Tom Jones – Live at Belsonic 2023

It’s a hot, balmy and damp evening in Belfast’s Ormeau Park that forms the back drop for a laid-back evening spent in the company of Sir Tom Jones.

Now 83 years old the Knight of the Realm is still in fine form and clearly enjoying his Ages & Stages tour. His robust baritone voice has lost none of its power. Musically it’s hard to pigeonhole Jones. He’s done it all, Pop, Rock, Variety and Gospel. Tonight, alongside his five piece band his set list focuses heavily on his most recent album ‘Surrounded By Time’ which in many ways is his own acknowledgement of mortality all delivered with a stripped back gutsy sound.

Early highlights include covers of Bobby Cole’s ‘Im Growing Old’ and Bob Dylan’s ‘Not Dark Yet’. The crowd pleasing ‘It’s Not Unusual’ gets re-worked in an up-tempo zydeco romp, followed by re-arranged versions of ‘What’s New Pussycat’ and ‘Sex Bomb’ and ‘Deliah’.

While still in good shape Jones does occasionally make use of a stool onstage, yet this does nothing to diminish his incredible stage presence. Clever use of big video screens also ensures that while Jones is clearly not as physically active on stage as he once was his persona still looms large.

Between songs Jones regales the audience with (true) stories from his long career. Elvis Presley gets a mention as does Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry and Willie Nelson. Which not only confirms Jones’s longevity, but also his authentic claim to the often over used title of legend.

‘Kiss’ gets the audience on their feet, an electric version of Todd Snider’s ‘Talking Reality Television Blues’ delivers a scathing attack on the media and the triple whammy of ‘One Hell of A Life’, ‘Strange Things Happen Every Day’ and ‘Johnny Be Goode’ ends the show.

From start to finish Jones held his audience in the palm of his hand and delivered a highly entertaining career-spanning show with warmth and good nature.