In early October, so just about a lifetime ago, on a clear Sunday evening, I drove up to the amphitheater in Vancouver and went to my first Jack Johnson concert. It was a really incredible night, front row didn't hurt, and I've never felt so like I was surfing without being cold as shit.Zee Avi opened - really great - and then G Love was next. About six months ago I got matched online with a guy who was really into G Love, and at the time I'd never heard of him. When this guy e-mailed me, I listened to a couple seconds of G Love and decided it was grounds for ending communication.
G Love was fantastic and I now have Booty Call on a permanent loop during my commute to and from work. Blues Music? Soft and Sweet? Yes, please.
Jack was a dream. Mellow as hell and a little shrimpy guy, too. I should have known -- all the surfer dudes are. I had no IDEA Zack Gill would be there, too cool, although they didn't play my song. Jack did play my two favorites, Constellations and Breakdown. Something about the ukuleles and memories of really great times in Hawaii and all the drives to the coast for surf days listening to his music. A commenter on the YouTube vid for Breakdown wrote, "Whenever I hear that song, I forget all my effing problems and relax." I mean, that's it.
It was an amazing night for me. I've probably thought of it every single day since, just trying to let the mellow vibe and the message of his music stay with me and work little bits of magic.
My latest favorite from both Jack and G Love is Rodeo Clowns (below). I think I could play that song 100 times a day and not get sick of it. I'm also loving this one. That first part? Aw, yeah.
I love G Love & The Special Sauce! I discovered them back in The Cruz. I need to find my mellow feeling. (I should probably stop reading blogs and go take myself to my yoga mat.)
ReplyDeleteDude, G Love is AWESOME. I love them long time.
ReplyDeleteJack Johnson is a treasure, so effortlessly cool and relaxed. "Better Together" is like medicine through the ears.
ReplyDeleteDid I tell you my JJ experience? He gave a concert in Munich when I was visiting the city a couple of years back (he tried surfing the Eisbach in the park). It was a fine t-shirt-weather July afternoon as I waited through the support acts for Jack. In the distance was a small black cloud. By the time he opened, the sky was black and it began to rain like nothing I've seen before: there was lightning, the wind sent the rain sideways. There was no shelter. I could have done with your wetsuit, LSL. I'm sorry, but I had to bail, along with more than half of the crowd. I don't imagine that the concert went on much longer. Next time, I'm checking the venue out beforehand, making sure it's indoors!
I read this yesterday.
ReplyDeleteToday I was searching the internet for a phone number for somewhere in CA, the first hit was a JJ concert in the city I was searching.
I thought of you :)
Hope all is well