From The Jam

Quarterhouse, Folkestone

When I heard that The Jam's legendary bass player Bruce Foxton was bringing his current project From The Jam to the Quarterhouse in Folkestone, the opportunity seemed to good to miss.

I saw The Jam 30 years ago and I can honestly say that Foxton has lost none of his dynamic stage presence, revelling in performing some of the old songs that formed the soundtrack to mine and many others' youth.

The set comprised tracks from the Jam's seminal album All Mod Cons, performed with the same energy and venom as that of the three sharp-suited young men I saw all those years ago.

Personal highlights were A Bomb in Wardour Street and Down in the Tube Station at Midnight.

The audience - mainly middle aged, it has to be said - soon succumbed to the 'Beat Surrender' and everyone was dancing and singing along to classics including When You're Young, Going Underground and Town Called Malice.

The Jam are undoubtedly one of the greatest bands to come out of the UK and the evening acted as a reminder to me of just how good Paul Weller's songwriting was. If you want to get a feel for what it was like growing up in the late 1970s and early 1980s you have to look no further than the lyrics of The Jam's back catalogue.

From The Jam's line-up consists of Foxton, Hastings on lead vocal and guitar, and Mark Brzezicki of Big Country on drums. Weller's shoes are very difficult to fill, but I have to say the boys came very close.

The Jam will always have a special place in my heart and it was satisfying to see a sprinkling of younger audience members experiencing at least a taste of one of our great British bands live.

Gary Browne