Concert Review: JUNGLE in Austin
Review & Photos by Victoria Allen
Things got wild at the Moody Center when JUNGLE performed on September 24th! Thousands of fans gathered at the doors before the performance to grab merch and race to the front near the massive stage. Jungle fans do not play when it comes to grooving to the music! Many in attendance rushed to grab barricade spaces on the floor, while people packed into their seats on the upper levels. I could tell I was in for quite a treat and was excited as someone who is familiar with some of the songs on their previous album - Glad I brought my dancing shoes!
RIO KOSTA opened for Jungle and left those in the audience pumped for the night. The duo formed back in 2019 and is known for alternative, psychedelic pop music. I recommend giving “Mountain Top” a listen - The song caught my attention once I heard it live cause I couldn’t stop swaying to the chill beat. In terms of style and music, the band was a fantastic act to open the concert. Their music contains the same hypnotic, mellow tone that is found throughout Jungle’s discography and the groovy nature makes it super easy to dance to. RIO KOSTA was the perfect choice to bring on the tour!
Jungle, the wildly popular British band, kicked off their set with "Smile." The band appeared as nothing but a glow of silhouettes among the orange lighting. As the music began, an intense flash of lights began to coordinate with the sound, sending fans into a frenzy of excitement! They followed with a song titled with something Texans are extremely familiar with, "Heat." The concert had one of the most elaborate lighting displays I’ve even seen. The lights created perfect waves across the crowd grooving to the music in the floor section and around the seated sections. The lights flicked and moved with a subtle disco groove throughout the entire night. A plethora of amazing songs were played during the set from upbeat, dance hits like “Let’s Go Back” to slow, mellow tunes like “I’ve Been In Love.” Typically, concert goers hang amongst their personal groups, but not at a Jungle concert. Uniquely united by a love of rhythmic, groovy melodies and smooth lyrics, strangers naturally connected and danced with one another - Not only on the floor but those standing in the upper sections as well! The energy in the entire space felt like stepping back into a time machine to the laid back, disco 70’s. Many fans wore their best vintage style fit, which perfectly matched the style of Jungle’s music.
The tour is in celebration of their new 2026 album, Sunshine. The songs on this album have quickly risen on the charts in terms of popularity and are a massive hit with fans. Tonight was my first time hearing the songs live and I can agree that this album is absolutely sensational. They performed six songs from their latest album and one that instantly went on my playlist was “The Wave.” The song is very upbeat, while the lyrics are calm and joyful which immediately elevated my mood. The tune definitely put me in the dancing spirit as it was hard to resist. That energy was maintained, especially when they played their hypnotic new song “Move Like You Do.” In addition, the group performed, “Sunshine,” “Come Back to Me,” “Where Are You Now?” and “Someday, Somewhere” - All of which can be enjoyed on their most recent album!
Surprisingly, they didn’t perform “Carry On,” which is currently the most popular played tune on their new album. HOWEVER, they did perform their most popular song to this day, “Back on 74,” which was released in their 2023 album, Volcano. Echoes of cheers rang out from fans (including myself) when “Back on 74" was played. Sitting at over 605 million plays on spotify, the super sonic hit tune charted to the top when the song and dance went viral back in 2023 when the music video dropped. This wasn’t the only incredible throwback tune performed from the Volcano album. The group also performed “Don’t Play” later in the night. Both songs had the entire room on their feet, dancing, swaying and singing along. It was an amazing sight to witness in person and the vibes were immaculate!
Originally, the night came to a close after the band played “GOOD TIMES,” but fans were not done on the dance floor. After a few minutes of waiting in anticipation, Jungle ended the night with not one, but two songs after fans cheered and begged for an encore performance! As the lights slowly rose, the band appeared on stage and began playing “Keep Moving” from their 2021 album, Loving in Stereo. They followed up that song with one final tune, which was the 2014 hit, “Busy Earnin,’” which peaked at number 19 on the UK Indie chart around its release. What an incredible way to close out the night! If you want to catch Jungle live, check for more US show dates. The group has wrapped up in Texas and Colorado however, they have upcoming shows in Oregon, Washington and California. The band will be touring worldwide again once the American leg of their tour wraps up in a few weeks.