Ray's Gigs

Daily news and reviews of gigs bars clubs restaurants product launches films theatre fashion shows books art galleries hotels competitions interesting places to visit ...and much more!

Tuesday 27 July 2021.

Tuesday 27 July 2021. TOM JONES live at Shepherds Bush Empire. Sir Tom plays the smallest venue on his UK summer tour to launch his recent album, released April 2021. IT went to number one in the UK charts. "Surrounded by Time" is his fourth album since 2010 with producer Ethan Johns. It is another covers album mixing genres including Americana and Gospel. Tom will be aged 81 when he tours this summer. With over 100 million record sales, 36 Top 40 hits spanning five decades, a string of Grammy, Ivor Novello and Brit Awards to his name, Sir Tom Jones announces a very special and exclusive full album performance of ‘Surrounded by Time’. This show sold out very quickly, and will be a "back to normal" capacity show for 2000. Will certainly be a bit weird to see the stalls packed here , with folks shoulder to shoulder. ------------------ No surprise that it was a mainly older crowd tonight. No support tonight as Tom's band equipment take up all of the stage. TOM JONES arrives on stage at 8.30pm and is on stage a mere 75 mins. A nice stage production that includes a big screen mixing live footage and pre-recorded images. When an artist says " this will be a special show to launch the new album" , you kind of know it will not be a hits type show but many of the crowd were left disappointed as Tom DID NOT PLAY ANY OF HIS HITS , even though his outdoor festival at the weekend was full of them. The twelve tracks played tonight was the entire album in track order. Tom's voice still sounds great, and he has interesting stage banter about how he had been at this venue many times in the 1960s , 1970s and 1980s on various BBC tv shows. It was a good show but it would been better if he had done an encore of some of his hits. Full Tom Jones setlist played tonight... I Won't Crumble The Windmills of Your Mind (cover) Popstar No Hole in My Head Talking Reality Television Blues I Won’t Lie This Is the Sea One More Cup of Coffee (Valley Below) (Bob Dylan cover) Samson and Delilah Old Mother Earth I’m Growing Old (Bobby Cole cover) Lazarus Man