Photos and review by HARRIET KAPLAN
LOS ANGELES – It’s been four years since singer/songwriter New York native Jack West made his last appearance at Hotel Cafe in Hollywood, Calif. He wasn’t exactly a scruffy teenager, but now in comparison, he’s definitely more of a professionally groomed-looking young adult hipster.
West’s hair is moussed up and shorter. He wore a thick linked necklace around his neck and some rings on both hands and a bracelet on his wrist. He had on a black Chateau Marmont black tee on mostly concealed by a stylish warm brown leather jacket. Dark fitted pants were paired with white converse tennis shoes. West is also a successful model. That didn’t come up when he addressed the small, intimate crowd at the Second Stage at Hotel Cafe. Instead, the focus was entirely on the music. Not as immediately stirring or captivating as when he performed there four years, but nonetheless, it was somewhat enjoyable.
The brief, half-hour set consisted of songs about West’s emerging maturity, growing into his life, filled with new relationships, nightlife and reflections on his past, including an experience, where his parents sent him out here to live in Los Angeles during the Lockdown.
West also performed a retooled and reworked cover of Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers “The Waiting.”
There was a bit of small talk between songs and explanation about the roots or origin of a number here and there, though they did lack color and were kind of nondescript. It was informal, low key and off-the-cuff.
West did mention he was working on a third album with more to come and a potential to do some touring behind it. West is talented vocalist with a gutsy emotional singing style. During his performance he delivered adept fretwork on acoustic guitar.
It just seemed the indie rock material was kind of lacking in substance and felt a bit generic and thus, interchangeable with what’s currently out there on the music scene.
Yet, in all, what remained was the fact Jack West is solid performer and has a likable personality. With more time and deep diving into the core or wellspring of his life, as time moves on, maybe better and more engrossing songs are inside of Jack West that will build up and burst to come out.
Listen to Jack West here:
