Jack Johnson ‘To the Sea’ tour
Live at The Eden Project, Cornwall.
Saturday 26th June 2010, 7.30pm
This weekend the beautiful Eden Project was the serene setting for the Jack Johnson concert, the first of the Eden sessions. The weather was gorgeous sunshine. Just right for the laid-back Hawaiian born surfer to sooth us with his soulful tunes.
Before the concert starts you can wander around the grounds of Eden, taking in the sights and sounds of the Med, the rainforest and the Cornish countryside. Already feeling relaxed and revived, when the gates open at 6pm you can wander through and grab your picnic spot ahead of the show. Whether stood strong at the front barrier, or sat on the grassy hill at the back, you will be in for a great concert experience. The views of the huge biomes behind the stage which later light up a spectacular green and purple, is a unique sight to see.
The venue is small, housing only 6,000 people, but as you sit amid the trees with the late afternoon sun peeping through, you know it will be a magical evening. Jack takes to the stage at around 8.30pm dressed in a simple t-shirt, jeans and flip flops. Looking like he’s fresh from the beach, which he probably was on a weekend like this, he opens with ‘Never Know’. A feel-good, bbq friendly catchy tune from his album ‘In Between Dreams’. From the front row to the back everyone in unison is singing along word for word. A sea of smiling sun-burnt faces, waving arms and an overall feeling of ease.
Maybe it’s something about being on the chilled out Cornish coast, or just the vibe that Jack and his band give, but everyone is in super summery spirits.
Next, the boys start up a rendition of ‘Bubble Toes’. This gets the crowd going even more, jumping and dancing, giving the festival feel to this small and cosy venue. You can tell the band is happy too, as Jack remembers the last time he visited Cornwall in the torrential rain. ‘I nearly didn’t come back after that’ he joked. When he is on stage he makes every single member of the audience feel special. You feel like he is a personal friend by the end of the night. Pointing out individuals in the crowd, engaging with them and obliging in their song requests. An unexpected rendition of ‘Upside Down’ was sang for a 6 year old boy in the front row. This was a song that Jack recorded for the children’s tv show ‘Curious George’.
The stories and anecdotes he tells of his family and new born baby give you an insight into the soft, kind-hearted family man he is. This even comes through in his songs such as ‘My little girl’ which was written about his daughter.
Things get slowed down with ‘Same girl’ from the previous album ‘Sleep through the static’. A very down tempo song, enough to send you drifting away on the breeze while appreciating Jack’s talented vocal styles. Then becoming up-beat again with the funk fused ‘Staple it together’. A song with a heavy bass backbeat, subtle rap tones and a ‘so what’ attitude. (http://jackjohnsonmusic.com/music)
Zach Gill also gets a chance to shine when someone shouts a request for ‘Girl I wanna lay you down’. He grabs his accordion and slides to the front of the stage on his knees, belting out some chord after capable chord. A great performer in his own right, this is also a chance for him to showcase his gravely, soulful vocals.
As the set comes to an end, the sun is sinking and the domes are showing their neon light. The trees surrounding the bowl shaped arena have started to twinkle with fairy lights. With the perfect audio accompaniment to this scene, Jack finishes with his most popular hit ‘Better Together’. A great, if not predictable end to a fantastic evening.
Beaches, bonfires and a guitar to strum are the simple pleasures in life that are all these guys need. This weekend we got a little taste of the Hawaiian way of life, which affirms that Jack will always be welcome back to our island, come rain or shine.
No comments:
Post a Comment