Jones a hit — that’s not unusual

Joe Delaney

Friday, Aug. 15, 1997 | 11:10 a.m.

Tom Jones came to sing, not talk, Thursday, opening night for a fortnight's stand in the MGM Grand Hollywood Theatre. Sing he did -- 15 "closing songs" in one hour and five minutes, a bravura performance. The extra-added attraction is corpulent comedian Max Alexander who contributed 25 low-key, high-laugh minutes to open. It was Tom's capacity crowd. Their response to Alexander was a tribute to Max's likability and professionalism.

Jones was backed by seven musical stalwarts: trumpet, trombone, sax, keyboards, guitar, bass guitar and drums. Three extremely talented and attractive singers were strong vocal backing. This was an almost formal Tom Jones with a black three-quarter length coat and trousers and open-neck ruffled white shirt. The opener's title escaped me. "Just Help Yourself" was more like it. A country song, "He Stopped Loving Her Today," was the first high spot.

He unbuttoned the coat and opened the shirt to oohs and aahs then sang "Delilah," "Green, Green Grass Of Home," "What's New, Pussycat," received some roses and continued with "I'm Never Gonna Fall In Love Again," and an outstanding "Walking In Memphis." Off came the coat for "Take Me To The River" and "You Put The Hurt On Me," then he plugged his new album.

"To Make You Make You Love Me," Paul Anka's "She's A Lady," "It's Not Unusual," bows, then back for "Tell Me Why (I Gotta Know)" and a closer that might be called "Let Me Be Your Fantasy."

Thirty years a headliner and still going strong. One criticism: Excessive decibels. It's so unnecessary, fewer would be better.