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JACK JOHNSON AND G. LOVE
GOOD VIBES
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It was G. Love who gave surfer Jack Johnson his first big break by including a version of Johnson’s "Rodeo Clowns" on Philadelphonic (Sony) in 1999. So it was a tad unsettling to see Johnson’s name larger than the Philly kid’s on the bill a week ago Wednesday at FleetBoston Pavilion. More surprising than that, however, was the opening set by friend and fellow surfer Donavon Frankenreiter, who outshone both of his buddies. Taking the stage while half the seats were still empty, Frankenreiter appeared sporting a multi-colored bucket hat and a bushy Fu Manchu moustache and backed by an impeccably tight drummer, bassist/vocalist, and Fender-Rhodes keyboardist. It would have sufficed had they stuck to the simple, straightforward arrangements from Frankenreiter’s homonymous Universal debut, relying on soothing vocal harmonies and solid grooves. Two-thirds of the way through, however, a relaxed rendition of "Make You Mine" morphed into a funky instrumental jam that gave each member a chance to show off. Without so much as a hand signal, the drummer shifted from a frenzied solo back into the original tempo, where the rest of the band were waiting to finish the song for a full house of screaming fans. It was something of a relief when G. Love, after starting his set alone with guitar and harmonica, brought out bassist Jimmy "Jazz" Prescott and drummer Jeff "Houseman" Clemens for a set that consisted mostly of songs from his latest release, The Hustle (Universal). The crowd seemed relatively pleased by the newer songs — especially when Johnson joined in on "Give It to You." But the high points were older Love blues/hip-hop classics like "Baby’s Got Sauce" and "Cold Beverage." After airing a 20-minute surfing film, Johnson and his band emerged against a glowing, ocean-blue backdrop to play "Taylor" from last year’s On and On (Universal). Maybe it was the absence of vocal harmonies, or the way the performers didn’t seem to be having any fun, but something wasn’t clicking up there as they plowed through their set. Frankenreiter reappeared to perform "Free," and G. Love came on for "Rodeo Clowns," giving Johnson and his band the spark they desperately needed.
BY ADAM GOLD
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