Julia Jacklin has been on her North American tour for her new album, The Gem, and made her stop in Austin this past Tuesday night. She performed at Radio/East, supported by her opener, Jordan Patterson.
Julia performed at the larger stage at the back of the venue, providing lots of room for her fans. People milled about the grounds before the show, grabbing a Pale Ale and sitting at the tables lit by the characteristic Radio/East LED sign. As it neared 9pm, we huddled closer together in front of the stage. The crowd hushed and Dolly Parton’s “Light of a Clear Blue Morning” began to play and the lights turned blue. We all cheered. This beautiful, blue feeling would resonate throughout the night, bringing a community together through love, heartbreak, and ultimately, hope for a brighter future.
Julia Jacklin appeared on stage, radiant as ever. She was accompanied by her bassist and guitarist who provided stunning harmonies throughout the show. The stage was quite empty, save for a large blue gem cutout standing behind her, leaving room for their voices and instruments to sparkle.
Jacklin opened with “I Wish” from her latest album, stunning the audience with her ethereal voice and spiritual harmonies. The audience was speechless. She transitioned then to “Brand New,” my personal favorite from The Gem, with its layered vocals and darker guitar tone.
“I want to love and be loved, but I also want to be free. The tension between those two things has been the central question of my life,” says Jacklin on her website. The Gem and her tour are a perfect embodiment of this complicated feeling.
The middle of the show became quieter, eliciting soft tears and quiet singing along to “Body” and “Don’t Know How to Keep Loving You.”
The show highlighted Jacklin’s powerful emotional range. Her smooth, silky voice moved between enchanting harmonies and electric guitar dance parties.
The show’s peak came with the strong strums of her upbeat rock song, “I Was Neon.”
“I was neon, I was a floodlight
Arms out reaching for everything in sight
I swear I could be it, swear I could be it”
I turned to my friend, arms wide open, and hugged her tight. The music and the energy around us was electric. We were neon.
Julia Jacklin’s concert was perfect place to be on Tuesday, November 3rd, 2026, deep in the heart of Texas. Beautiful and blue.