JackieCola's setlist.fm

Alan,

I'm so sorry for not responding sooner to your question about Etta James. I frankly don't remember much about the show at Pacific Amphitheatre listed here, but I believe I saw twice more, and at least one when she headlined at The Belly Up Tavern, which I remember better.

The Belly Up is one of the oldest and best venues in San Diego County, about 30 minutes North of downtown San Diego, in Solana Beach. I think I saw Etta there between 1985-1990, closer to 1990.

I remember she was a powerhouse, an experienced performer who had the audience firmly under her control. We got loud and soft and danced and stood still along with her.

One of the centerpieces of the show, but it came during the regular act, I think, was You Can Leave Your Hat On. She was at least 60, and big, and very sexy. She came off the stage and went into the crowd, all the way to the back and interacted with people along the way.

The club held about 700, and was deep and narrow (it has since been widened, and holds 900).

Hi Jim,

That certainly was a good day and I do appreciate your reply. And now I would like to ask if you would say a few words about the concert for a radio show about Etta James I'm doing. A 2 minute phone or skype call would do the trick and I would ask you to introduce one of the songs you mentioned. I don't suppose it was a vinyl record you bought, by the way.

Alan

Re: Your inquiry about seeing Etta James
It's Jim, not John by the way.
Etta was at the main stage (sponsored by Rayban) at New Orleans Jazz & Heritage festival in 1998. I saw her do her 45 minute set between seeing Marcia Ball at the Fox8/Polaroid stage at the other end of the fairgrounds and seeing Bonnie Raitt who followed Etta at the Rayban stage. Wow! What three women artists to see on one day! I have very sketchy notes but remember her performance of Randy Newman's "You Can Leave Your Hat On." It was dripping with sexuality. I think Etta also did "Feel Like Breaking Up Somebody's Home" and a song or two from the Time After Time album that I bought as soon as I got home from New Orleans (the title song and "My Funny Valentine," perhaps?). I don't think she performed "At Last" or "Tell Mama" that day but she might have done "I'd Rather Go Blind." It was a great set.