Here's something approximating a review of last night's LJ gig:

For a long time, I thought I might be one of the chosen few who savored the sweet pop-soul concoctions of Love Jones (or as singer Jonathan Palmer put it, "fake jazz"). It didn't bother me, really. Sometimes it's fun to be one of the few in the know. Thankfully, though, when the Jones boys played their first gig in over a year at West Hollywood's Luna Park, the place was jumpin' with folks who knew all the words just like me. And that, for an LJ fan, felt mighty good, too.

Dressed in Shaft-style black leather jackets and keeping the black motif from their turtlenecks to their boots (ala the "Powerful Pain Relief back cover), the four guys were definitely on point from the minute the curtains opened (and possibly before that--I can't say for certain, but at point very close to the start of the show, it sound like the guys kicked on their amps and mics, turned down the DJ's stuff, and launched into a blistering funkstramental...all behind the curtain). It was the second time I'd seen LJ, but the first post-Ben Daughtrey experience; any questions or fears I may have had quickly fell by the wayside. But enough ass-kissing. On to the show.

The Joneses performed a little over an hour (being one of five bands on the night's ticket) in a, I shudder to say it, MTV Unplugged fashion. Everybody was sittin' on that stage, but they rocked out in that old school Love Jones fashion so well, you'd have sworn they were freakin' stage divin'. Three new songs were introduced; "Girl", "Teresa" and one other upbeat number that I can't recall the title of, and if these tunes are any indication of what the next album's going to be like, I dare say LJ aficionados will not be disappointed. The rest of the set was sprinkled with material from the first two albums, and they were SMOKIN', brothers and sisters. Guitarist Chris Hawpe broke into a blood curdling rendition of "Purple Rain" at one point, and the guys ended up at different times in the evening referencing everyone from Tool to Gino Vanelli. In other words, your run-of-the-mill Love Jones performance...which ain't let me down yet.

So, in closing, friends and lovers, I just gotta say that if you haven't seen these saucy lads live yet, keeps your eyes and ears open for 'em. In this age of ubiquitous power-pop and recycled KISS riffs, help keep bands like LJ alive. Buy their stuff, and spread the word. Fade out.

--Rob Sturma