So I know you have been patiently waiting for this post...I know it is Thursday night already but I have just about recovered from my whirlwind good karma weekend from two weeks ago...Yeah I know it was overwhelming. As some of you knew, I was venturing to Cbus...(Columbus Ohio) http://www.experiencecolumbus.com/ to get away for a bit. Take a two hour drive with one of my besties Kristen and take in the John Mayer show at the Nationwide Arena http://www.nationwidearea.com/ . I have not always been a big fan of John Mayer...heard his music on the radio, liked it and heard the media drama from time to time. Never thought much of it. I am a person that always gives people the benefite of the doubt. And thinks you can't always believe what you read.
A few months ago my ten year old son came running in my design studio http://www.celestem.com/ so excited. In his hand was a small note that read "Heartbreak Warfare" John Mayer. He had torn a piece of paper in the car and wrote it down for me (how sweet is that?). He said "Mom I know how much you love music and I heard this in the car, you are going to love it!"
I sat at my computer pulled up http://www.johnmayer.com/ and listened. I was on the edge of my seat...he had me by the fifth note of "heartbreak warfare"...next day I was with my girlfriend Jen in Nordstrom of all places...there was the CD...I bought it. The whole CD was amazing. After hearing more about Mayer and listening to my CD to drown out all the media about him...I began to wonder what it was like to see him live...saw on http://www.twitter.com/ that they released more tickets hopped online got two tickets, called my friend Kristen and counted down the days.
Still convienced that I was going just because of his music and not because of the typical "eye candy" factor that most would think. We headed out with bags packed, fully stocked for our roadtrip with lots of good-n-plenty and MP3 loaded with John Mayer...and some Train http://www.trainline.com/ for good measure;)
First off the Venue was very easy to get to. Second the staff and police were very helpful. Parking was a breeze. Short walk to venue. The look of the Venue was very cool and it seemed like there were some good places to eat across the street before the show. As we took the escelator up I couldn't help but laugh at the "rain man" flashback I was having. As soon as we got near to our seats and heard Michael Franti http://www.michaelfranti.com/ I knew this was going to rock! Met up with a friend Anne from http://www.carolinegreens.com/ who is a huge John Mayer fan! She read to me Mayers latest tweet to C-bus "Have a great weekend, all...And Columbus, OH can I see you in my office please?
We made our way to our section and when our little blue haired friend with her flashlight took us to our seats we were in awe...she just kept walking and walking. Now...I got my tickets at http://www.ticketmaster.com/ and had no idea...just then she stopped and pointed and we were three rows from the side stage...really? Row J is third row? You could of blown me over with a sigh.
As soon as the lights went down you could hear the start to "Heartbreak warfare" but could not see Mayer who appeared behind a sheer gauze curtain that dropped to the floor in dramatic fashion as girls around me started to hyper ventilate and the one directly behind me started to scream "OH MY GOD!" over and over like a scene out of "When Harry Met Sally" no joke. For the rest of the concert she changed it to "I LOVE YOU JOHN" on a three second interval;) The red lights only added to the sex appeal of the whole thing.
People were going nuts, men included;) A girl to my right, first row side stage cried, sobbed and sang her heart out...tears streaming down her face the whole time!
One of many highlights of the night was hearing the start of Journey's "Don't stop believin'' I think the crowd sang every word at top of their voices...as did we:) I am a huge Journey fan.
Mayer sang songs from every album and said many times "Thank you" to his fans for their support. He addressed the fans who bought tickets to sit two inches from the ceiling in the "nose bleeds" and specificaly thanked them and said "I don't know if their is anything I want to see that bad to sit that high up there...so thank you!" Another highlight of course was Mayers version of "Free Falling" again fans swayed back and forth as they sang every word.
At one point in the concert Mayer stated "I have had a deeper sort of awkening." Thanking fans over and over for their support very genuinely.
At the end of the concert to bring Mayer back out on stage the entire venue held their cell phones up in the pitch black arena and as Mayer came back out on stage he professed this... "That might be the sweetest thing a crowd has ever done for us...this has been the best show on the tour, because of you!" As the lights came back on he asked the lights to be turned back off so he could take it all in... Mayer said "This has been the most memorable moment I have ever had on stage."
The best song of the night for me was "Gravity" and "War of my life" the later of the two Mayer said was a poignant song for him...and I'm thinking knowone needed to ask why.
And oh yes at one point he was down on his knees, guitar on the stage floor hovered over it and played the business out of it...and as the girls behind me pointed out "you can see his tighty whities!" as he played they all squinted their eyes and you could hear them all trying to figure out what the wasteband read...Calvin? Jockey? I guess inquiring minds do want to know and all I could think about was...Hmm people would pay big bucks to advertise there...LOL ;)
All in all I would say that I went to see a talented artist play his fabulous music and some really really sick guitar... uh hem http://www.fender.com/ ...and I came away with a greater understanding for John Mayer the person, his genuien compassion and appreciation for his fans, the realization that in striving to follow his dreams he is not always going to please everyone or himself and his quest to act in blind faith is just that . I think anyone who went for the music came away with much more than they bargined for and for Kristen and myself who each drank Pepsi as our beverage of choice that night, we felt like we were euphorically seduced by the music, got to see a differernt side of John Mayer and left savoring the night!
And yes Mayer tweeted again... " A real Columbus Steamer tonight One of the best crowds of the tour!" U brought out the best in us. Big love from us all x"
Beyond our expectations...hotel $150.00...tickets $140.00...gas $60.00...experience...PRICELESS!
To top it all off we slept in...got up and went to breakfast buffet in our jammies with bedhead we were only two of about three people in the hotel and realized halfway through breakfast we were sitting accross from Brady Quinn and A.J. Hawk...last day Brady was a Browns player:( ...note to self don't EVER go out in public ever again with bedhead in your jammies ever! We are still laughing about that one...okay more like cringing...LOL
Hope you enjoyed a peek inside my little adventure and
remember life is about experience so when you get the
chance...JUMP!!
Celeste xo
Mayer walking off stage...job well done...
Euphorically Seductive...
All photography by celeste m. photography
for more concert info please visit http://www.livenation.com/
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