You know that extra little zing, that indefinable chemistry that turns an ordinary relationship into something sexy, sparkly and irresistible? Tom Jones seems to have that chemistry with every woman on the planet – certainly with the ones inside the Meyerson Symphony Center Sunday night, and a good many of the men, as well.
The Welsh pop singer, his gorgeous baritone in absolutely perfect form, utterly beguiled a full house for nearly two hours, singing songs both familiar and fresh. He opened with a handful of numbers from his most recent album, 2008's 24 Hours, kicking things off with the zesty "Sugar Daddy," written by U2's Bono and the Edge.
Attired in black pants, a maroon shirt and a black leather jacket, Jones joked about his age – he'll be 70 in June – and had a good time spoofing his sex-symbol image.
The audience seemed to enjoy the new material – especially his smoldering versions of Joe Cocker's "You Can Leave Your Hat On" and Prince's "Kiss" – but saved its most ardent adulation for Jones' early hits. "She's a Lady," "It's Not Unusual" and "What's New, Pussycat?" all had audience members seat-dancing and, eventually, on their feet.
Toward the end of the show, the Meyerson seemed briefly transformed into an extremely large, elegant disco, what with the psychedelic lighting effects and booming beat of the 10-piece backup band. The band was superb – I'd happily pay to see them by themselves – but the lighting was at times baffling. One song featured purple, gold and green capsule-shaped images splashed onto the stage and walls; to me they looked exactly like bacteria in a petri dish.
By JOY TIPPING / The Dallas Morning News