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British Airways Arc

7 EMBERTON WALK, W14 8FJ, London, UK

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Doors open: 18:30

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Joan Jett & The Blackhearts biography

Joan Jett is an American rock singer, guitarist and song-writer, best known for her work with Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. She is considered a musical icon, often cited as being the Queen of Rock and Roll.

Jett formed the Blackhearts by placing an ad in the LA Weekly, stating that she was looking for ‘three good men’. Her search eventually led her to a local bass player called Gary Ryan, guitarist Eric Ambel and drummer Danny "Furious" O'Brien. The band began performing in the US, playing gigs in places such as the Golden Bear in California and The Whisky a Go Go in Hollywood. They soon embarked on a European tour, performing in countries such as the Netherlands and England. Upon returning to the US, Jett, Ryan, and Ambel moved to Long Beach, New York. O’Brien stayed in England and was soon replaced by drummer Lee Crystal.

After a year of recording, and another member replacement, the band released an album entitled ‘I Love Rock 'n' Roll’ for their new label Boardwalk Records. The album was a hit and the first single from the album, ‘I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll’ was number one for an incredible seven weeks in a row. The song has sat among the Billboard's top 100 of all time.

A string of hits followed, all of which made it into the Top 40. The band also headlined a number of tours, all of which sold out due to high popularity. Collaborative tours with legends such as Aerosmith, Queen and The Police have reiterated the band's success.

Live reviews

It says a lot about Joan Jett’s standing that she was one of four singers invited to play with Nirvana on their induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame earlier this year; relative to the other three performers, it was obvious which role she was filling. Lorde’s selection spoke to the band’s pop sensibilities, St. Vincent’s to their eccentricity and creative potency. Kim Gordon, having toured with Nirvana many a time in the early nineties, was the alternative icon amongst the four, but Joan Jett? She was the good, old-fashioned, no-strings-attached rock icon; that’s how the music world views her these days. She’s showing no signs of slowing down, either, continuing to tour with the Blackhearts as her backing band. She plays as mean a guitar as ever, but perhaps the most impressive aspect of her sheer endurance is that her voice, if anything, sounds better than it ever did; more than you can say for many of her contemporaries. Set-wise, the classics are all present and correct - ‘Cherry Bomb’, ‘Bad Reputation’ and ‘I Love Rock and Roll’ included - and a hefty selection of covers are currently making the cut, too, from the obscure - their current closing number is a take on Sly and the Family Stone’s ‘Everyday People’ - to the possibly ill-advised - Gary Glitter’s ‘Do You Wanna Touch Me (Oh Yeah)’.

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