Better start right off and mention that G. Love and the Special Sauce came out with all guns blazing, A couple of slightly slower tunes quickly gave way to more upbeat stuff, and by the fourth or fifth number the crowd were out of their seats rushing the stage. The Special Sauce are extremely popular with the local crowd, and two years after their Fuji Rock appearance obviously have a big future in Japan.And what about that local crowd? If you're heading towards oldsterdom, as I am, it might be advisable to steer clear of a Jack Johnson gig. I would put the average age of the crowd at about 20, and the Oahu surf influence was evident everywhere. I felt severely overdressed even in my Avanti shirt and flip flops!! As soon as the lights dimmed prior to Jack Johnson taking to the stage, at which point I dropped and lost my notebook, they were on their feet planning routes to the front. Fun was definitely in the air. |
As you'd expect, the onstage gear was pretty minimal, and it wouldn't be too difficult to imagine Jack and his buddies gathered around the Brushfire exchanging tales. The sound at the International Forum was exceptional. It usually is, but nevertheless, Jack's guitar sound was beautiful and extremely clear, and how does Adam Topol get that Snare drum sound?Starting off with a few well known but mellow tunes, such as "Never Know", "Posters", and "Gone", things began moving once drummer Adam got his groove on in "Banana Pancakes", followed by "Do You Remember" and "Constellation". Things then started to seriously warm up with "Staple it Together". |
In interviews Jack has mentioned that the three biggest genres on the Hawaiian music scene are traditional Hawaiian, reggae, and a combination of the two that the locals refer to as "Jawaiian", and he does seem to be dropping into an acoustic laid back "Jawaiian" feel to me.After "Flake", Jack assigned Spanish guitar duties to Tony Guerrero joining him on stage and went fully Aloha himself picking up the Ukulele. I can't be certain, but I think the first of the two songs they played was "A Broke Down Melody", presumably from the surf film of the same name, in which our hero Jack surfs, apparently. It was during this part of the evening that Money Mark on piano then played a couple of great solos on a pianica, that bizarre piano/harmonica hybrid ubiquitous in Japanese elementary schools. And hey! They sound pretty good when played by someone who knows what he's doing! 
The end of this little interlude seemed to signal stage two of Jack's own set, and they picked it back up with (I think) "Holes To Heaven", Tomorrow Morning" and "Bubbly Toes" before really firing up the crowd with what appears to be one of his best liked songs, judging by the jubilant reaction to the characteristic and sexy opening guitar parts of "Wasting Time". It's certainly one of my favourite Jack tunes, and I'd been waiting for it all night. I wasn't disappointed.Things then motored along for a few more numbers until it was time to get into full party mode. As mentioned, G. Love and the Special Sauce are evidently on this tour not to play second fiddle but to join the party, and towards the end of the set he duly arrived on stage to join Jack and the boys for "Rodeo Clowns", obviously another popular song. All that was missing from this evening was a beach barby, which presumably Jack had organized for afterwards while the rest of had to settle for beer and sashimi. |
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report by sean and photos by ikesan |
 mag files : Jack Johnson Stapling it Together (05/06/02 @ Tokyo Kokusai Forum) : review by sean, photos by ikesanphoto report (05/06/02 @ Tokyo International Forum) : photos by ikesanphoto report (05/06/01 @ Yokohama Blitz) : photos by naoakiBringing It All Back Home (05/05/29 @ Osaka Zepp) : review by jab, photos by yeggphoto report (05/05/29 @ Osaka Zepp) : photos by yeggプライベートビーチへ行ってきました (05/05/25 @ Tokyo Shinagawa Prince Stellar Ball) : review by taiki, photos by yusukeShared Sauce...Jack 'N' G. Love's 7-Date Shared Kitchen Opens Briskly (05/05/25 @ Tokyo Shinagawa Prince Stellar Ball) : review by michael, photos by yusukephoto report (05/05/25 @ Tokyo Shinagawa Prince Stellar Ball) : photos by yusukephoto report (04/08/06 @ Shibuya AX) : photos by keco波の音が聞こえない (04/08/04 @ Namba Hatch) : review by ken, photos by ikesanphoto report (04/09/30 @ Shinsaibashi Club Quattro) : photos by ikesanphoto report (04/09/29 @ Shinjyuku Liquid Romm) : photos by maikokko夏はまだこれから... (04/09/29 @ Shinjyuku Liquid Romm) : review by chihiro, photos by maikokko |
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The official site
Jack Johnson http://www.jackjohnsonmusic.com/ The latest album  "In Between Dreams" (US import / UK import with bonus trax / 国内盤初回限定DVD付き / 国内期間限定盤 DVD  "The September Sessions" (US import / 国内盤) |
previous works "On and On" (US import / 国内盤)
"In Between Dreams"( US import / 初回限定生産DVD付き) "Brushfire Fairytales"(US impot / 国内限定盤 / 国内盤) "On and On"(US import / 国内盤) "The September Sessions"(US import / 国内盤) "Thicker Than Water: Original Soundtrack "( US import / 国内盤 ) "トロピカライズ"( オムニバス ) "Sitting, Waiting, Wishing"( UK import ) check the albums? |
 2005Stapling iit Together : Jack Johnson with G.Love & Special Sauce (2nd June. @ Tokyo Kokusai Forum)2004Not just along for The Ride : Los Lobos (7th Oct. @ Liquidroom Ebisu) |