Tom Jones wows the Juan crowd

Tom Jones performed at Jazz à Juan on July 16th to an adoring crowd

His meteoric rise to fame in the 60s was characterised by sexually-charged concerts where frenzied women threw underwear and hotel keys at the singer who gyrated on the stage dressed in shirts unbuttoned to the waist and tight trousers. 50 years on, though more restrained in dress, that vitality and sexual charisma remains. Sir Tom, who was knighted in 1999, burst onto the stage; his broad smile and sparkling blue eyes expressing the great delight he felt at appearing before devoted, screaming fans of all nationalities.

Having sung nearly every form of popular music over the years, he began the concert softly with songs from his various albums, his first single ‘Chills and Fever’, soul songs, Leonard Cohen’s ‘Tower of Song’ (“the words are so me”, he explained) and the moving ‘Green, Green Grass of Home’. ‘What’s New Pussycat’ stepped up the tempo, and as he tore his jacket off and sang ‘Delilah’, women raced to stand in front of the stage, blowing kisses and shouting his name.

It was a hot summer night, his energy was prolific and he’s 72 years of age, but as he sang ‘Sex Bomb’ and mimicked undressing, the atmosphere was electric, no one was left unmoved and this consummate showman clearly illustrated that his fire still burns fiercely.

In the final encore, he introduced the band and two girl singers and they all put their arms around each other. “We’ve had a ball”, he called out. “I hope you have too.”

As he turned to leave the stage, one small pair of scarlet knickers landed at his feet. A memorable and fitting finale to an extra-specially magic Juan night.

Jill Levison