Jersey Boys, 12 Sep 09

 Yesterday we went to London. Birthday treat to see the Jersey Boys. Being a child of the 60s the Four Seasons are of my era and being of a contrary nature I was always inclined to favour them over the Beatles. Which is not so say that I didn’t like them as well.

At the risk of boring the 60s were different. It was the generation of the tranisitor radio which made music portable. It was also the start of a radio revolution first with the pirate radio ships and then the birth of Radios 1, 2, 3 and 4. Then I listened to Radio 1. Now it’s all Radio 4.

The 60s were also different in terms of media. There was obviously no Internet, there were no CDs and there weren’t even casette tapes. We had big shiny vinyl LPs and smaller singles. And money didn’t seem to stretch very far. LPs were for Xmas and birthdays and special events, singles maybe more frequest. But it did mean a music collection of ‘sensible’ size. Every album was played over and over.

But the show was brilliant. We’ve been to see 4 or 5 musicals recently and the impact of modern day sound systems is massive. Add the impressive sets and the easy transitions from scene to scene and you come out suitably awed.

This show had the music, and impressively the Four Seasons music did improve as they matured, a very professional performance and a story which I had not appreciated. There was real sadness, the reward from hard work and honest endeavour and loyalty and commitment to one’s mates.

There’s no rush, the show is on until October 2010, but it is worth seeing. But you will need to save up. West End shows aren’t cheap these days, just like buying music in the 60s.

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