Photos and Review by Jeff Hahne

It’s safe to say that the music of Jack Johnson is easy like Sunday morning, er, evening. Performing at Charlotte‘s Truliant Amphitheater on Sunday night, Johnson brought all of his chill surfer vibes with him, playing songs as videos of the ocean, surfing and his childhood were streamed on screens behind him. 

HIs music — a blend of pop, rock, surf rock, and folk — was the perfect soundtrack for a Sunday night in the 70s with low humidity. While his setlist included a wide range of music from throughout his career, he also mixed in snippets of covers. His song “Flake” merged into Mungo Jerry’s “In the Summertime” with ease. He offered a laid back version of Tina Turner’s “What’s Love Got to Do With It” tacked on to the end of “Sitting, Waiting, Wishing” and he added the Steve Miller Band’s “Take the Money and Run” on to “Bubble Toes.” 

Later in the set, he brought out opening act Lake Street Dive to join in for a cover of Tom Petty’s “You Don’t Know How It Feels.” All those covers just added on to Johnson’s good-time vibes. 

This was Johnson’s fourth time playing Charlotte’s largest outdoor amphitheatre, the last time was in 2022. Though he hasn’t released an album since that time, his current Surfilmusic Tour is in support of a documentary of the same name. The film follows Johnson from his early days as a surfer through to his journey as a musician and all that he’s learned along the way. 

Sunday night’s show opened with a 45-minute set from Lake Street Dive that featured a few covers of their own, including a stripped-down, laid back version of The Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back” and The Cranberries’ “Linger.” It should be no surprise that the talented quintet might have earned the night’s loudest ovations at the end of their set.