Joan Jett Impressed With 'Fair' Performance

When friends of mine suggested going to see Heart and Joan Jett at the Ohio State Fair this past summer, I jumped at the chance. Not only would it give me a chance to hang out with my friends and see the goings-on at the fair, it would give me an opportunity to see one of my favorite groups - Heart - that I'd never seen live before.

But honestly, I wasn't all that enthused about seeing Joan Jett. I knew a few of her songs, but I wouldn't have paid to see her in concert if she hadn't been opening for Heart.

However, this was an occasion when I went in with low expectations and was pleasantly surprised. In fact, I was blown away.

 

She gave a crowd-pleasing show, performing her big solo hits such as "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" and "I Hate Myself for Loving You" as well as hits from her days in the all-girl punk group The Runaways in the '70s, including "Cherry Bomb." (That anthem of youth rebellion, coincidentally, can be heard playing over a montage in the recent summer blockbuster sci-fi flick, Guardians of the Galaxy.)

Jett also performed selections from her most recent album, 2013's Unvarnished. The numbers she performed sound very radio-friendly, but still have that punk edge, such as "Any Weather," which she shared was inspired by surviving Hurricane Sandy in 2012 like many of her fellow New Yorkers. (Watch the video by clicking this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qbab568f_NE)

Joan Jett wowed me with her showmanship and ability to sing, play guitar and hold the crowd in the palm of her hand. She is a true rock star.

And not for nothin', but in her 50s, she is in amazing shape and still looks like she did back when she was a teen rocker with The Runaways.

Speaking of which, I've long been a huge fan of Jett's Runaways bandmate and rival, Lita Ford. Back in the late '90s, I remember walking through a record store (back when they still existed) and discovering The Runaways for the first time.

 

"Joan Jett and Lita Ford were in a band together?!" I exclaimed in my astounding lack of punk rock history, marveling at the reissued album from the '70s like some kind of artifact from an ancient civilization.

While I'll always be a Lita fan, Joan Jett has totally won my respect.

 

 

Oh, and Heart wasn't too shabby, either.