To All Those Sippin' on Haterade

With the American festival season having already begun, the general one-two punch has been the following: 1. See Jack Johnson on the lineup as a headliner, and subsequently, 2. Bitch about seeing Jack Johnson headline.

Here's his US festival itinerary:

4/19 & 4/20 - Kokua Festival
4/25 - Coachella
6/15 - Bonnaroo
8/9 - Virgin Mobile Festival
8/10 - All Points West
8/24 - San Francisco's Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival

Most people are thinking, "what the fuck," right? Rather than go into a ten-point defense against people's anti-Jack diatribes, let me just say this: You can't deny the guy's drawing power, and the great thing about festivals is that one has many choices other than the headliner. In fact, if you think about it, Jack Johnson playing such a prime set makes it that much easier for one to choose seeing another big name at the same time. You'd probably miss out on the contact high, but that's the price one pays, right?

A more personal reason why it's all love with Jack Johnson: My last day in New York, Fat Kid alumnus Joyce and I went to Empenada Mama in Midtown, and the restaurant was playing In Between Dreams. "Never Know" came on, and to this day it still evokes memories of sitting somewhere warm in the dead cold of winter and having some bomb-ass Cuban food. That's just good stuff all around.

Jack Johnson - Never Know

So, anybody going to any of these shows?