Joe Jackson Live Review: Still Looking (and Sounding) Sharp

Joe Jackson, Denver 2026 (Photo by Roger Len Smith, used with permission)

When British singer-songwriter Joe Jackson  first burst onto the music scene in the late 1970s, his unique sound was essentially lumped by the major music media into the genre-limiting camp of new wave/punk. New? Yes. Wave? Not even. Jackson’s literate blend of catchy jazz-inspired pop, clever lyrics and funk and Latin rhythms combined to advance the notion of new rock music as the second great British Invasion took hold. And he could write a hook.

Jackson’s arrival signaled that not all reactions to disco, hippies and progressive rock had to be hard-edged, angry punk-rock hellbent on revolution. A sardonic wit and a classical composition ability has enabled Jackson to stand out from the pack and to make a living singing and playing piano, and the occasional saxophone, since his debut album, Look Sharp!, was released in early 1979. The album marked the arrival of an artist who displayed an effortless ability to weave together rock, power pop and jazz influences to create an original, intricate sound. And as a counterpoint to the burgeoning punk of the era, Jackson utilized Latin rhythms common in jazz, so that his sound had more in common with Santana than the Ramones.

For the launch of his 22nd studio album, Hope and Fury, Jackson and his band began a six-week North American tour in June and the fourth stop on the tour, on June 6, 2026, made it to the historic Paramount Theater in downtown Denver. Released this spring, Hope and Fury is the singer’s fourth album in the past decade and further cements Jackson’s enduring songwriting sophistication while showing his critical social eye hasn’t lost its incisiveness.

Joe Jackson and Graham Maby, Denver 2026 (Photo by Roger Len Smith, used with permission)

Jackson was both animated and amicable as he led his tight band through an 18-song set heavy on both new material and old hits. Beginning solo, Jackson entered the stage looking rather, ahem, sharp, in a tailored gray tieless suit to a rapturous reception from an adoring Denver crowd. The singer immediately went for the familiar with the first big hit of his career, “Is She Really Going Out with Him.” The song was a perfect choice as an opening solo piano vehicle. The crowd was immediately in his hands so when the line “look over there” came along in the song, the audience naturally yelled back, “Where?!,” seemingly to the singer’s bemusement. Jackson was in great form and mood throughout the entire show.

Jackson gradually brought his band out, with longtime bassist Graham Maby first joining for the second song, “It’s Different for Girls,” another thought-provoking early hit. Hailing from his sophomore album, I’m The Man, this song flayed the male biases of the music industry, and became another irresistible sing-along. The rest of the band joined in on the next song, the brand new “Welcome to Burning-by-Sea.” The cover for the new album shows a pavilion burning on a western English pier, making this song a clear play on the name of the English seaside town Burnham-on-Sea, where that exact thing happened two decades prior. Another new number, the amusingly sarcastic “I’m Not Sorry,” followed, which makes plain society’s paradoxes while acknowledging its complexities. In addition to Maby, Jackson’s superb band featured guitarist Teddy Kumpel, drummer Doug Yowell and percussionist Paulo Stagnaro, all musicians who’ve worked with Jackson extensively.

Jackson introduced each new number with short, often humorous, descriptive setups. The band played more than half of the new album’s nine tracks and songs from seven of his albums overall. Snarky or cranky may be oft-used adjectives for both Jackson and his songs, but his demeanor and playful interaction with the crowd gave the impression of a serious artist happy to be at work. Lyrically, his songs are filled with clever and critical imagery, stories of daily life in the Western world and are loaded with hooks, catchy melodies and with more than a shade of dark humor. Case in point, the expertly performed “Sunday Papers,” another wickedly satirical gem from Jackson’s debut album, which so long ago aptly described so much about the media and its many contradictions.

Related: Our Album Rewind of Look Sharp!

Every song was performed seamlessly, aided by additional energy from the enthusiastic audience. The chemistry between Jackson and Maby was evident and natural, as happens when musicians play together for decades.

One of the best new songs was the wistful “End of the Pier,” which examines and contrasts the overlapping similarities, differences and difficulties of life for working class English families in 1922 and 2022; both years found society coming out of a pandemic. A lively version of perhaps Jackson’s best-known tune, the irresistible “Steppin’ Out,” ended the set with a touch of R&B and high dance fever.

Going back to the more familiar for the three-song encore, Jackson began with a nod to an old, departed friend, David Bowie, saying “He was a good friend and someone I liked and really respected.” Jackson and the band then played a fantastic version of “Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps),” from Bowie’s 1980 album of the same name. Another big hit followed, the jazz-inflected “You Can’t Get What You Want (Till You Know What You Want),” which naturally turned into a venue-sized sing-along.

Jackson then cleared the stage and ended by going full circle for the show-closer, playing the lovely “Home Town” solo on the piano. Following the final number, Jackson did a somewhat atypical move, for him, by coming to the front and center spot of the stage (occupied by Maby throughout the show), bowing and offering the crowd sincere gratitude and verbal thanks. Joe Jackson seemed happy and clearly the audience felt the same.

Jackson’s recordings are available in the U.S. here and the U.K. here. Tickets for his tour are available here and here.