Christmas came early Monday night for those who snagged a ticket to Jamie T’s sold-out Brooklyn show at the Music Hall of Williamsburg. It’s been five years since the multi-genre (Is it rap? Is it punk? Who cares — it gets you moving) Londoner dropped Kings & Queens in our laps and vanished. There’s always been something very relatable about the 28-year-old’s music and swagger. His debut, Panic Prevention, barreled out scrappy, energetic songs — the inhibited soundtrack to youth and just figuring out shit. A legend to some (after all, the guy beat out Jarvis Crocker, Thom Yorke, and Lady Gaga for NME’s Best Solo Artist in 2007 and 2010), his return could not have come sooner. New York trio, Made Violent, steered the crowd in the right direction for the night and opened with some rowdy rock.
With a simple jean jacket and slick greaser hair, Jamie strapped on his guitar to the crowd cheering. He began with “Limits Lie” off his long-awaited latest, Carry on the Grudge. It’s clear from the new tracks that Mr. Treays has gone through personal turmoil during his absence. Instead of holding onto the fast-paced anthems of youth that no longer apply, Jamie remained true to his voice with the evolved Carry on the Grudge. The songs reflect a lyrical pensiveness of someone who has experienced more since teenage angst. A lot has changed about Jamie, and he even joked that Williamsburg has changed a whole lot too since he last played here seven years ago. He seemed at home on stage despite the absence and smirked through old favorites like “Operation” and “If You Got the Money”.
By the end of the night, bodies were in the air and Jamie high-fived the crowd like a real reunion. He left the stage smiling after an encore of “Sheila” to roaring fans. Ladies and gentlemen, Jamie T is back.
Setlist:
Limits Lie
Don’t You Find
Operation
Peter
Murder of Crows
Turn on the Light
If You Got the Money
British Intelligence
The Prophet
Spider’s Web
Rabbit Hole
The Man’s Machine
They Told Me It Rained
Zombie
Sticks ‘n’ Stones
Encore:
In the Streets (Rancid cover)
Sheila
