Photos: Charismatic Chris Isaak is in top form at The Joint
Chris Isaak brought his “First Comes the Night Tour” to The Joint on Saturday night at the Hard Rock Hotel, and it is clear that the 60-year-old San Francisco singer-songwriter and actor knows the secret to success and longevity.
Isaak has vocal (that falsetto!) and musicianship skills (man can he play the guitar, and a wide variety of them) in spades, and he displayed them with unending charm, humor and professionalism without the sometimes deflective use of backup dancers, staging, LED screens and over-the-top production.
Isaak is ultimately just a talented man with his guitar and a strong supporting band, and he was in top form at The Joint on Saturday night in a solid 100-minute show. In an interesting move, he performed his biggest hit, “Wicked Game,” early on instead of saving it for last. It was a smart choice, as his setlist proved that he’s no one-hit wonder.
With his signature embellished and bedazzled suits (including one made of tiny disco-ball mirrors that must take forever to clean), Isaak, in a classy move, glad-handed his band mates, The Silvertones, with whom he has performed with for 31 years, to kick off the concert.
Other highlights Saturday night:
The handsome Isaak’s falsetto is as healthy as ever, as displayed right out the gate with “Dancin’,” then “Somebody’s Crying” (which he appropriate-for-Las Vegas changed to “Somebody’s Drinking”). The man has stamina, as his falsetto and energy impressively never faltered Saturday night.
I had forgotten that Isaak is a comedian, as it has been a while since I had seen him live in Las Vegas (a quick Google search says August 2010 outdoors at The M Resort). He quipped that he dressed like a figure skater and that they would aim to perform a “semi-professional” show Saturday night but not to expect Beyonce or Lady Gaga.
In talking about the plastic wall half-surrounding his drummer at the back of the stage to diffuse the volume, Isaak informed that the next time they’re in town for a performance, the wall will be twice as tall and “be paid for by Mexico.”
During “Don’t Leave Me on My Own,” he walked onto the floor and took selfies with fans while singing. Early on, Isaak said, “Thank you for supporting live music.” Then he joked that they had lost their tapes and tracking two years ago in Fresno.
Kudos to Isaak for a stellar night of live music, and thanks to Erik Kabik for his photo gallery.
Saturday night’s two-dozen-song setlist: “Dancin’,” “Somebody’s Crying,” “Two Hearts,” “Don’t Leave Me on My Own,” “Pretty Woman” (Roy Orbison cover), new song “Down in Flames,” “San Francisco Days” (featuring a solid congo drum solo), “Wicked Game,” “Go Walking Down There,” “Go Scotty Go” (with Scott Plunkett piano solo), “Running Down the Road” and “Forever Blue” (during which Isaak said that Las Vegas is little known as the squeeze box and accordion capital of the world).
Also: “Pretty Girls Don’t Cry,” “Only the Lonely” (Orbison cover), “Insects,” “Let Me Down Easy,” “Take My Heart,” “Can’t Help Falling in Love” (Elvis Presley cover), “Great Balls of Fire” (Jerry Lee Lewis cover),” “Don’t Make Me Dream About You,” “Blue Hotel” and “Baby Did a Bad, Bad Thing” (during which he finally took off his jacket and had to switch out guitars three times — guitar malfunction!).
Encore: “Big, Wide Wonderful World,” “The Lonesome Fugitive” in a nod to the late, great Merle Haggard and “The Way Things Really Are.” Curiously absent: His hit “Can’t Do a Thing to Stop Me.”
Isaak exited The Joint stage with, “God bless you, thank you, viva Las Vegas!” Viva Chris Isaak!
