘Standing In The Breach, 2014). For Browne, commentary is the lost important part of the art of his songwriting. There is a message in every song. ‘Downhill from Everywhere’ speaks to a world moving backwards. ‘Until Justice Is Real’ also speaks to today with those potent opening words, “Ain’t on your T.V., ain’t on your phone, You want the truth you got to find it on your own.”
It is hard to believe it has just gone 20 years since the passing of Warren Zevon. I’ve got an bootleg of Jackson from the 70s doing Warren’s ‘Werewolves of London’. They were close friends and that friendship lives on with Jackson performing two of Warren’s songs ‘Don’t Let Us Get Sick’ and ‘The Indifference of Heaven’.
‘Call It A Loan’ from the 1980 ‘Hold On’ album was an unexpected treat. The ‘Hold Out’ album was represented three times, with ‘Boulevard’ and ‘That Girl Could Sing’.
That second album ‘For Everyman’ received great exposure with the title track, the stunning ‘These Days’ (written by Jackson when he was 16 years old) and the rock ‘Redneck Friend’. (Fun Fact: Elton John played piano on Jackson’s 1973 recording under the name Rockaday Johnnie). Jackson went overtime at this show so the final song ‘Take It Easy’, the song Jackson co-wrote for Eagles, had to be dropped because of the MCA curfew.
Those first six Jackson Browne albums are must have classics for everyone’s collection. I doubt any true fan walked away disappointed from this show.
Jackson Browne setlist, MCA Melbourne, 29 November 2023
Don’t Let Us Get Sick (Warren Zevon cover from Warren’s Life’ll Kill Ya, 2000)
Downhill From Everywhere (from Downhill From Everywhere, 2021)
For Everyman (from For Everyman, 1973)
Until Justice Is Real (from Downhill From Everywhere, 2021)
Fountain of Sorrow (from Late For The Sky, 1974)
The Long Way Around (from Standing In The Breach, 2014)
Somebody’s Baby (from Fast Times At Ridgemont High soundtrack, 1982)
Redneck Friend (from For Everyman, 1973)
The Indifference of Heaven (Warren Zevon cover)
For a Dancer (from Late For The Sky, 1974)
Boulevard (from Hold Out, 1980)
The Pretender (from The Pretender, 1976)
Call it a Loan (from Hold Out, 1980)
Time the Conqueror (from Time The Conqueror, 2008)
Too Many Angels (from I’m Alive, 1993)
These Days (from For Everyman, 1973)
That Girl Could Sing (from Hold Out, 1980)
Doctor My Eyes (from Jackson Browne, 1972)
Late For The Sky (from Late For The Sky, 1974)
Running on Empty (from Running On Empty, 1977)
Encore:
The Load-Out / Stay (from Running On Empty, 1977)
Jackson Browne’s upcoming shows:
1 December, 2023, Sydney, Super Theatre
2 December, Mount Cotton, A Day On The Green
https://www.frontiertouring.com/jacksonbrowne
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