Jockey Club Live – Tom Jones at Market Rasen Racecourse Review
DISCLOSURE – THIS EXPERIENCE WAS GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST/S FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW.
Reviewed by Louise Edwards
If an afternoon of horse racing followed by live music from one of the great legends, Sir Tom Jones, sounds like your cup of tea (or glass of Pimms) then The Jockey Club at Market Rasen Racecourse yesterday would be perfect for you.
It was a beautiful, warm evening when we arrived in Market Rasen. The gates opened at 3.15pm and the first race was 5.15pm. The County Enclosure gave you access to the Parade Ring to see the horses before each race and plenty of time to check out their form and place bets before the race. Everyone was in good spirits and dressed up to the nines as you would expect (although there was no expectation to dress up and feeling comfortable was more important) and there was ample seating or grass to relax so the mood was good.
The last race was 8pm but instead of heading home the main treat of the day was just around the corner! No other than Sir Tom was performing, and with shoes and prosecco glasses in hand lots of the crowd headed over via the walkway crossing the race track to the stage area which was set up in the middle of the course.
There was some raised seating near the back, which you could pre-book or (as we did) head to the stage to get close to the action. There was also a bar and toilets. A big screen was set up so if you had decided to stay back at the County Enclosure you could still see and hear the main man! It has a civilised festival feel to it and the excitement was palpable.
At just before 9pm as the sun was setting Sir Tom appeared on stage with his band. Tom is currently on a “Defy Explanation” tour featuring a mixture of the old classics and also newer material. At 85 years old his baritone voice hasn’t lost its unusually wide vocal range and power. His set started off with “I’m Growing Old” a slow, reflective soulful song with a touch of melancholy that summed up his lived experience in a dignified manner. The lighting and video backdrop was mesmerising and the audience of all ages were captivated.
The production was incredible and the sound did not falter at all throughout the two hour set which included all the hits including, ”Its Not Unusual”, “Sexbomb”, “Delilah”, “What’s New Pussycat” and “Kiss” mixed in with stories and covers from Tom about other musical legends such as Bob Dylan and Cat Stevens who he knew in his illustrious career spanning over 50 years. There was a good balance between high energy and slow tunes and his stage presence and charisma shone out over the Lincolnshire countryside. It was such a treat to be there and memories made will stay for a long time.
Market Rasen racecourse is located just off the A46 in Lincolnshire. There is lots of free parking and it was very well run with marshals helping drivers park and leave smoothly. Food was plentiful and good, from fish and chips to burgers as well as cookies and doughnuts. There is also an on-site restaurant and lots of bars. There were plenty of toilets dotted around and they were kept really clean which impressed me especially bearing in mind the number of people there.
Rating: 5/5
Check out the The Jockey Club racing and live music events at its racecourses across the country including the Sugarbabes and Natasha Bedingfield www.thejockeyclub.co.uk
Prices from £32