Vance Joy remembered writing his hit “Riptide” and wanting to play it for everyone, but he also remembered his bosses telling him they needed ten more songs like that 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 who were excited to enjoy some Vance Joy classics.

As the Cal Coast Credit Union Amphitheater filled up after a colorful sunset on September 6, the warm air cooled to a perfect temperature. It was time for Joy to bring just that.

A single light came on and the smoke cleared. Joy stood with his guitar in hand and his two bandmates stood on either side. The show began as they stood in the front right corner of the stage.

“From Afar” and “Play With Fire” opened the show and got the crowd moving. These two songs also have special meaning for Joy himself. It was just 12 years ago that he was performing these songs at open mic nights in Melbourne, Australia, 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 quietly as they had entered; it was time for the show to really get going. After a quick re-arrangement of the set-up and the switching on of more lights, the crowd erupted in cheers again as the whole band was ready to start.

Trumpet and saxophone were prepared, drumsticks in hand and bass tuned, and the first songs from the debut album could be played at full power. “Mess Is Mine” and “Red Eye” got the ball rolling and the crowd immediately started singing along.

After a brief foray 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 credits her with much of his lyrical inspiration.

“I remember when I was writing this song and she came downstairs for breakfast one morning and she just said, ‘Everything is fine when your head is resting next to mine.’ And that was the bottom line,” Joy explained to his smiling audience before adding, “This song is called ‘Fire and the Flood.'”

Not surprisingly, the whole crowd immediately started singing along and dancing. Joy didn’t let the mood die down, in fact, he even increased it. From the side of the stage came someone with the infamous ukulele, not for the song you would expect, but for an equally good one: “Saturday Sun”.

The ukulele and lyrics of “Saturday Sun” reflected the good vibes that prevailed before, during and after the show. Smiles and cheers filled every seat in the amphitheater.

Joy brought a lot of energy to the stage and really connected with his audience. So much so that he even briefly went into the middle of the crowd to sing three songs, surrounded by fans on all sides.

His makeshift stage saw him perform “Emmylou,” “My Kind of Man,” and a special rendition of Noah Cyrus’ “Everybody Needs Someone” with his opening act Tiny Habits. A true man of the people, Joy fully immersed himself in the crowd and brought out his opening song to give them some love, too.

When it was time to return to the main stage, Joy decided to set the mood and delivered a flawless sequence of five unforgettable tracks. “Georgia”, “Lay It on Me” and “Missing Piece” proved to be crowd favourites and each received thunderous applause.

As the evening progressed, the anticipation of the crowd grew, everyone eagerly awaiting the grand finale that they were eagerly anticipating. However, Joy delayed that with a surprise twist that seemed risky but was executed brilliantly: a Kiss cover of “I Was Made for Lovin’ You.” The cover was highlighted by incredible solos from each band member. Not a single member of the audience was silent or motionless.

The ukulele was brought out once again, but now it was time to unleash its true potential. The last song of the evening belonged to the piece that started it all. As Joy played just the first few notes, nostalgia was in the air and no one could stop her.

The crowd immediately sang along to the legendary song “Riptide,” which has been passed down through generations. It was a fitting end to a festive show, and no one would have wanted it any other way.

It was a great night for all involved, and smiles spread from seat to seat, row to row. Family and friends came together for an evening of good cheer, delivered by Vance Joy on the Dream Your Life Away anniversary tour.