This past week was another perfect example of how having expectations that are too-high can almost ruin a show. Like I mentioned in my last post, I enjoyed the Eric Clapton show, but expected so so so much more. Hell, even just one specific song more. On the other hand, I didn’t expect much from this John Mayer show. I’d already seen him twice and, while he’s really great and a thousand times better live than on his albums, I’d spent months figuring the Eric Clapton show was going to be so life-changing that John Mayer would just be an afterthought.

I absolutely loved the first John Mayer show I ever went to (2003) because he showed me that he wasn’t just an acoustic singer/songwriter, he was a guitarist. The second show (2007) was ok, but considering the album he was supporting (Continuum) was heavily blues, I was disappointed with the setlist. (How do you cover “Bold As Love” on your record and then not play it on tour? Really.) So Friday,with following Clapton and this current album being REALLY weak in my opinion, I wasnt’ going into this show expecting incredible.

But I got incredible.

First of all, his lead touring guitarist was Robbie McIntosh. Robbie McIntosh from The Pretenders & Paul McCartney. Pretty effing cool.

The setlist was strong and the Battle Studies songs John Mayer played were at least the ones I would’ve chosen if I had to pick. I do love “Who Says” and that sounded great and I was pleasantly surprised by how good “Assassin” was live. I ended up going back and listening to that track on the way home and it’s grown on me considerably.

He also threw a bit of Simon & Garfunkel’s “Homeward Bound” into some song (I don’t remember which) but I love when musicians do that. It’s like they’re saying “Hey, I’m musician enough that I can pick up on melodic similarities and put them together.” I don’t know. That sentence made more sense in my head.

One of the funniest moments came when he took Tesla’s “Signs” (which I found out isn’t actually Telsa’s song, it was written by Five Man Electrical Band) and replaced most of the verses with banter about the random signs in the audience. I later learned that he’s been doing this at every show, but it was still pretty amusing as long as you overlook the fact that it just encourages these idiots to bring signs that block their poor neighbors’ views.

…Which he actually did comment on very early on when a group of girls in about the 7th row held up a “sign” that actually looked like a twin bedsheet stapled to three wooden spikes (how do you get that shit into the show?!). He read it (Dear John, don’t egg them on, really.) then said “I’ve started judging signs by how many people’s views they block and I’m pretty sure your sign blocks…I dunno… about 2,000 people.” Naturally, that didn’t deter the girls from holding it up after every other song, but luckily I wasn’t behind them so I could ignore it.

Toward the end of the show he covered “Don’t Stop Believin’” which, I’ll unabashedly admit, has become one of my favorite songs. It’s not in the “Favorite Song Because It’s Amazing” category, it’s better suited for the “Favorite Song Because It’s Silly Fun & Makes Me Smile” category, but still in the favorites nonetheless. It landed there after my trip to LA this past September when Alexis, Jen, Michelle, Dave, and I, after spending a long and exhausting day at the Sunset Strip Music Festival, ended up at the Rainbow Room. Jen was at such an inebriation level that she was knocking anything made of glass onto the floor and things we’re getting tense and then “Don’t Stop Believin’” came on. And we just started singing. First it was the five of us. Then the people surrounding us. Then, eventually, the whole patio of Rainbow was singing. Haha. See what I mean? “Silly Fun & Makes Me Smile” category. Anyway, I called Alexis during John Mayer’s cover. Don’t know if she picked up or it went to voicemail though. I should probably call her. haha

Anyway. Overall John Mayer’s show was really fantastic. And turned my Mom into a huge fan. Socially I got to talk to some people that I haven’t seen in a while, including my God-Brother and his very pregnant wife.

Expectations aside, Eric Clapton was really good and being able to see him from that close was amazing. Then the incredible John Mayer show really ended the week on a good note musically.

in the meantime, i’d like to announce brag that i nabbed a 6th row ticket to the eric clapton / roger daltrey show here in tulsa. it comes at a price… i’ll be by myself, but i think it’ll be worth it.

but it got me thinking… obviously if you’re interested in proximity, buying a single seat for a show like this is the way to go. since most people buy in pairs (or more) there’s quite a few rows that have a lone seat remaining that “best available” will overlook if you’re searching for more than one ticket. another bonus: that seat is almost always on the aisle.

(interesting note: i thought calling the box office might give me the luxury of choosing my section since i typically despise ticketmaster’s “best available” choices. given the option of sititng on the floor or on the lower level i’d almost always pick the lower level (with the exception of, i don’t know, 6th row on the floor). BUT, as i learned on saturday morning, the phone operator was only able to search “best available” at the time. kind of a bummer, but it worked out this time.)

but, like i said, it comes at a price… you’re alone. i don’t mind going to shows by myself. of course, going it alone is a bit less socially awkward when it’s a GA show, but for eric clapton i don’t really mind. my dad (who usually goes to these shows with me) didn’t want to go since we did see clapton back in june in dallas, and none of my other friends bit when i asked if they were interested. but sometimes, going to a show alone, you lose that bond that develops when you both witness something great together. i can go to shows alone and not care because i can lose myself in the music, but sometimes, afterward, it feels like a little piece is missing because there’s no one you can share that moment with. no one who stood beside you and experienced the last two hours from the same viewpoint as you. that’s a little bittersweet.

so, i could’ve saved myself the $115 and passed on the show, since i did, in fact, see him just six-ish months ago AND he was with steve winwood who is (sorry) MUCH better than roger daltrey. BUT the key selling point for this show is that it’s eric clapton in TULSA. clapton has so many ties to this town and it’s storied musical history that i really really hope that he makes the tulsa show special. i don’t know how, specifically, jj cale doesn’t live here anymore, i’m pretty sure jaime oldaker does but i don’t know if he plays anymore…. i don’t know if there’s anyone he could bring out specially for tulsa, but i splurged for the ticket in the hopes of a once-in-a-lifetime show. hopefully it’ll include some old stories, a unique setlist, and maybe even a guest appearance.

that’s what i’m hoping for anyway.

the article only enforces the magical and mysterious aura of the place. jamie oldaker’s (once eric clapton’s drummer) tales are my favorite. this article coupled with my friend’s account of a story oldaker once told him during an interview (it included eric clapton’s house and waking up to find george harrison sitting on the foot of his bed) make me want to add oldaker to the list of people i’d love to sit down with and talk music.

i feel extremely fortunate that through my neighbor, bob wiles’ (formerly of the red dirt rangers), connection, steve & charlene ripley were gracious enough to let me take some of my senior pictures at the church. the history of the place is just incredible and when you walk in it’s almost palpable. the musicians that have come and gone and the music that’s been created there fill the air. pardon the cliche but if those walls could talk…