Tom Jones | Terminal 5

Tom Jones is Alive in NYC!

"Here's a little bit of the blues for you...the sexy blues!" Ah, Tom Jones, only you could get away with that oddly juxtaposed song intro. The legendary crooner/sex magnet is in the midst of a pop culture revival, which explained his stopover at the indie-rock haven Terminal 5 on Tuesday night. Jones's latest, "24 Hours," features the singer working with the likes of Bono, The Edge and Lily Allen production team Future Cut. Given that, TJ (still looking good at 68) played it close to the vest, content to simply sway a bit during most of a pretty straight-forward setlist (half new songs, half standards and TJ classics). Overall, the band was tight and everybody, especially Mr. Jones, sounded fantastic-what the night lacked in daring, it made up for in sheer professionalism and, well, entertainment.

The crowd, a healthy mix of thirtysomething hipsters and loooooongtime Jones fanatics, stayed politely attentive until near the end, when the bras started flying during "Sex Bomb" and "It's Not Unusual." Having the most fun? TV hostess/entrepreneur Rachael Ray, who went into a near uncontrollable boogie during a cover of "You Can Leave Your Hat On." (Actual text messaging: Me: "Rachael Ray is dancing next to the balcony. Do I push her?" Friend's response: "Yes. Yes you do.")