Jackson Browne – Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre April 18, 2023

Jackson Browne took us from The Barricades Of Heaven to The Load Out as he and his band celebrated over 50 years of songwriting.

Now age 74, Browne last graced our shores in 2016 when he performed down the street at The Civic. Tonight’s show almost didn’t happen as Jackson had been suffering from an undisclosed illness and had to cancel shows in Sydney and Melbourne (to be made up later this year).

But at 8:42 here he is.

With a quick “So glad to be here tonight”, he and his 7-piece band get things underway with Before The Deluge and an appropriate I’m Alive.

The voice sounds strong and the band is tight. For the record they are Mason Stoops (guitar) Greg Leisz (lap steel, guitar), Bob Glaub (bass), Mauricio Lewak (drums), Alethea Mills (vocals), Chavonne Stewart (vocals) and keyboard player Jason Crosby taking over for the late Jeff Young, who, like another Browne sideman, David Lindley, died last month.

So there was an air of sadness, of longing and of love at Aotea Centre tonight…par for the course of a Jackson Browne concert anyway.

“I’ve been under a rock at Sydney Harbour these last few days” Browne shares with the audience and punctuates his comments with a few coughs for good measure.

But then guitarist Stoops lights up the stage with a searing solo on The Barricades Of Heaven and all is well.

Fountain Of Sorrow follows with Browne relinquishing the piano to Crosby. It’s another stunner.

A roadie brings another guitar out to Jackson and they have a bit of a chat….Browne coughs…”now you have what I have”…thanks boss!

“We’re trying to make things perfect”, claims Browne, but then he shares, “perfection is the enemy of good”.

And with that motto in mind the first set continues with Rock Me On The Water, more than 50 years after its initial release and yes, we are all feeling a bit old…but glad to still be here.

Jackson pays tribute to Jeff Young and David Lindley noting that Young’s children are in the audience.

 

A highlight for me was the set ending combination of Linda Paloma and For Everyman…just gorgeous.

We take a 15 minute break and then its right back into it with Until Justice Is Real and upbeat political rocker from new album, Downhill From Everywhere.

“What a band!” an excited audience member calls out. And who can argue?

Vocalist Chavonne Stewart gets a chance to show off her stuff during The Long Way Around and Leisz reminds us why he’s one of LA’s top session cats during Your Bright Baby Blues.

Set two closes with The Pretender (a personal favourite) and Running On Empty. But this band is anything but, returning quickly for a particular poignant Load-Out before ending the night with a rousing Stay.

It’s after 11pm, we’ve heard 20 songs over 2 hours and all is right with the world, at least for now.

Marty Duda

Click on any image to view a photo gallery by Ivan Karczewski:

Set 1:

1. Before The Deluge
2. I’m Alive
3. Never Stop
4. The Barricades Of Heaven
5. Fountain Of Sorrow
6. Rock Me On The Water
7. Downhill From Everywhere
8. Call It A Loan
9. Linda Paloma
10. For Everyman

Set 2:

1. Until Justice Is Real
2. The Dreamer
3. The Long Way Around
4. Sky Blue And Black
5. Your Bright Baby Blues
6. Doctor My Eyes
7. Late For The Sky
8. The Pretender
9. Running On Empty
10. The Load-Out/Stay