When the tambourine starts thumping and the lead singer summons a resounding “Yeeee-aaaah” from somewhere deep in his gut, it’s enough to make you want to squeal and consider throwing your panties on the stage. Given the last few shows I’ve been to (TV on The Radio, The Shins), this is not a thought that’s even remotely crossed my mind. But there’s something about the male attitude of Jet that gets the girls in the audience at the Fillmore worked up, and sets the guys into a head-nodding, air-guitar playing frenzy.
Belting out “Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is” and “Are You Gonna Be My Girl,” and taking time to slow it down for “Look What You’ve Done,” and “Shine On” – the band seemed to be channeling the Rolling Stones, and the Beatles, and I’d only wished that they’d broken into a killer cover of something like The Kinks “You Really Got Me” or The Who’s “My Generation” or (gasp!) The Beatles’ “Revolution.”
Brothers Nic and Chris Cester shared a bit of vocal duties – with Nic taking lead, and Chris taking a brief break from drums to come out a belt a solo. And while “surprisingly agile” might not be a term I’d reserve for most rock bands, when Nic jumped on top of Chris’s drum set, stood on one foot, and played a loud clanging, body-thrusting guitar riff, I was definitely impressed. He must do yoga.
Jet reminds us that outside of the faux-emo (Fall Out Boy), synth-infused (The Killers), state of “rock” music – there is some real rock left. And that may be enough to cause you to loose your undergarments.
