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On this day, 29 June 2010, American singer-songwriter, filmmaker, and former professional surfer Jack Johnson played Cardiff international Arena.
Johnson is known primarily for his work in the soft rock and acoustic pop genres. In 2001, he achieved commercial success after the release of his debut album, Brushfire Fairytales. Johnson has reached number one on the Billboard 200 chart with his albums Sing-A-Longs and Lullabies for the Film Curious George in 2006, Sleep Through the Static in 2008.
On February 1, 2010, Johnson's official website announced that his fifth studio album, To the Sea, was in the recording process at the Mango Tree Studio, with a planned worldwide release during the first week of June 2010. The website also announced an accompanying European, Australian and New Zealand tour to coincide with the album's release on midnight May 31.
The first single from To the Sea was "You and Your Heart", released on April 6, 2010.[33]
While speaking with New Zealand radio station ZM, Johnson said he is constantly aiming to build relationships with local pro-environment, non-profit groups. "We try to raise money for a lot of these groups who are doing positive things in the community. We try to focus mostly on environmental education, just trying to get kids out into nature, supporting local farms and things like that."
Johnson embarked on a world tour in 2010 with Paula Fuga, a Hawaiian vocalist and ukulele player, performing at a range of venues across the world including Europe, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, U.S., and Japan.
Music Review: Jack Johnson, Cardiff International Arena - Wales Online
IT IS almost a decade since Jack Johnson’s debut album Brushfire Fairytales was a hit with laid back dudes and gap year students the world over and five albums in, his middle-of-the-road fare is still going strong.
But gone are the surfers piling out of their VW vans – the crowd packing out the CIA came complete with mortgages, children and a trusty Ford Focus.
It was no surprise that the biggest cheer of the night came when Johnson dedicated Do You Remember to his wife with the announcement, “17 years and still going strong”.
One loved-up couple even brought along a banner emblazoned with, “It’s our fifth anniversary. Please play Angel”.
Some might find the singer-songwriter’s enduring popularity inexplicable – like a Michael McIntyre of the music world – but there’s no denying his green credentials. One hundred per cent of the profits he makes on this world tour will go to charity, while its energy consumption will be carbon offset.
Not that there was much energy to reduce – at one point the bass guitarist even pulled up a chair and sat down. But then the gentle swaying of 5,000 heads in the crowd was enough to send anyone into a trance.
The high point of the night was when pianist Zack Gill, a virtuoso with a bluesy voice 10 times better than Johnson’s, took to his melodica for a blinding solo on Bubble Toes, a song from Johnson’s debut album.
When the audience bayed for an encore at the end of a two-hour set Johnson kept them waiting.
Was there a crack in the Nice Guy persona?
“Sorry I took a few minutes,” he said as he strode back on stage for a four-song encore.
“I was trying to re-learn the lyrics to Angel. This is for you.”
No such luck.
By Clare Hutchinson
Setlist
You and Your Heart
If I Had Eyes
Taylor
Never Know
Flake
Sitting, Waiting, Wishing
Go On
From the Clouds
Wasting Time
Bubble Toes
Red Wine, Mistakes, Mythology
(w/ My Doorbell snippet)
Breakdown
My Little Girl
No Other Way
Banana Pancakes
(w/ Same Girl snippet)
Staple It Together
(with Merlo Podlewski rapping)
At or With Me
Good People
Encore:
Angel
Do You Remember
Constellations
Better Together
