Photo: iTunes / WENN.com
On a day that saw the cold well and truly set itself down on London’s busy streets, Jack Johnson, who was born and raised on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii, must have asked himself what on earth he was doing in the Country’s capital. Decked out simply in just a t-shirt with a few guitars on deck, Johnson’s iTunes Festival appearance marked the UK release date of his sixth studio album, From Here To Now To You.
Armed with his trademark acoustic guitar, Johnson appeared more like a warm up act than the event’s main attraction. Met by some below average applause, he sheepishly shuffled on to the stage and opened with the songs 'Do You Remember' and 'I Got You'. While Camden’s Roundhouse is perfect for performances with smaller production values and intimate characteristics, for some reason Johnson struggled to keep the attention of those present for more than 10 minutes at a time.
With most people in attendance choosing to socialise, and a few opting to partake in some mild form of romantic petting, the only time the many chatterboxes were not heard amongst the stripped down instrumental arrangements came when famed hits such as 'Banana Pancakes' and 'Staple It Together' made their way on to the set list.
Showcasing a few new songs, “Washing Dishes” and “Shot Reverse Shot” were met with a respectful response, as well as a few laughs after Johnson occasionally explained the zany reasons behind the content of some of the songs - the latter of the above mentioned was apparently written after Johnson’s son mentioned that he wanted an edible watch, when in fact he meant to say digital watch.
With the occasional up-tempo number giving standees something to move and stretch their legs to, band member Zach Gill, acting like the embarrassing uncle most families have, appeared much more animated than Johnson. With different instruments in his hands he jumped up on chairs, span around both clockwise and anti-clockwise, and even allowed Johnson to made a joke or two at his expense.
Fan favourite 'Sitting, Waiting, Wishing' excited the otherwise placid audience, but other than that it’s hard to imagine a live Jack Johnson set working unless you’re sat down at dinner or kicking back on a beach sipping on a cocktail. it’s undeniable that he has a solid back catalogue of feelgood records, but with artists like Johnson, it's all about the location.
