Jack Johnson, Tegan & Sara @Entertainment Centre, Adelaide(06/12/10)

Fri 10th Dec, 2010 in Gig Reviews

CHECK OUT ALL THE PHOTOS HERE

It’s quite ironic how music tastes and trends go through swings and roundabouts with what’s a hot a couple of years ago not being so hot in 2010 so it does seem like the interest in Jack Johnson is starting to wane after playing a sold out Memorial Drive a couple of years ago to scraping the numbers to just half fill the entertainment centre. Nevertheless, playing this venue seems poles away from the first gig he played at The Gov many moons ago. The magic of Jack Johnson would have been enhanced playing a small and perhaps a more intimate venue but still fans got their money’s worth with a great triple bill including Canadian sisters Tegan & Sara (a shame Ash Grunwald wasn’t playing here). Both acts offered something quite unique making it one of those great shows to be at.

Tegan & Sara were fantastic and it seems like they’re destined to be playing big venues as they looked right at home. The sisterly rivalry and banter, both verbal and non-verbal, is always a real treat to watch. Their set list was far too short but still full of greatness playing a solid mix of old and new, which seemed enough to please the most die hard of fans. Hearing the likes of Walking With A Ghost is just awesome with other favourites for me being The Con and Alligator. Seeing Tegan & Sara twice in a year makes me wonder when they’ll next grace our shores given how popular they are here.

Jack Johnson was up next and the build up was quite low key with a chilled vibe spreading throughout the room. What Jack Johnson does is not rocket science but it seems to work so well with fans literally hanging off every word. Opening with Taylor Johnson over the next hour and a half took fans on a journey through the back catalogue even honouring a few shout outs a long the way. Apart from the occasional thank you there wasn’t a huge amount of interaction with the crowd letting the music do all the talking. Sitting, Waiting, Wishing was well received and was one of many highlights. It would be easy to say the music sounds a little too much the same but maybe because his songs are so well written and things seem well measured and considered that one could think like this.

It was interesting when someone asked why he sang with his eyes closed and Johnson politely apologised by saying that if he didn’t sing with his eyes shut that he would forget the lyrics. The hit machine kept rolling on with Fortunate Fool, The Horizon Has Been Defeated, Inaudible Melodies and one for the kids featuring Upside Down from the film soundtrack to Curious George.

The time did seem to drift away and Johnson did say a few times that he was missing his wife and that he was feeling romantic so the set was inspired by her. The song Tarballs was an interesting one where Johnson corrected the perception that it wasn’t a song about drugs and mixing speed and heroin but rather the black spots you get on your feet when you’re walking on the beach. Banana Pancakes was a highlight and so to was the duet with Tegan & Sara belting out the cover Girls Just Want To Have Fun.

I think the real highlight and treat for the night was the encore where Johnson returned to the stage minus the band. The encore had everything from the Mrs Jack Johnson inspired Angel to a song influenced by dropping a cell phone down the toilet to the Christmassy Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer given the Jack Johnson touch up with an extra chorus thrown in wrapping up proceedings with Better Together. Great show!