Grade: B+ | Genre: Rock Summary: This was thoroughly an enjoyable show and even worth the wait in a long beer line with one guy working behind the counter. Date: September 3, 2005 Location: Atlanta, GA Where have all the good people gone? Jack Johnson fans, myself included, made our way down to Atlanta's Chastain Park Amphitheatre to enjoy a little sun and atmosphere as the Hawaiian born surfer brought the good vibes to a city whose mood was dampened by the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The bombardment of news coverage aside, it was a good time for us sandal wearing - beach loving - sun soaking hipsters, all with buckets of iced Coronas, to gather together and enjoy the melodies of Jack and his acoustic guitar.

Walking towards the amphitheatre, you got the feeling you were back in college going to something like a Georgia Game. The travel grills and lawn chair were out in force, but instead of hearing Larry Munsen over the airwaves, you heard selections from Jack Johnson's latest, In Between Dreams, as well as from On and On and Brushfire Fairytales. Walking passed the empty beer bottles and bright smiles, you knew good times were ahead.

Now I'm not going to go down the show's set list and give highlights to each song. That's not what Jack Johnson is about. He's all about making sure you're happy whether your up against the stage or way in the back on the lawn area. Being outside and seeing the waves of people swaying side to side, you really did get the feeling you were with your pals at the beach drinking around the bonfire.

So here's my bold statement of the article...just as your good time drinking around the fire can become blurred the longer you go, so can Jack's catalog of tunes. There are only a few songs that most of us can actually pick out and name, but the rest kind of smudge the line separating one from the other. Jack's hour of redemption doesn't come until you hear the tunes, whether they be live or on record, that you realize how unique each one is and how much you love them. Literally, with every track that was performed, you could hear someone say, "Oh, I love this song." I even caught myself doing the same thing when he played "Tomorrow Morning," "Do you remember," and "Banana Pancakes."

Through his laid back approach to musical composition, we can all tell that Jack is a simple man. Flipflops and a cool breeze are all he needs. His music is so soulful that it fills in the gaps that make a show a memorable one. You almost don't even notice the cheesy lighting effects that barely brighten a small one room let alone an amphitheatre. His is a show more suited around a campfire or at most a small club. There's almost no need for a backup band because Jack is better when he's by himself.

I'm sure I've upset a few of my readers, but before you guys try to hang me by my lei, this was thoroughly an enjoyable show and even worth the wait in a long beer line with one guy working behind the counter. However, if you take a step back, I think you would agree that the show would have shined a little brighter had it been at a smaller venue like Atlanta's The Tabernacle or The Roxy. Yeah, I thought so.

Jack Johnson is the unlikeliest of heroes to strum his way through Atlanta on the strings of his acoustic guitar. It just doesn't seem right for a surfer dude, who thrives inside the barrel of a wave, to come ashore The Chastain Park Amphitheatre to spread sunshine on a city overshadowed by the effects of Hurricane Katrina. With the media's obsessive coverage of the New Orleans aftermath, Jack Johnson gave us a break from the insanity and allowed us to enjoy all that we have by reminding us that it is in fact "better when we're together." Be sure not to miss him at a bonfire near you.