Joe Jackson rolled into the Lincoln Theatre on July 7 as part of his Hope & Fury Tour, bringing with him a mix of longtime collaborators and newer bandmates. The lineup featured longtime friend and bassist Graham Maby, guitarist Teddy Kumpel, drummer Doug Yowell, and percussionist Felipe Fournier.
I’ve seen Jackson several times over the years — first as a teenager and most recently on his previous tour — and I’ve remained a fan as his music has evolved over the course of nearly 50 years. Watching the 71-year-old performer, I found myself wondering what has kept me coming back all these years. Of course, I have favorite albums and songs, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard a Joe Jackson record that I genuinely disliked.
The answer, I realized, is consistency. Throughout every stylistic shift, Jackson has combined emotional honesty with exceptional musicianship and razor-sharp songwriting. Call it Latin, punk, pop, jazz, or something else entirely. Whatever musical directions he explores, he surrounds himself with gifted players and delivers songs that feel authentic. Even his previous album and tour, in which he adopted the persona of the fictional Victorian composer Max Champion, proved to be delightfully entertaining.
Still, I was especially excited to see Jackson with a more traditional band, including one of my favorite bass players of all time in Graham Maby. The performance didn’t disappoint. It was a terrific set spanning Jackson’s long career while also showcasing several songs from his excellent latest album.
Jackson opened the evening alone at his electric piano with “Is She Really Going Out with Him?” prompting the audience to enthusiastically shout the familiar “Where?!” response. Maby joined him for “It’s Different for Girls,” and the rest of the band took the stage shortly afterward as Jackson introduced several songs from the new album, briefly interrupted by “Another World.”
Stream “Another World” by Joe Jackson on YouTube:
Among the new material were “I’m Not Sorry,” which may be the most quintessentially Joe Jackson song he’s written in years, and “Made God Laugh.” Introducing the latter, Jackson responded to one review with characteristic bluntness: “It’s not a sad song. If you think it’s a sad song, you’re a fucking sad person. It’s a fatalistic song. Once you realize there’s so much in life you can’t control, you’re just so much better off. And happier.”
That perspective perfectly captures Jackson’s relationship with his own music. Often described as an angry songwriter, he has long pushed back against that label, insisting many of his songs are humorous rather than angry. He frequently critiques hypocrisy or explores uncomfortable ideas through fictional characters, creating enough distance to say things that might otherwise seem confrontational. Listening to his work over the decades, I’ve often wondered how much of Joe Jackson is autobiography and how much is performance. Maybe that’s part of the appeal.
He introduced “Fool” as “a tribute to one of my favorite literary characters… the Shakespearean fool. He’s kind of like a superhero. He has one great power, which is to make you laugh. The twist is that he’s not really a fool at all.”
The song became a showcase for the band, with thunderous interplay between Yowell and Fournier driving keyboard and bass solos. Jackson punctuated the performance with an enthusiastic “Long live the Jester!”
The show concluded much as it began. During “Steppin’ Out,” the musicians exited the stage one by one until Fournier was left alone to finish the song and close the main set. The encore featured a spirited cover of David Bowie’s “Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)” before ending with “You Can’t Get What You Want (Till You Know What You Want).”
Watch the official music video for “You Can’t Get What You Want (Till You Know What You Want)” by Joe Jackson on YouTube:
Perhaps the night’s greatest joy came from watching the chemistry among the musicians. Fournier and Yowell constantly exchanged smiles and glances that seemed to say, “Did you hear that?” or “Watch this.” Kumpel threw in an unexpected guitar flourish during “Sunday Papers” that amused Jackson so much he momentarily couldn’t continue singing.
Those spontaneous moments are what make live music special. As Jackson quipped during “Be My Number Two,” “When someone fucks up, that’s how you know.”
That line neatly summed up the evening. These five musicians were clearly having a wonderful time together, and Joe Jackson still performed every lyric as though he meant every word. The band poured everything they had into the performance, and the audience returned that energy all night long.
That’s exactly what I hope to experience at a live show, and Joe Jackson delivered one of the year’s best.
Here are some photos of Joe Jackson performing live at the Lincoln Theatre in DC on July 7, 2026. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Steve Satzberg.
