Sir Tom Jones. Photo by Chyrisse.VNT_1205- — Sir Tom Jones. Photo by Chyrisse.

By Wendy Hunter, Journalist, and Chyrisse Tabone, Photographer – Rock At Night, Tampa

Live Review of Tom Jones – Defy Expectations Tour – Ruth Eckerd Hall – Clearwater, Florida – May 1, 2025

Tom Jones received a Grammy Award for Best New Artist in ’66, a MTV Video Music Award in ’89, and two Brit Awards: Best British Male in 2000 and Outstanding Contribution to Music in 2003.

I walked through the lobby of the always impressive Ruth Eckerd Hall, which was, by the way, filled with chattering ladies of all ages, most with their beloveds. Hearing the palpable excitement of the crowd heightened my anticipation of this event. After settling into my seat and waiting for the concert, my mind wrapped around a summary of just a shred of what iconic Tom Jones is all about. His beginnings were in Wales, United Kingdom, where he first sang both in church and school. Jones quickly climbed to fame, and landed his first record contract in ’64, as well as a television show entitled “This is Tom Jones.” This man, a crooner, with a robust baritone voice and powerful range, as well as stage presence, soon turned out numerous gold singles and albums. This vocal powerhouse, Sir Tom Jones (knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2006) has sustained popularity for more than sixty years. And, his recordings have spanned multiple musical styles. Also of note is his immense power to woo the audience, causing women to swoon or even throw their undies (yes!) on stage while he belts out tunes that garner their affection.

Some attendees seated nearby were smiling and whispering to each other, and another’s voice was cackling with laughter. But then, suddenly, on stage, there he was, the iconic Jones. His baritone voice, as versatile as ever, brought shouts and shrieks from the audience when he began with the tune, “I’m Growing Old.” With lyrics telling the tale of feelings in later years, the audience immediately rose to their feet, initiating a rousing welcome by clapping and shouting. This created a powerful feeling for all and appeared to also transmit to the star of the show. His power transfixed the audience and their applause was generous and heartfelt.

Jones was backed by a top-notch band, including two guitarists, a keyboardist (also playing the accordion at times), a bassist (also with a standing bass – more on that later), and a drummer. During the show, four large vertical panels behind the group ran eye-popping videos specific to each song. The videos thrust colorful, flashing retro images such as spinning irises and ’60s television sets, which marched along from right to left, creating sticky eye candy that would not let us go. Close-up views of the man himself were also displayed in the videos, much to the viewer’s delight.

Some tunes had a spiritual or gospel flavor, such as “This is the Sea,” “Lazarus Man,“ and “I Won’t Crumble with You if You Fall.“ A musician played an upright bass during the latter song, and along with Jones’ gifted voice, created an ethereal effect. With its deep, dark, and grittier timbre, the bass set the stage, creating mystery while Jones threw himself into his singing. One of the more nostalgic songs, “It’s Not Unusual”, was introduced by Jones, stating, “it’s great to be back once again!“ Clever accordion and bongos infused the tune, creating a bit of a salsa flair. The power ballad “Delilah“ and playful “What’s New Pussycat!“ (which peaked at #3 in the USA) held a retro feel and both garnered audience singalongs. During the aforementioned song, a female concertgoer, screamed out “I LOVE YOU,“ and continued that same declaration after two additional songs. Then Jones countered back to her in his Welsh accent saying, “I told you to wait in the car!“ What a delightful concert it was.

The song “Pop Star“ was just pop heaven! And Prince’s tune “Kiss“ was lit up so fine by Jones that he had the listeners whooping. Videos displayed giant red lips over turquoise, blue, red, lime, and plenty of purple colors. When Jones’ deep voice said “KISS,“ those lips would explode on the screen. Those are just some details of this extraordinary concert by Tom Jones. All ages would love this concert, so be sure to check it out if Jones comes to your area. Just ask those two young women who stood and danced to some of Jones’ songs. They will tell you that a great time was had by all!