The Jam: About the Young Idea

Loud exhibition at Somerset House focusing on the music and style of the 70s/80s rock group, The Jam.

Although in quite a small space this exhibition was really well laid out and stuffed with memorabilia from the band and fans. I’d always love the band and their intelligent music but didn’t really know that much about them. I’d not realised Paul Weller’s father had managed them for years and I loved the early posters and fliers for gigs in odd venues like greyhound racetracks.

One room was devoted to their look and how it was copied by fans. I must admit I’d not realised at the time how iconic this was, I’d just thought that’s how boys dressed! I’d not thought they were influenced by a band, more the other way round! The clothes were nicely displayed with some of them in a flight case.

The show was full of dazed men of about my age reliving their youth! There was a small queue getting each other to take their photo in from of a reproduction of the graffiti from the cover of the first album.

My only complaint was that there were too many sections playing the music quite loudly so it did clash. I did like the display like a stage set with their instruments and video of a live show running behind and watched for ages but at the other end there was a video and screens which competed with each other. One lot of great music would have worked much better. Maybe play the different installations in turn rather than all at once.

Review
Telegraph

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