John Mayer and Ben Folds in Concert

From NEXT listener Michael. thanks Mike.


Walking up the stairs to the open lawn at the Tweeter Center in Camden, everything just feels good. The weather, the crowd, and on stage is James Morrison, a master craftsman of feel good music. My family was together for this one, and it is the first concert that my children are able to attend. James Morrison is a very approachable first act, and while admittedly not familiar with most of his recordings, he seems like a warm man who truly enjoys performing. He sings well, plays guitar well, and his songs set the mood. He performs for a crowd that is slowly filling the venue to capacity, and definitely draws his biggest response when he plays the single now getting air play in New York, “Under the Influence.” But his music, after some time, is less interesting than the other performers scheduled for the night. Just when things start sounding repetitive, however, Morrison shows promise with a charged performance of his most energetic song, “Call the Police.” The song is a great finale, and a nice lead in to the man about to take the stage.
When Ben Folds walks out, he strides to his piano like a puma with its prey in sight. He is tensed, leans into the keys, and begins his set with the energy that would fill his entire performance. “Gone” gets much of the crowd on its feet, and he quickly flows from one song to the next. All of them are familiar to the crowd, who join him in singing each of his selections. His words can cut, as sarcasm and condemnations are used in a variety of pointed lyrics. But his point of view is clearly appreciated by this group, many of them choosing to sing louder as the songs take their more aggressive turns.
Ben Folds is an exceptional songwriter, and is certainly not one dimensional, so it is no surprise when he chooses to be sentimental. A switch to this side of his music comes with the song “Landed.” Later, there is the subtlety and sadness found in the song “Jesusland.”
Throughout his set, Ben Folds demonstrates that in addition to song writing, he is a very talented performer. He, and the other members of his trio, are technically sound at all points. Even as his keyboard playing becomes frenetic, and his words flow more rapidly, he is on key and delivers the songs flawlessly. To his credit, he focuses on the playing, choosing to avoid the cliched banter too many musicians insert into their sets when on tour. The only disappointment is that he didn’t play personal favorites such as “Still Fighting It” which is obviously a concern I may not have shared with too many of the fans now screaming as his performance concludes.
While some remained seated for the first two acts, it is clear the night is approaching a peak as John Mayer takes the stage. The crowd is loud, and clearly has been waiting for this, and now all rise as this amazing young performer begins his set. The first two song choices are safe, the radio hits all would know. In fact, these two songs probably sold a significant percentage of the tickets to the night’s show. He works through “Bigger Than My Body” and “No Such Thing” and the audience sings in unison. I look at my son, standing on his chair, delighted to be screaming at the top of his lungs, too. My wife is smiling, my daughter’s eyes are wide open. The party has started, but the greatest aspect of the night is first hinted at in Mayer’s third song “Belief.”
John Mayer chooses to introduce this song with a guitar solo that masks the song that he is about to play. But it also reveals, as his virtuosity is finally exposed. This John Mayer can often hide behind the breathy delivery of his lyrics, and the occasional falsetto. Since the beginning of his career John Mayer’s music has been the sort to make women swoon, but there are reasons he has recorded with B.B. King and John Scofield. Just as there are reasons he began this day sharing a stage in New York City with Eric Clapton. John Mayer can flat out play the guitar.
Like Ben Folds, the emphasis is on the music. The guitar licks are flowing now, and his familiarity with traditional guitar rock is increasingly apparent. He is wise to lean back on the familiar, as the crowd happily joins him in singing “Waiting On the World to Change.” But again, this side of Mayer is familiar, and his craftsmanship as a pop song writer could never be questioned. It is, however, only when you see him live that you begin to recognize he is not just another pop star. John Mayer is more likely the heir to the throne in American Jazz/Blues guitar.
The show continues towards a predictable, cathartic end, and as this great party winds down, I realize I have seen much more than I expected. At its best, live music represents an opportunity for comradery with like minded music fans, and a chance to see aspects of a performer that haven’t been captured in a studio. These elements, played out in a great venue, have lead to tremendous entertainment, and I realize my children may not recognize how fortunate they have been tonight. To mark the occasion, we’re sure to save the ticket stubs, as my wife and I both feel Mayer’s best years are ahead of him. And to think, I thought I felt good walking in to this concert.