If Jack Johnson knows anything, it must be that if you’ve got a good thing going, man, just enjoy the ride (insert Hawaiian shaka hand gesture here, brah). And, if the thousands of smiling folks, both young and old, who turned up at Molson Amphitheatre last night are any indication, this dude is doing something right.
Johnson and his beach-worshipping brethren arrived in Toronto last night to play an open-air show at the Molson Amphitheatre exactly 24 hours after what would have been a beautiful, warm evening. The Hawaiian singer-songwriter appeared to have just walked off the beach and onto the stage — vintage T-shirt, sandals, jeans, uncontrollable yet somehow just-right hair and, I’m almost certain, a few well-placed grains of sand.
Joining Johnson on stage was a bass, drums and piano set-up. Regular Johnson collaborator Zach Gill, who is also a member of the band Animal Liberation Orchestra, made a significant contribution to the energy level of the show on the keys as well as melodica, accordion and some serious vocals.
Johnson worked his way through his new album From Here to Now to You, peppering the set with a few classics, including a song off the Curious George soundtrack for the youngsters and young-at-heart in attendance. The biggest response from the crowd was invariably for songs off Johnson's 2005 album In Between Dreams, which included hits such as “Sitting, Wishing, Waiting,” “Breakdown” and “Better Together,” as well as 2001’s Brushfire Fairytales.
There was a little banter, not too much chit chat and lot of easy breezy good vibrations. Throughout the evening, Johnson switched between acoustic, electric and the occasional smattering of good, old ukulele. One of the highlights of the evening was Johnson bringing to the stage hometown kid Afie Jurvanen, otherwise known as recording artist Bahamas, who backed up Johnson on electric guitar and showed off his skills to dramatic effect. Johnson signed Bahamas to his label, Brushfire Records.
The thing with Johnson is that the songs are kind of simple, and everyone seems to know pretty much every word. The crowd seems to just dig that vibe, and enjoys the moment as they would singing Neil Young tunes around a campfire. He manages to create a truly happy atmosphere and that's kinda rare. Maybe the most direct comparison is Jimmy Buffett, who would never be accused of being some sort of ace songsmith. But he is adored, capital ‘A,’ brah, and people flock to see his shows just to singalong to silly ditties about pirates and Margaritaville. If it feels good, do it.
Opening the show was Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, and they gave a masterful performance. Seriously talented group, and Sharpe, who also exudes a warm, open-hearted vibe, is an ideal complement to Johnson.
Particularly memorable: during an extended version of the song “Home,” Sharpe asked the crowd for stories, and after a few boisterous locals went on about getting pregnant during this song or that song, one woman shocked onlookers by saying that her 18-month-old child had brain cancer and would only listen to Sharpe’s most recent album, and, thank goodness, she’s fine now. Sharpe, teary-eyed, thanked the woman.
It was something. And it was that kinda night.
