Joan Jett and the Blackhearts

Posted 18 May 2010 Live Music Review,Music News

May 15, 2010

Coconut Creek Casino, Coconut Creek, FL

Written by Kate Dingle

Only a handful of musicians’ careers have had the staying power to last through multiple decades. With a career spanning over 30 years, Joan Jett has continued to kick ass and take names and Saturday’s performance at the Seminole Coconut Creek Casino was one big ass whoopin’.

Well before showtime, fans lining up overflowed into the parking lot in hopes of getting in early to find the perfect spot to witness Joan Jett and The Blackhearts tear it up. The majority of the (mostly female) crowd was decked out in black and leather and there were even some vintage Jett concert T’s floating around.

When the woman (and men) of the hour took the stage, the crowd erupted into an all out frenzy. Without so much as a word from the front woman, the quintet burst into “Change The World” and a little ditty originally by the Runaways called “Cherry Bomb” (heard of it?). With each “Hello daddy, hello mom/I’m your ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-cherry bomb!” it seemed as though concertgoers would overpower the rockers. But the louder the crowd got, Jett and company made sure to get even louder. They went on to plow through tunes that spanned nearly the entirety of Jett’s career like, “Do You Wanna Touch Me”, “Bad Reputation”, “The French Song”, and “Fake Friends”.

Other set highlights included “Naked”, “Androgynous”, “You Drive Me Wild”, “School Days”, and “Fetish”.

But it was the last three songs of their main set that sent fans over the edge. As soon as the signature first two chords of “I Love Rock And Roll” made their way to the ears of listeners, the deafening roar from the crowd seemed to silence the rest of the world. Throughout the rock anthem, Joan Jett and The Blackhearts gave everything they had. The momentum was kept up as Jett slid into “Aw, now I don’t hardly know her/But I think I can love her/Crimson and clover”. The set was finished off with a rip roaring rendition of “I Hate Myself For Loving You”.

Joan Jett and The Blackhearts emerged after a short break to end the show with the 2006 hit “A.C.D.C.” and the 1968 Sly And The Family Stone hit “Everyday People”.

Joan Jett has been a continuous driving force in the music industry for three decades and is showing no signs of slowing down. Whether she’s performing with The Blackhearts or fostering new talent at her own Blackheart Records, Jett will continue to be the ever fearless rock icon we have all come to love her for.

You know, growing up my mother always told me that I could be anything I wanted to be. She always told me that I could do all the same things the boys did, and that I could probably do it better. After seeing Joan Jett and The Blackhearts perform on Saturday night, I think I have finally decided on what it is I want to be. I wanna be a rock star. Just like Joan Jett.

Photos by Kate Dingle