The annual Point Loma Summer Concerts Series closes 5:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 7, with a performance from Rolling Stones tribute band Jumping Jack Flash. Not just a cover band, Jumping Jack Flash is an incredible re-creation of the Stones throughout their 50-year career, with costume changes, use of replica instruments and, of course, one of the greatest song catalogs in history. Jumping Jack Flash has been together for 10 years and features Joey Infante as Mick Jagger, Young Hutchison in the role of Keith Richards, Pat Hennessy as both Brian Jones and Ron Wood, drummer Jon McCracken as Charlie Watts and Matt Quilter as bassist Bill Wyman.
Now one of the most popular Stones tribute acts in the world, Jumping Jack Flash has performed to crowds of more than 10,000, with shows in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Meanwhile, international touring is on the horizon. Indeed, the band is now often headlining the same-size venues the Rolling Stones played on their early tours.
It’s a long way from guitarist Hutchinson’s days playing the cover band circuit. “It wasn’t a conscious plan to get where we are today,” he said. “It’s just that the audience reacted so well when we did the Stones. So we did more, and all of a sudden the light bulb went off. I mean, let’s not make this harder than it has to be; let’s just give the people that they want.”
Hutchinson cites Richards as an influence, but he is still bemused to be playing his part in Stones tribute band. “If you were into baseball, you had your guy on the wall, Joe DiMaggio or whoever, depending on your era. Keith Richards was my guy back in the day, but never in a billion years did I ever have this on my agenda,” he laughed. He notes the importance of accuracy both in the way the songs are played and in the instruments used. “It’s more a question of how important it is for the audience, and apparently, it’s critically important, because we can see in their eyes the suspension of disbelief when we perform. They want to go there; they want to see the Stones from the front row. And who can afford that? We are pretty darn close.”
Concertgoers will be treated to a two-hour show comprising the Stones’ best-known numbers, though the sheer number of hits works against the thought of including any “deep cuts.” “As much as we love the Rolling Stones b-sides and album tracks, we’re never going to play them, and since we’ve played the hits so many times, those are probably our preferred songs to listen to,” Hutchinson mused. “But for many in the audience, it’s the first time seeing our show, and you absolutely have to do ‘Satisfaction,’ ‘Brown Sugar,’ ‘Honky Tonk Women’ and so on. By the time you go down the list of songs that absolutely have to be included, there’s just no way you can justify doing, say, an obscure album cut like ‘Sitting on a Fence,’ if it means having to pull ‘Miss You.’ You make two people ecstatic and 3,000 are sitting there scratching their heads wondering if it’s a Stones song,” he said. With hundreds of shows under his belt, Hutchinson considers the band’s namesake song, ‘Jumping Jack Flash,’ to be his favorite tune to perform. “Each and every time we play it, it’s just a kick, like a powder keg,” he said.
Now veterans of the Point Loma Concert series, Jumping Jack Flash consider the concert to be a highlight of their concert year and are looking forward to Friday’s show. “It looks like Woodstock from the stage,” Hutchinson enthused, “just people as far as the eye can see. The better it is for an audience, the more fun they have, the more fun it is for a band. We love the audience participating at this event. There are so many people that when our singer goes out into the audience we can lose him in the crowd, but we just keep on playing. It’s a lot of fun. There is a lot of great energy that comes from this audience.”
Jumping Jack Flash: Friday, Aug. 7, at Point Loma Summer Concert Series, Point Loma Park, Catalina Boulevard and Varona Street. 5:30 p.m. All ages. Free.