“Can’t you see that it’s just raining? Ain’t no need to go outside,” belted a scruffy Jack Johnson to 17,500 drenched but devoted fans in the 1-800 Ask Gary Amphitheater in Tampa.
And raining it was. But don’t think that hindered the loyal Jack Johnson fans who, despite the rain, lined up outside the amphitheater to see him in a rare East coast concert.
Relaxed: the perfect way to describe Jack Johnson and his fans. Johnson, born and raised in Hawaii, gained loyal fans because of his talent on the acoustic guitar and “beachy” music.
Opening the concert with an old hit, “Banana PancakesCOMMA”Johnson got the crowd settled in to the relaxed mood of the night. “Banana Pancakes” is all about forgetting about the world and the everyday stresses, so starting out with this song mid-week was the perfect beginner.
The concert “was such a laid-back atmosphere. It really helped me forget about the stress at school for a little while,” said senior Sabrina Marcos.
Jack Johnson often gets criticized for being boring or lackluster, says Daly. “You can wave him off as boring, but you’re not paying attention.”
Recently Johnson’s environmental work has been making headlines. His most recent album, To the Sea was recorded in a solar-powered studio. Also, the tour to promote the album, released in April this year, used “paperless tickets” in efforts to reduce the concert’s carbon footprint. In hopes to reduce the amount of waste generated at his concerts, more than 50% of the waste produced will be recycled or composted.
Johnson was not the only performer to grace the 1-800 Ask Gary Amphitheater stage. Acoustic-Blues performer, G. Love, opened for Jack Johnson with hits such as “Rainbow,” which reminds you that
“everything is going to be all right.”
Later, Jack Johnson called up Hawaiian native Paula Fuga to the stage. With her incredibly powerful voice, Fuga brought the crowd to their feet and likely straight to the computer once they got home to do some more research about her. She certainly “had the best voice on stage” and blew the crowd away. Fuga is the type of artist whom we should definitely be seeing more of, especially with her exposure through Johnson’s concerts.
