Review | Jon Batiste Lifts Spirits in a Joyous Celebration at the Santa Barbara Bowl

“This is a celebration of life; this is a celebration of joy.” These are the words that a positively giddy Jon Batiste began his packed-to-the-brim Santa Barbara Bowl show with on Saturday night. It’s a promise he kept with every exuberant hip swing, otherworldly piano solo, or friendly bandmate high-five. The vibes were on a different level that night, thanks in large part to Batiste’s indomitable spirit, but also due to the wildly talented musical chops he and his band have honed to back it all up. A banner streamed across his star-spangled set proclaiming the words: “This is the circus of love. Under our tent there is revival and joy.” With Batiste as the ringmaster, the audience enthusiastically followed his guidance, adhering to all admonitions to get on our feet and shimmy our cares away; preoccupations about the world’s disarray slowly melting into hope with each entrancing song, choreography lesson, or call and response order. 

Decked out in a glittering red Sergeant Pepper meets American flag meets Elton John jacket and with a full band decked out in pink, Batiste’s dazzling set was a perfect match for his untouchable energy. The showman started off with a series of classical piano tunes beginning with “The Star-Spangled Banner.” It was an unusual number to begin with, but paired with Batiste’s welcome words, “I love you; I love you even if I don’t know you,” it all seemed to make sense: a call for unity and inclusivity our world so desperately needs. Batiste gradually infused his jazzy pop sensibilities into the classics, giving the maestros of the past a new-school NOLA flair; or as Batiste would deem it: “Beethoven in the Congo Square.”

From there he moved into tracks from his excellent new album Big Money, including the Randy Newman–infused “Lonely Avenue,” which featured a ripping guitar solo. We were also treated to cameos from Grammy-winning songstress Andra Day for tracks like the easy and sweet “Lean on My Love.” The new single “Big Money” had everyone on their feet, spinning and shaking and trying to keep up with Batiste’s dance lessons.

Bandmembers on Jon Batiste’s The Big Money Tour at the Santa Barbara Bowl, September 20, 2025 | Photo: Carl Perry

Jon Batiste at the Santa Barbara Bowl, September 20, 2025 | Photo: Carl Perry

Keeping the surprises coming, Batiste launched into the track he co-produced for Beyonce, “American Requiem,” stating, “I love the interconnectedness of all music because it’s an allegory for the interconnectedness of all people.” This rolled nicely into the tune we’d all been waiting for, the jolt of jubilance we all needed, “Freedom.” The crowd moved and grooved and sang, smiles beaming like the fall moon in the sky. 

“This is not a concert; this is a spiritual practice,” Batiste explained before hypnotizing the audience with the percussion-laden “Petrichor.” Although the song warns of the devastating impact of climate change, it somehow all still feels hopeful with Batiste’s indomitable energy and urgency for connection. The theme of hope continued as he invited the audience to whip out their phones and beam out light for the healing of anyone and everyone as he performed the beautiful ballad, “Butterfly.” Looking out at the light from our phones, but more importantly the light that seemed to ignite within the crowd, I couldn’t help but feel moved and maybe even changed by Batiste’s buoyancy. Walking out of the Bowl into the dark night, I felt a glow that I’m planning to take into the week ahead, no matter the obstacles life throws. As Batiste noted at the show’s start, “The joy of living is always available to us; sometimes you just gotta dance your way through it.”