San Diego, CA|October 20th, 2026
Photographed and Written by Regan Jones
Everyone’s favorite indie darling is back.
Julia Jacklin began her The Gem tour last Tuesday in San Diego. The Observatory North Park was lucky enough to host the first stop, welcoming Jacklin back to the stage with open arms after nearly a four-year break.
The Gem also marks more than a return to the spotlight for Jacklin. It showcases a tenderhearted return to self for the Australian lyricist. While talking with Vogue about her new album, she describes how “[making The Gem] genuinely helped me see that you can feel freedom in love, if you are with people that really like you and respect you. And there is so much freedom in that. I don’t think I’d had that much experience with that before.” In a world of fast-paced clicks and mind-numbing takes on the validity of AI music, Jacklin stands boldly arm in arm with intimacy, sincerity, and emotional grit. Her return to self becomes a mirror, allowing listeners and audiences alike to do the same.
Opener: Jordan Patterson
Opening with I Wish, Brand New, and God Sometimes from The Gem, Jacklin is joined by her bandmates and an ever-changing, glowing gem illuminated behind her. Sprinkled in between the new record and her core classics, the audience was graced with Hay Plain from her debut album and her cover of Shivers by The Boys Next Door. Shortly thereafter, she announced, “Okay, we’re done with the crying. Now it’s time for the bangers!” before heading into Head Alone and I Was Neon.
It only makes sense for an artist of Jacklin’s caliber to evade ending the set with her most popular song (although her jet-lagged band did attempt to leave the stage altogether before the hit, to which Jacklin confusedly asked, “Where are you going? We have to play Pressure to Party!”) and instead opt for the declaratory Don’t Let the Kids Win. In almost the form of a prayer, Jacklin arrived for the encore (officially without her band this time around) with just an acoustic guitar and her voice. “And I've got a feeling / That this won't ever change / We're gonna keep on getting older / It's gonna keep on feeling strange.”
In a beautiful coincidence, Jacklin was caught dusting off her memory of old songs and needed to restart with help from her guitarist. Through this misstep, Jacklin showcases freely what the song asks of you: to be unabashed, honest, and thoughtful when faced with what it means to be human. Sometimes that means embracing your friends, or being unafraid to restart a song in front of hundreds. Through Jacklin, both on stage and through her music, fearless sincerity and feeling empowered by emotion become a memento worth keeping.
