Jesus Jones rises again right before Easter

Alternative rock band Jesus Jones popped into Evanston SPACE on March 27 and a legion of followers were present to worship their every move. While the group didn't walk on water, they curated a tight and concise concert full of nostalgia for many that highlighted a 35-year-old career.

Hailing from Bradford-on-Avon in Wiltshire, a county in South West England, the band formed in 1988 and is miraculously still together in 2024. Jesus Jones members present from the past include singer Mike Edwards, drummer Gen and bassist Al Doughty who were later joined by guitarist Jerry De Borg and keyboardist Iain Baker to make the solid lineup complete.

After being postponed because of this overseas tour with the tricky timing of visas, these talented blokes were worth the wait for their diehard fans.

After Chicago opener Discoveries of the American Scientific finished playing, Jesus Jones entered the intimate stage. Their sleek set began with “Moves Mountains” and fittingly ended after an encore with “Info Freako” from their debut album Liquidizer. This night was a celebration of beat-heavy British rock music and longtime listeners.

Edwards joked about being a Jesus Jones cover band instead of the real deal and displayed an ease of playing tunes such as “Zeroes and Ones” live for the crowd. There was a comfortability shown by the group and from spectators that song along to tracks like “Two and Two” and “The Devil You Know.”

Jesus saved SPACE's sins as far as challenging lighting and a few technical problems. With only a minor hiccup the band plowed on through song after song while Edwards wailed away. The 2024 single “Still Smiling” didn't sound out of place with the classic material. Revisiting their previous work in present times spotlights how original and ahead of their time they were in the '90s. “Right Here, Right Now” was written about a revolution so the lyrics “Watching the world wake up from history” still resonate today.

The memorable show ended as groupies explored the merch table to purchase vintage t-shirts and Edwards' 2019 book Death Threats from an Eight-Year-Old as some of the offerings. The book chronicles the ups and downs of Jesus Jones and the band rode out on a high note after autographing countless items of memorabilia for attendees that night.

Visit jesusjones.com to follow Jesus and keep up with the tour!