Jack Johnson’s “Surfilmusic” tour came to Austin on August 29, 2026, with openers Lake Street Dive opening the night. His set is continuously captivating, not because of big production, but because of his raw, soft voice singing over guitar. His music feels like a nice warm hug, brought to life through intimate storytelling and effortless stage moments.

Lake Street Dive opened the night with “Bad Self Portraits” before moving right into the catchy “Hypotheticals.” Combining a classic sound with a blend of jazzy-pop, the group sounded incredible from the start. The lead singer, Rachael Price, has such a strong voice and sings so effortlessly, controlling the stage while keeping the vibe fun and relaxed. Mid-set, they treated the crowd to a cover of The Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back,” putting their signature brassy, soulful spin on the classic and setting a fantastic tone for the rest of the evening.

Before Jack Johnson hit the stage, the lights went down, and vintage surf visuals filled the screen to set a beachy tone. He opened his set with “Mudfootball,” bringing his signature acoustic sound and gentle delivery right from the very first note.

Between songs, Johnson spent plenty of time sharing personal stories with the crowd. He mentioned that he used to record films for Surfil before he started making music, recalling how his very first show was actually opening for Ben Harper. He explained that he used to call himself and his group the September Sessions Band, which served as the soundtrack to Surfil music, before seamlessly transitioning into “Drink the Water.“

In another funny moment between tracks, Jack Johnson shared that he once spent an entire year writing strictly in B-flat simply because his kid lost his guitar tuner. Later on, he dedicated “Tape Deck” to anyone in the crowd who has ever made a garage band. Throughout the night, he constantly shared the background behind his songs, which made the concert feel even more special — almost like hanging out with friends instead of strangers. That sense of closeness extended to a lot of crowd interaction. As beach balls were thrown around the floor, Johnson paused to joke about how funny it is watching one head straight toward people who don’t see it coming. At another point, someone even frisbeed a CD onto the stage for him to sign.

There was also no shortage of fan requests throughout the night. Audience members would shout out titles, and he ended up playing several of them, including “Taylor,” “If I Had Eyes,” and “Washing Dishes.” The rest of the set was packed with unexpected collaborative moments and unique covers. Lake Street Dive came back on stage for a cover of Tom Petty, and they sang a fun rendition of “Upside Down” together. Later in the set, “Banana Pancakes” featured a fun excerpt of “9 to 5” by Dolly Parton, which turned into a huge venue-wide singalong just a few days after her passing. In another spontaneous moment, a fan I had met before the show on the barricade mentioned she wanted to try to get up on stage to sing “A Pirate Looks at Forty” with him. Turns out she was brought right up, along with a guy who asked to play guitar too, for that cover of Jimmy Buffett. Johnson then ended the show with crowd favorite “Better Together.” Overall, I definitely recommend catching Jack Johnson live. The “Surfilmusic” tour is going until the beginning of October. For more info, visit here.