Last week, I meant to publish a post on The Fixx because my wife and I went to see them at the Kent Stage recently. It was a great show and the opening act was Jill Sobule doing a solo, acoustic set. My wife wasn't familiar with her and I was only vaguely aware that she had a song in the 90's, "I Kissed a Girl". It turns out, she was a delightful performer and was promoting a musical, "Fuck 7th Grade". It's a biographical telling of her queer journey. The songs were hilarious, yet touching. Her performance was almost childlike, but her playing was quite skilled.
So, it came as a shock just days later when The Fixx posted online that Jill had passed away suddenly. Apparently, she died in a house fire. Tributes came pouring in from artists she had worked with and more still who were dear friends. Among them Jane Weidlen of The Go-Gos and Joan Osborne. I had no idea how many people she touched in the music industry or the number of artists she collaborated with. I'm not going to pretend I was a big fan and her music really isn't in my wheelhouse, but she was an engaging performer who meant a lot to many people. I'm glad I was able to see her in her element, making people smile for a few minutes in a shitty world. Peace.
Just a quick note on The Fixx. I have never seen anyone command the stage like Cy Curnin. I couldn't take my eyes off of him. His voice is still singular. His lyrics are even more biting than they were 40 years ago. His movements were mesmerizing. And a shout out to guitarist, Jamie West-Oram. I love his signature guitar sound that features staccato notes, strumming muted strings, and shimmering arpeggios. The highlight was "Stand or Fall" and "Deeper and Deeper" back to back. Amazing show!
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