| Following the newly released album by earMUSIC, Mr. Joe Jackson presents: Max Champion in ‘What A Racket!’ – reviving the songs of enigmatic early 20th-century English Music Hall artist Max Champion – renowned musician and producer Joe Jackson announces European dates for his “Two Rounds Of Racket Tour”. After appearing in 19 cities across the U.S. in summer 2024, Joe Jackson takes his nine-piece band across the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, France, UK and Ireland for two months. 26 dates in 25 cities. On-sale for UK tickets will begin at 10am on Friday March 15th from www.aegpresents.co.uk/event/joe-jackson/ and www.joejackson.com. “The Two Rounds Of Racket Tour” promises to be festive, fun, and unlike anything else music fans will see next (or any other) year. 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 Music Hall genius Max Champion, with Joe and a nine-piece band. Max Champion was born in 1882 in London’s East End and is thought to have been related to the great Victorian entertainer Harry Champion. As an up-and-coming performer he shared the stage with big stars such as Gus Ellen and Vesta Tilley, but his career (much like the Music Hall era itself) was cut short by the First World War, and his songs faded into obscurity. That is, until 2014, when Max Champion sheet music started to surface: first in Malta, then in England, and, intriguingly, in Belgium, where Max probably met his end in the trenches. By 2019, enough songs had been recovered for Joe Jackson to resurrect them with a 12-piece orchestra. According to producer Joe Jackson, “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.” A newly released documentary now sheds light on the early 20th century artist from England. Music Hall originated in 19th-century London, transitioning from pubs and street performances to grand theaters by 1900. It attracted a diverse audience, spanning from commoners to aristocrats. The songs in this genre depicted life in the Victorian and Edwardian eras, often infused with humor, satire, sentimentality, patriotism, and occasionally darker themes like jealousy and murder. Some songs were also risqué but cleverly expressed. |
| “The Two Rounds Of Racket Tour” UK DATES OCTOBER 2024 03 Manchester O2 RITZ 04 Glasgow O2 Academy 06 Brighton Dome 07 Leicester De Montfort Hall 08 Cambridge Corn Exchange 10 Portsmouth Guildhall 12 Buxton Opera House 14 Birmingham Town Hall 15 Bath Forum 17 London Alexandra Palace Theatre 18 London Alexandra Palace Theatre |
| Mr. Joe Jackson presents: Max Champion in ‘What A Racket!’ (Release Date: earMUSIC, November 24, 2023) TRACK LISTING 1. (Overture): Why, Why, Why? 2. The Sporting Life 3. Dear Old Mum — A London-Irish Lament 4. Monty Mundy (Is Maltese)! 5. The Shades Of Night 6. What A Racket! 7. The Bishop And The Actress 8. Think Of The Show! — A Thespian’s Lament 9. Never So Nice In The Morning 10. Health & Safety 11. Worse Things Happen At Sea |
