There are very few musicians that I would even consider standing outside in 100+ degree weather to see live, yet every summer no matter what the weather conditions, work situation, or any other influencing factor, you’ll find me at least one time watching my boy Johnny Mayer in concert.  This year five of my friends and I decided to save a few bucks and hang out on the lawn of Cricket Pavilion (i.e the space with no shade) and have the benefit of both the music and great people watching.  We were not disappointed.

After the so-so openers, Mayer came on stage wearing a black wife-beater and capri pants.  I was worried that the painful fashion sense he was showcasing was a hint at the quality of his setlist, but I couldn’t have been further from wrong.  After already seeing him twice since the release of his latest album, I had my reservations about paying top-dollar for amazing seats this time around, but as always, he blew my socks off by playing new songs, awesome covers, and reinventing songs I had forgotten.  From the first time I saw him five years ago until today he’s progressed from the awkward kid to a skilled guitar player and entertainer despite his moments of self-proclaimed douchedom.  Hush, to the Mayer fans… you know I love him.

Always eager to spread my Mayer love, I have a few of Wednesday night’s songs to share with you. Most of them aren’t the Mayer songs you’re familiar with and have heard on the radio, but that’s ok. Instead, I present to you the ones that left me speechless, standing between my two girl bffs, swaying to the music that has been with me for so much of my ‘adult years’. Nope, you won’t find Daughters or Your Body Is A Wonderland on this list. I’m guessing you won’t mind.

I Don’t Trust Myself (With Loving You): Zac hates this song because it reminds him of Napoleon Dynamite, but this song gets me (as Lauren would say) in the lovespot every time. The horns were exceptional live and even anti-Mayer Jeff was jamming along as David Ryan Harris took the second chorus. But my favorite part happens at 3:22. Be careful. If you’re anything like me, you’ll find yourself listening to that plea over and over and over and over again.

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Ain’t Nobody’s Business: Covering a song is about so much more than replacing voices. No, it’s about making that song your own, breathing new life into an old classic. If you know this old Blues standard, hopefully you can appreciate John’s take on it. Otherwise, enjoy experiencing it for the first time.

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Untitled into Free Fallin’: This cover song has found its place more than a few times on this blog, but I just can’t get enough of it. Wednesday’s version was spectacular with the brand new intro.  Yet, even without it, I’d still love this song no matter if it’s sung by Mayer or Tom Petty. I stand by the claim that no lyric has ever summed up my life the way “She’s a good girl, loves her mama, loves Jesus and America, too” does.

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Something’s Missing: Sometime between the Trio and Continuum this song slipped off the radar for me, and after hearing it live again, it’s back. I don’t know about you, but I’ve lived the words of this song over and over again in the past eight years. If there was an anthem to my personal quarter-life crisis, you’d see me arm stretched above my head blasting this tune to the world. “I can’t be sure that this state of mind is not of my own design. I wish there was an over-the-counter test for loneliness.Something’s missing, and I don’t know how to fix it.” Me, too. Yet, my favorite moment comes at 4:25 during the bridge. Whether or not he means for us to be able to understand him, there’s something cleansing in just saying the words even if no one knows what they are.

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Sweet Child Chad Of Mine: One of the funniest moments of this show came toward the end in the encore when Mayer started singing Happy Birthday to his friend Chad. Never before have I seen him as happy and playful as he was in that moment, and for diehard fans that’s great to see. I’m still not completely sure how he made his voice do what it did or how he imitatef Axel’s sway so perfectly, but he did.

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