Jonathan in Japan, 1990

A long video with four songs from Japan:
Yo Jojo, The Beach, Those Conga Drums, and Gail Loves Me



And also from the same show:

http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=RfCXu_ID270

http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=2X7kNItCEvE

Thanks to gesu1021

Fuji Rock 07

Iggy Pop, who turned 60 in April, was the most anticipated act at FRF '07. At four years Iggy's junior, Jonathan Richman had enough steam to play three sets on three stages. Both men are cited as punk progenitors, but their careers couldn't have diverged more. Iggy still works the self-destructive rocker thing, while former Modern Lover Richman renounced electricity in the mid-'70s, opting for what sounded like children's music.

Richman's show at the Field of Heaven was steeped in nostalgia — for his native New England, for public plazas, for a certain European model of sophistication (songs sung in flawless French and Italian). But it was also there in his irrepressible style, the one performance-related constant of his career. In the middle of a verse, he'd drop his acoustic guitar and execute some curious dance moves or shake his jingle bells (literally). Richman has always been nostalgic, but it was startling to hear him play three songs — "Old World," "Girlfriend" and "Pablo Picasso" — from that formative phase he once so vehemently rejected. The audience didn't care. Richman's past isn't important. They love him for what he is right now, and they heartily requested an encore.

They got two.

-- Philip Brasor, in "Fuji Rock 07: We came, we saw, we survived" The Japan Times Online

reports (and pictures) at Fujirock Express '07

He doesn’t really worry too much about hitting all his notes, and would be as content to clap along to the drummer for two minutes as to play another song. Further, at the two shows I saw of his here at least, he didn’t talk much, but he communicates everything he needs to with his face. I got the feeling the party in his head was much better than party the rest of us were experiencing. (read the rest here)

-- kern, in "Jonathan Richman Rapscalion"


But the most revealing song was one I never heard. "And then soon came 50," he sang, "just like 1-2-3." Jonathan must be sick of being always described as boyish, innocent, naive, but he still wants to remain young at heart. "Why did we come down to earth if not to make mistakes?" he said. And it was his sincerity that communicated to the audience, which had become quite huge (and quiet) by the time he got to the song that elicited the biggest reaction, "Dancing in the Lesbian Bar." Standing up front, noticed a bunch of youngish, partly bearded faces suddenly appear stage left. It was the Shins, who had just finished their set at the White Stage and apparently rushed over to catch the end of Jonathan's set. They got a special treat: an encore. The audience just wouldn't let him go and he returned to do a heartbreaking version of "Not So Much to Be Loved As to Love." He obviously didn't want to go away. Every concert adds to his nostalgia. (read the rest here)

-- phil, in "Surrender to Jonathan - To be loved"


"Soon came 50, then 54 ... I'm not 19 anymore"

Jonathan Richman may admit his age, but that don't stop him singing about Girlfriends. It's innocence. (read the rest here)

-- donald, in "Jonathan Richman Perennially young"


Still, it was a gem of a performance. Jonathan played few complete songs, and the snippets of his hits, which included "Dancing at the Lesbian Bar" and "Egyptian Reggae," were often interrupted by sudden bursts of dancing and percussion playing, not to mention Jojo's bursts of physical sincerity, which is embodied by him dropping his guitar, opening his arms wide and raising his voice in a cappella ecstasy. He even did a bit of "Pablo Picasso," which was weird and special because he's famous for refusing to do anything from his electric Modern Lovers era. Maybe he'll do a longer version at his Heaven performance tomorrow. Despite the sound problems, the audience almost refused to let him go, and he tried to placate them with a few more shakes of the jingle bells and some Jonathan gestures. It wasn't enough, and never is. (read the rest here)

-- phil, in "Jonathan Sings! ...but is difficult to hear"


Fujirock Express '07 website

Jonathan Rocks Fuji Rock

The former Modern Lover is scheduled to make three official appearances at this year's fest, which is notable considering Jojo's famous reluctance to outstay his welcome.

Maybe it's all the birds and the insects and the general nature thing. (Still, one of the gigs is a midnight set in the Palace tent, a place one could hardly call pastoral.) In any case, as eternally boyish as he is, Jonathan is 56 this year, which means there may not be that many more opportunities to see him do his unique thing, at least not in Japan (to paraphrase a line from "Pablo Picasso"). As everyone knows, he doesn't do his electric Modern Lovers stuff any more--hasn't, in fact, since 1974--but the spirit of rock'n roll is still there in his jaunty outlook, his very underrated guitar work, his amazingly heartfelt delivery, and his wicked dance steps. (read the rest)

-- from Blogging with Fuji Rock: Jonathan Richman

Blogging with Fuji Rock

Music Festivals 2007

Looks like Jonathan and Tommy will be appearing at some international music festivals this coming summer.

Early announcements about lineups for two festivals, Estrella Damm Primavera Sound 07 in Spain & The Fuji Rock Festival 2007, Japan, have been announced and both lineups include Jonathan.

Both take place over three days, the Spanish one from May 31st to June the 2nd and Fuji Festival from July 27th to the 29th. Here's a couple of links to the festival websites:

Primavera Sound 07

Fuji Festival 2007