Vance Joy remembered writing his hit song “Riptide” and wanting to play it for everyone, but he also recalled his bosses telling him they needed ten more songs like it for an album.
Ten years and one day after the release of Joy’s debut album, “Dream Your Life Away,” he took the stage in San Diego to reminisce with fans excited to enjoy some Vance Joy classics.
As the Cal Coast Credit Union Amphitheatre filled in on Sept. 6, a colorful sunset cooled the warm air to a perfect temperature. It was time for Joy to bring just that.
A single light switched on and smoke cleared. There stood Joy with his guitar in hand and his two bandmates on either side. Standing at the front right corner of the stage, the show began.
“From Afar” and “Play With Fire” led off the show and got the crowd feeling the emotions. These were two songs that hold special meaning for Joy himself as well. It was just 12 years ago when he was in Melbourne, Australia, performing those at open mic nights, not knowing where he would be in just over a decade.
As impressive as Joy and his partners were with their acoustic versions, they left the stage as low-key as they entered; it was time for the show to ramp up. After a short setup change and some more lights activated, the crowd erupted once again as the full band was ready to roll.
With the trumpet and saxophone prepped, drumsticks in hand, and the bass guitar tuned, the first songs from the debut album were ready to be played in full force. “Mess Is Mine” and “Red Eye” got the ball rolling, and the crowd immediately started singing along.
After a quick dip into more recent work with a beautiful performance of “Take Your Time” from his second album, “Nation of Two,” Joy took a moment to thank his “mum,” who was an English teacher down under. Joy credited her with much of his lyrical inspiration.
“I remember when I was writing this song, and I came down the stairs for breakfast one morning, and she just said, ‘Everything is fine when your head’s resting next to mine.’ And that was the conclusion,” Joy explained to his smiling crowd before adding, “This song’s called ‘Fire and the Flood.’”
Not surprisingly, the whole crowd immediately sang along and broke out their dance moves. Joy did not let the vibe die; in fact, he elevated it. From stage right, someone came with the infamous ukulele, not for the song you might expect, but for one just as good: “Saturday Sun.”
The ukulele and lyrics of “Saturday Sun” encapsulated the good vibes that were all around before, during and after the show. Smiles and cheers filled each seat of the amphitheater.
Joy brought great energy to the stage, and he was truly engaged with his audience. So much so, he even took a quick trip to the middle of the crowd to perform three songs surrounded by fans on all sides.
“Emmylou,” “My Kind of Man” and a special rendition of Noah Cyrus’ “Everybody Needs Someone” with his opening band, Tiny Habits, were performed at his makeshift stage. A true man of the people, Joy fully immersed himself in the crowd and brought out his opener to give them some love too.
When it was time to return to the main stage, Joy decided to bring the heat, delivering a flawless sequence of five unforgettable tracks.“Georgia,” “Lay It on Me” and “Missing Piece” proved to be crowd favorites, each met with a roar of applause.
As the night stretched on, the crowd’s anticipation grew, with everyone on edge for the grand finale they were eagerly awaiting. Joy, however, delayed that with a surprising twist that seemed risky but was excellently executed: a Kiss cover of “I Was Made for Lovin’ You.” The cover was highlighted by incredible solos from each band member. Not one audience member was silent or still.
The ukulele was brought out once more, but now, it was time for it to reach its true potential. The last song of the night belonged to the track that started it all. As Joy strummed just the first few notes, nostalgia filled the air, and there was nothing anyone could do to stop it.
The crowd immediately sang along to the legendary song, “Riptide”, that will be passed down for generations. It was a fitting nightcap to a celebratory show, and no one would have wanted it any other way.
It had been a great night for all involved, with smiles being passed from seat to seat, row to row. Family and friends came together for a night of pure good vibes, delivered by Vance Joy on the Dream Your Life Away anniversary tour.
