Nicole and I arrive and hear the opening act from the outside. The singer sounds like Dave Matthews with a different band, but we realize it’s Mat Kearney when he closes with his song with radio play. He finishes as we find a place on the lawn. Too bad we didn’t catch the whole thing.

We meet-up with Nicole’s co-worker Erin and his wife and later run into my MBA classmate Pierre-Alexander Brault. Friends and concerts and a good pairing.

Sheryl Crow takes the stage and start playing through her long and well-earned list of hits. She’s like a fine bourbon that keeps getting better with age. She sings, she plays, she chats-up the audience. She can do no wrong. Hearing songs brings back memories over the past 12 or so years I’ve been listening to her music. I’d definitely like to catch a show in a smaller venue with closer seats. Not surprisingly, the audience is a little older and the stadium is not quite full. Heavy radio play must be a requirement for high-school/college audience attendance. She deserves a packed house.

The youth crowd shows up, it gets dark, and John Mayer takes the stage. He’s become my favorite solo artist over the past 5 years and I’m hoping for a better concert than when last I saw him (it got a little boring in the middle.) His band is quite different now (no horn section) and it’s tight. This setup, including members from the John Mayer Trio, are a much better fit.

John Mayer is the real deal. Soulful, reflective, and an absolutely amazing guitar player. Songs from his Inside Wants Out release have always been my favorite, but I’m really into the John Mayer Trio tracks.

• In the right mood, the Daughters is a great song, but I’m usually cynical and was a little distraught by all the teenage girls holding each other and rocking to the music.
• Slow Dancing in a Burning Room had a great groove to it.
• My favorite part of the show is the ending to Victoria. John Mayer decides to an impromptu solo/acoustic transition to Love Soon becaue he’s feeling the vibe. But he forgets the lyrics a couple of lines in. He’s human. He’s fun. It’s great. I love that he felt like playing it and did, it it leaves me wanting to hear an up-temp solo acoustic version of Love Soon.

I’d be remiss if I did mention another performance by Indy’s own Aisle Dancing Dude. He rocks the aisle like no else can. He even picked-up a little aisle dancing honey!

John Mayer Setlist:

Why Georgia
Good Love is On the Way
Bigger Than My Body
Belief
Slow Dancing in a Burning Room
My Stupid Mouth
Vultures
Dreaming With A Broken Heart
Daughters
Neon
Waiting on the World to Change
— encore —
Victoria –> Love Soon
No Such Thing
I’m Gonna Find Another You