The evening launched with a disarming, unvarnished acoustic set from Paris Jackson, who has been opening select dates on the tour and traveling lean - often just her guitar, sound engineer fiancé, and a van - while fielding outsized public scrutiny due to her famous last name. Jackson’s stripped delivery let her indie-folk writing breathe; she leaned into the dusky “Gaslight,” inviting Incubus guitarist Mike Einziger to join her, and worked in moody material that nodded to the emotional terrain she explored on her 2020 debut album Wilted, a collaboration influenced in part by Manchester Orchestra’s Andy Hull.
Jackson also slipped a haunted “Zombie” moment into the short set - more vibe than full Cranberries cover, but it landed with the early arrivals scattered across the amphitheater floor and lawn. The looseness suited her; she bantered lightly, then dropped into intimate vocal turns that contrasted sharply with the scale of the venue and the night to come.
Incubus also had fun with arrangement flourishes: “Are You In?” eased into a sly nod to Phil Collins’ “In the Air Tonight,” complete with that instantly recognizable drum feel woven into the outro, while “Under My Umbrella” opened with a winking tease of Rihanna’s “Umbrella” that drew cheers from fans who caught the reference. These genre-bridging quotes underscored the band’s playful side and Live Nation’s promise of a special tour experience.
Visually, the production scaled up the nostalgia without drowning it. Panoramic LED backdrops bathed the stage in oceanic blues, sunburst ambers, and laser sweeps that echoed the Malibu coastline where Morning View was written and recorded on a street of the same name. The design supported the songs rather than overshadowing them, letting long instrumental passages breathe while strengthening the album’s coastal identity.
Manchester Orchestra followed and immediately expanded the emotional bandwidth of the night, pivoting from fragile hushes to volcanic crescendos that rattled the lower bowl. The long-running Atlanta indie rock outfit - led by singer-guitarist Andy Hull - has built a reputation for dynamic, slow-burn catharsis across albums ranging from Mean Everything to Nothing to A Black Mile to the Surface and beyond, and that dramatic arc translated cleanly to an outdoor shed.
Their setlist stitched fan touchstones to newer standouts: “Bed Head,” already a modern anthem in the catalog, surged; “The Sunshine” offered a brief, luminous respite; and “The Silence” closed like a tidal surge, earning the band new converts among the Incubus faithful. Hull’s tremor-to-roar vocal climbs and the group’s command of space and volume primed the crowd for the headliner’s album-deep dive.
After sundown, Incubus took the stage to a roar and, true to billing, performed their 2001 album Morning View front to back. The sequencing—“Nice to Know You” into “Circles” into the widescreen shimmer of “Wish You Were Here”—reminded the audience why the record catapulted the band from rising alt-rockers to global mainstays, debuting at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and ultimately going double platinum, the best-selling album in their catalog.
Settling into the album’s ebb-and-flow made for a rewarding live arc. The elastic groove of “Just a Phase” gave way to the sunrise melancholy of “11am,” while “Blood on the Ground” snapped the crowd back to the heavier edges the band flirted with before decisively moving away from the nu-metal wave that dominated the era. That conscious stylistic break—something guitarist Mike Einziger and vocalist Brandon Boyd have spoken about over the years—felt even more pronounced performed in sequence.
Settling into the album’s ebb-and-flow made for a rewarding live arc. The elastic groove of “Just a Phase” gave way to the sunrise melancholy of “11am,” while “Blood on the Ground” snapped the crowd back to the heavier edges the band flirted with before decisively moving away from the nu-metal wave that dominated the era. That conscious stylistic break—something guitarist Mike Einziger and vocalist Brandon Boyd have spoken about over the years—felt even more pronounced performed in sequence.
“Mexico” arrived with the hush it deserves, phones aloft but mostly still, followed by the slow-bloom tension of “Warning” and the reflective pulse of “Echo.” In the back half, “Have You Ever” reignited the pit energy, “Are You In?” unfurled into a crowd-wide sway, and “Under My Umbrella” hit harder live than many remembered.
The album run closed in cinematic fashion with “Aqueous Transmission,” its tranquil, Eastern-influenced textures washing over a sea of lights that flickered across the amphitheater like bioluminescence. It’s a left-field closer on record and an unexpectedly communal moment onstage, especially under a warm San Diego summer night.
From there, Incubus pivoted into a generous hits section that doubled as a time-capsule victory lap. “Megalomaniac” blasted open the post-Morning View portion, “Anna Molly” and “The Warmth” reminded fans of the band’s melodic instincts, and a taut “Vitamin” set up the radio-era juggernauts.
The album run closed in cinematic fashion with “Aqueous Transmission,” its tranquil, Eastern-influenced textures washing over a sea of lights that flickered across the amphitheater like bioluminescence. It’s a left-field closer on record and an unexpectedly communal moment onstage, especially under a warm San Diego summer night.
From there, Incubus pivoted into a generous hits section that doubled as a time-capsule victory lap. “Megalomaniac” blasted open the post-Morning View portion, “Anna Molly” and “The Warmth” reminded fans of the band’s melodic instincts, and a taut “Vitamin” set up the radio-era juggernauts.
“Drive” drew one of the loudest full-venue singalongs of the night—proof that the 1999 breakout has lost none of its grip—before the band slammed into “Pardon Me,” which still rips in an amphitheater two decades on. Boyd’s voice has aged remarkably well; he stayed in tune, floated falsetto phrases, and hit the long notes with a control that tracked closely to the studio takes fans grew up on.
Incubus also had fun with arrangement flourishes: “Are You In?” eased into a sly nod to Phil Collins’ “In the Air Tonight,” complete with that instantly recognizable drum feel woven into the outro, while “Under My Umbrella” opened with a winking tease of Rihanna’s “Umbrella” that drew cheers from fans who caught the reference. These genre-bridging quotes underscored the band’s playful side and Live Nation’s promise of a special tour experience.
Visually, the production scaled up the nostalgia without drowning it. Panoramic LED backdrops bathed the stage in oceanic blues, sunburst ambers, and laser sweeps that echoed the Malibu coastline where Morning View was written and recorded on a street of the same name. The design supported the songs rather than overshadowing them, letting long instrumental passages breathe while strengthening the album’s coastal identity.
Fan loyalty was impossible to miss. Merch tents snaked deep into the plaza before sunset, with vintage-era artwork and fresh Morning View XXIII designs moving fast; many in the crowd wore threadbare tour shirts from the early 2000s, a testament to the band’s staying power and the emotional weight the record still carries.
More than two decades after its release, Morning View continues to mark a turning point in Incubus’ evolution - away from genre pigeonholes and toward a broader, more melodic, and ultimately enduring sound. That arc, combined with new creative momentum (frontman Brandon Boyd has described the current period as a “new era” energized by touring and fresh material), makes this tour feel less like a nostalgia cash-in and more like a bridge between past and future.
If you missed the Chula Vista date, the Morning View tour continues with select North American shows before heading abroad; check Live Nation for remaining dates, upgrades, and venue details. Whether you came for teenage memories, brought your kids for their first real rock show, or simply wanted to hear one of the most era-defining alt-rock albums performed in full, Incubus delivered - faithfully, joyfully, and loud enough to carry across all of San Diego.
More than two decades after its release, Morning View continues to mark a turning point in Incubus’ evolution - away from genre pigeonholes and toward a broader, more melodic, and ultimately enduring sound. That arc, combined with new creative momentum (frontman Brandon Boyd has described the current period as a “new era” energized by touring and fresh material), makes this tour feel less like a nostalgia cash-in and more like a bridge between past and future.
If you missed the Chula Vista date, the Morning View tour continues with select North American shows before heading abroad; check Live Nation for remaining dates, upgrades, and venue details. Whether you came for teenage memories, brought your kids for their first real rock show, or simply wanted to hear one of the most era-defining alt-rock albums performed in full, Incubus delivered - faithfully, joyfully, and loud enough to carry across all of San Diego.
