JON Stevens is on a tour of Australia’s east coast that will take him to Belmont 16s this Saturday, June 23.
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The ‘Best of Tour’ features a back catalogue jam-packed with smash hits from the singer’s solo career, right through to Noiseworks, INXS, The Dead Daisies and Jesus Christ Superstar.
Think songs such as Welcome to the World, Lock N Load, RIP Millie, No Lies, Take Me Back, Hot Chilli Woman, Don’t Change and Superstar.
“Fans are always asking me to play certain songs that I haven’t done in years, so here we are in 2018 and it just feels like the right time to explore my back catalogue,” he said.
Stevens said the reaction from punters at his shows proved that he had pulled the right rein.
“It’s so humbling. I’ve been in the industry a long time, and written a lot of songs, and people still gravitate back to songs I did 30 years ago,” Stevens said.
“The Noiseworks back catalogue is very predominant. It’s been a part of people’s lives as they’ve grown up, and that’s very humbling.”
It’s when he chats with punters at shows that he learns about the connections between his songs and his fans.
“Some will talk about how a particular song got them through a trying time, and some will talk about how a song takes them back to the best summer of their lives,” he said.
“As a songwriter, you don’t set out to do that. You just try to write songs that have meaning to you, in some way. That’s all I’ve ever tried to do – write songs that feel good to me, and that I can sing, with meaning, with passion, and with belief.”
Stevens said revisiting the songs of yesteryear had been like meeting up with old friends.
“It’s been quite a revelation. It’s the first time I’ve really gone back and explored the catalogue because I’ve always been of the mindset that what I’m doing now, is what I’m doing.
“But this particular tour I’m playing nothing but retrospective stuff, right up to Starlight – even though I have a bunch of new stuff on the go at the same time.”
On the Starlight album of 2017, Stevens co-wrote and produced with Dave Stewart, from the Eurythmics.
Stevens was performing with Noiseworks in the 1980s when the band opened for the Eurythmics at Sydney Entertainment Centre.
So, when Stevens met up with Stewart to make the Starlight album, did the pair reminisce about that Eurythmics tour?
“No. He doesn’t remember a thing!” Stevens laughed.
But Stevens remembers it all clearly.
“They [Stewart and Annie Lennox] were so nice to us,” he said.
Jon Stevens and his band will perform at Belmont 16s this Saturday, June 23. Tickets for dinner and premium seating cost $85.50. General admission tickets (show only) cost $46.50.
Tickets available from from proticket.com.au
