Performance: Tom Jones

North Shore Events Centre

Review: Nick Smith


New Zealanders, I am sure, are not by nature a nation of knicker-throwers.

But Tom Jones somehow prompted an unnatural response in normally reserved Kiwis last night, as a plethora of intimate apparel was hurled to lie on stage like little bundles of appreciation to the enduring Welsh legend.

Jones deserved the by-now traditional salute. He was so good, I almost added my own pair of smalls to the pile. Well, perhaps something not quite so personal and, besides, it was a cold Auckland night.

Earlier, local artist Fiona McDonald did not let the home side down with a beguiling performance, particularly a stripped-back and slowed-down version of Cruise Control that exposed the excellent song-craft.

But it was Jones the capacity crowd had come to see, and what a crowd they were. They sang, yelled and screamed; the audience went ape and that was only at the three Tom Jones impersonators roaming the centre.

Needless to say, by the time the real Jones boyo arrived, there was pandemonium.

Seldom have I heard such sustained applause, such unbridled enthusiasm. It was almost unseemly, but it sure contributed to a fantastic atmosphere, with a pervasive sense of euphoria and hilarity.

With These Hands provided the nearly-60-year-old with the first opportunity to give his fans the full Tom Jones - that extraordinary emoting, the wander up and down the several-octave range that finishes with a suitable Vegas flourish.

His voice is still an incredible instrument, possessing enormous power and elasticity, particularly on his series of 60s soul covers such as Hard to Handle, Hold on I'm Coming and You Can Keep Your Hat On.

It was also nice to see the large 10-piece band, with full complement of brass section and backup singers.

It was an all-seated gig, but by the time Jones belted out Green, Green Grass of Home and What's New Pussycat most of the crowd downstairs were on their feet dancing, while the crowd singalong to It's Not Unusual was of such quality that it would not have sounded out of place at Cardiff Arms Park.

It was an extraordinary night.