Joanage
It must’ve been the summer of ’82.
I know it was summer because it was Chicagofest, a now-defunct seasonal festival of food and music. In fact, it may have been Chicagofest’s swan song as former Mayor Jane Byrne, who championed it, lost her bid the next year for re-election to Chicago’s first black mayor, Harold Washington, who put an end to Chicagofest because it was a huge cash suck.
Anyway, like a typical Chicagofest, it was a thick crowd of humanity along the city’s lakefront. All spring “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” ruled the Billboard charts. I hadn’t been to many concerts at that point, but I was getting old enough for my mom to let me go to see live music. I liked Joan Jett’s cover of “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll,” but I wouldn’t say I was a huge fan. I was after that show, though.
I felt those waves of power chords and swooned.
About 20 years later I begged her publicists to let me interview her. No way. Not interested.
I tried again the last few weeks. Same result.
But that’s OK, Joan, I still love ya’. I went to Thursday night’s show at the Pacific Amphitheater and was struck by just how powerful she still sounds. She makes it look so effortless. A real highlight was watching her essay that solo in her crunchy cover of “Everyday People.” I know Sly would nod along and might even throw up a sign of the devil to boot. You never know with Sly. Trust me, after seeing him live last year I can only imagine. But that’s a story for another time.
The real testament to her enduring appeal, though, came at the concert’s lowest point. Something went awry with the sound system during her cover of “Crimson and Clover” and the crowd quickly grew frustrated. Part of us wanted to boo, but we didn’t want her to think it was directed at her and the Blackhearts. Then her truest fans started singing along to help her. She caught on and led them in the sing-along. When the sound popped back on it electrified us. Just as she always has. I call that Joanage — rhymes with ownage. All I can say is I love rock ‘n’ roll, especially when it comes out of the amps of Joan Jett and the Blackhearts.
With the great Kenny Laguna, who’s been with her since the beginning, on keyboards.
Was center, 12 rows from orchestra seats, myself. Nice cross section of tunes, wish it could have been longer than 90 minutes.
In martial arts, they say you need about 10,000 reps to approach mastery of something. She’s had at least that many HOURS of playing and rocking and songwriting, etc. Shows in the grins.
Write more; hopefully you’ll get a chance to interview her! Put it up here if you do.