Music
08 Mar 24

Mr. Joe Jackson announces Two Rounds of Racket Tour, with a 3Olympia date

Mr. Joe Jackson announces <i>Two Rounds of Racket Tour</i>, with a 3Olympia date

"These were wonderful songs in their time, but they're surprisingly modern, too. Sometimes it's almost as if Max is speaking, from his London of the early 20th century, directly to us in the early 21st," says Jackson.

Joe Jackson has revealed an upcoming tour in celebration of his recently-released LP Mr. Joe Jackson Presents: Max Champion in “What a Racket!" in November. With a slew of European dates set for this autumn, Jackson will close out the stint with a performance in Dublin's 3Olympia on 21st October 2024.

The Two Rounds Of Racket Tour promises a night of good fun, festivities and subverted audience expectations. The show will be in two parts: a solo set by Joe Jackson of his original songs, and a set based on the album What A Racket! – the first performance in more than 100 years of the songs of forgotten 20th-century Music Hall maestro Max Champion, with Joe and a nine-piece outfit. Alongside his album release, Jackson also unveiled a documentary about Champion's life, hoping to bring an artist, once lost to the sands of time, to a modern audience, which you can watch below.

Music Hall culture originated in 19th-century London, transitioning from pubs and street performances to grand theaters by 1900. Songs within this genre portrayed life during the Victorian and Edwardian periods, frequently imbued with elements of humor, satire, sentimentality, patriotism, and occasionally delving into darker themes such as jealousy and murder.

"These were wonderful songs in their time, but they're surprisingly modern, too," says Joe Jackson. "Sometimes it's almost as if Max is speaking, from his London of the early 20th century, directly to us in the early 21st."

Tickets to see the Two Rounds of Racket Tour in 3Olympia start from €49.90 and will go on sale next Friday, 15th March via Joe Jackson's website.