Concert Review: Julia Jacklin at Mohawk

Julia Jacklin kicked off her “PRE PLEASURE” tour at Mohawk in Austin, Texas on September 9, 2022.

Written by Miranda Garza

Photo courtesy of Nick McKinlay

In her first Austin performance since her set at ACL Festival in 2019, Australian singer-songwriter Julia Jacklin, returned to the city in full force at Mohawk nearly three years later to kick off the tour for her latest album, PRE PLEASURE. 

The line of fans wrapped around the back of the building as they anxiously waited to enter the sold-out show. When Mohawk’s doors opened, it was like the floodgates opened — the space in front of the outdoor stage and each level of the venue filled by the time opening act, Kara Jackson, began her 50-minute set of plucky acoustic tracks at 8:45 p.m. Afterwards, Jacklin began her set without a minute to spare, greeted by an array of cheers and uproar. 

Amid her first steps on stage, Jacklin’s signature red hair and crimson Victorian dress contrasted starkly with the blue stage lights that reflected off the faces of the crowd members. She opened with the wistful “Comfort,” where minimal instrumentals complemented her warbling vocals. The once bustling crowd hushed immediately and respectfully, making it sound as though all city noise came to a halt as Jacklin crooned. 

The soft ringing of electric guitars signaled the start of the dreamy “Be Careful With Yourself.” Jacklin’s flawless live vocals, paired with the track’s dreamy electric instrumentals, traveled aimlessly through the venue. The track’s soft close medleyed perfectly with the opening licks of “to Perth, before the border closes.” After the bittersweet track, she meekly greeted the crowd in her thick Aussie accent, sharing how glad she was to be back in Austin in spite of her pre-show nerves. Her crowd interactions were short and sweet, but made the sold-out show feel like an intimate experience.

The crowd’s energy carried through “Head Alone,” where she kept fans entranced with infectious beats and guitar-driven melodies. However, she soon ditched her guitar for a nostalgic performance of her debut single “Pool Party,” the track that arguably kickstarted the 32-year-old’s road to fame in 2016. Reminiscent of a ‘60s slow dance soundtrack, the bass lines and soft cymbals gave the song a modern jazzy rock twist. 

At the show’s halfway mark, Jacklin and her band transitioned into a series of slower, tender tracks like “Good Guy” and “Moviegoer.” A steady drumbeat echoed through the crowd as the songstress performed “Body.” The track’s lush instrumentals carried a menacing undertone as Jacklin’s wavering voice crescendoed into the repeated chorus of “I guess it’s just my life / And it’s just my body.” The song’s heavy lines touch on the feeling of powerlessness, and its live performance perfectly captured the defeated emotions that were written into them. The audience openly welcomed this sonic shift, swaying to the velvet melodies in unison. Amidst the crush of bodies in the hot Austin night, Jacklin’s live rendition perfectly captured the overwhelming powerlessness of the song.

She followed the mellow track with a trio of gems from her latest album, starting with “Lydia Wears A Cross.” Resonant strings led by a plucky bassline sent vibrations throughout the wooded levels of Mohawk and through the bodies in the crowd. She followed it up with the  softly sung  “Love, Try Not To Let Go,” where a looping piano line kept the audience grounded as lush instrumentals lured them into a fever dream. Jacklin ditched her guitar for “Ignore Tenderness,” and airy guitar strums veiled over the singer’s flawless harmonizing.

The crowd members, who’d seemingly been lost in a trance, were snapped back into reality as they heard the familiar first notes of “Don’t Know How To Keep Loving You.” Warmed by red lights, Jacklin resembled a stark ember on stage as her wavering voice desperately repeated the lines, “Don’t know how to keep loving you / Now that I know you so well.”

This somber mood was short-lived as bright multi-colored lights beamed across the stage for “Pressure to Party.” The effect of the track’s upbeat rhythm was evident in the crowd, and in Jacklin herself. Her rigid stance visibly loosened while concert-goers unapologetically danced back and forth, savoring the moment.

Last came “I Was Neon,” another electric track off of Jacklin’s latest album. Though clearly not happy about her departure, the crowd relentlessly sang each lyric back to her until the song’s final note. Tambourine in hand, the singer was completely engrossed in the track before she grabbed her guitar and effortlessly played as she belted the final lines, “Am I gonna lose myself again? / I don’t wanna lose myself again,” and brought the show to a cathartic, yet controlled close.

As a sign of gratitude, Jacklin graciously gifted the crowd an encore of “The End of a Friendship.” As the song hit its final notes, Jacklin thanked the crowd and with a fan’s bouquet of roses in one hand, she waved goodbye with the other, marking the end of the show.

In just over an hour, Julia Jacklin captivated Mohawk with her soul-barring vocals and radiant energy, despite her modest stage presence. Austin awaits her eventual return, which will be welcomed with open arms at what will likely be yet another sold-out show.