WWJJD?

Q: What Would Joan Jett Do?

A: Rock Hard!

Backstory: one of my friends is really into searching the paper for Things To Do (caps intended). She tends to find things that I am not particularly interested in or are too expensive for the amount of fun I would get out of them. However, sometimes she totally scores. Her most recent score was to inform me that Joan Jett and the Blackhearts were playing at the Fairfax County Fair. Yes, I know, Joan Jett should not be reduced to playing a county fair, but the crowd was enormous and I think Joan and the various Blackhearts had some fun.

Tickets to the fair were $7.50 ahead of time or $10 at the door/gate. Lauren bought both hers and mine ahead of time, and I dragged my dad along after much nagging, and he bought his ticket at the door.

Joan et al were set to play at 8, so we got to the stage at 7:10. My mama raised me right, you get to things early. Which is perhaps why we got to sit in the 5^th row of seats, behind the crowd at the base of the stage (which is where I wanted to be, but I had Dad with a bad knee and Lauren who is roughly 84 years old).

Let me say that Joan Jett, despite being as old as my father, is hot! Seriously. She was rocking a pair of hiphugging leather pants and a bikini top. That’s it. The end. She is still rocking the semi-mullet that is dyed far too black, and the heavy duty eye makeup. On the street or in a concert crowd, this would look trashy, on stage and because she is Joan Jett, it looked super cool.

Basically she rocked. She did old favs (Bad Reputation, Love Stinks, Crimson and Clover, I love Rock and Roll, the Mary Tyler Moore Theme), and new stuff from her new album ‘Sinner’* (Androgynous, Change the World, Riddles, Little Liar). As she was wrapping up, a storm on the distance threatened to encroach on the show, lightning bolts were clearly visible and lighting the sky, though there was no rain. The best part was that when she did the “AOW” from I love Rock and Roll, a huge lightning bolt lit up the sky and the zig zag was visible. Now that’s rock and roll!

*Joan explained that when one mentions the name of the new album, one must also shake ones finger and look accusingly at those around you. Sinner!

The Blackhearts were also entertaining to watch. Specifically the lead guitarist. He was a great guitar player, and also seemed to have studied “How to look like a Rock God in 10 Short Lessons”. He had all of them pretty well mastered. The Jump From the Amp, The Really Wide Stink Bug Stance, The Windmill, The Jump Too High and Almost Knee Yourself In the Nose, and plenty more. Quite entertaining. Plus Lauren named him Lucille 2, a brownish area with points.

Joan even had her own mirror holder. Yes indeed, her Keyboadist came out with a full length mirror and a towel sos she could attend to her running eye makeup. Afterwards she addressed the crowd saying, “I have my own mirror carrier. Now that’s a diva."

Now that's Rock and Roll!