Day 13 - And look at the stars. Don't they remind you just how feeble we are?

I have an eclectic taste in music.  My Pandora radio station list includes the following:  Jon Secada, Gin Blossoms & Cold...among other things.  I'm one of those, "I like everything," kind of people who make you crazy when you're trying to decide what radio station to choose for a long car ride.  But, it's the truth.  I'm a "greatest hits" kind of girl & can hum along with a lot of songs on the radio.

But don't get me wrong, I can delve deeply into the music & lyrics hidden on an album because they're not deemed radio worthy.  And that is why, out of all the classic rock, bubble gum pop & everything in between included in my musical library, I can name without a doubt my favorite artist.  John Mayer.

I found John while he was touring for his second album.  He actually came to little-ol'-Reading, PA for a concert because he wasn't a mega-star in those days.  I had heard the songs on the radio, but didn't know much about him.  I was tagging along to the concert with some friends, & I'm so glad I did.

Yes, there were screaming girls & soccer moms, but that's not enough to scare me away - I've seen the Spice Girls and Backstreet Boys in concert.  My friends & I weren't in the last row, but we weren't up front either.  They were "eh" kind of seats, but that didn't matter either.  Because all the shrieking aside, there was the music.

Since then I've seen John many times.  I've had "eh" seats.  I've been in the third row of the Borgata casino in Atlantic City.  I've been crammed like a sardine in the front of Webster Hall in NYC.  I've gotten up at 3:30 in the morning to drive to Philadelphia & stand in line for a signing at Tower Records on Broad Street.  People have asked me why I go again & again, & the answer is simple:  the music.

He's got a velvety kind of voice - & let's be honest, he ain't exactly hard on the eyes either.




Image from Google.

But what you may not know is, he's an incredible guitar player.  I never realized it until the first time I saw him live, & it's what's kept me going back.  Even if I knew my seats were in the last row with a pole obstructing my view, I would go to his concert because the experience would be the same.

In recent years his ego has grown with his career.  He's said a lot of stupid things on Twitter & in interviews.  Most notably, he made some ridiculous comments in Playboy earlier this year.  That did not go over well with the masses, & his sarcastic sense of humor got him in some hot water.  I saw a concert in February, shortly after all this happened.  He was acting like a man making his last effort to save his career.  My friend appropriately called it his "Apology Tour 2010."

Funny thing is, it was the first time in a long time that he seemed like the John I saw in Reading way back in the day.  And he said something that night that struck a chord with me.  He sent his band off the stage & standing alone with his acoustic guitar said to the crowd, "I want to do less talking & just get back to the music."

Works for me.