Are We There Yet?
Saturday, December 13th, 2008Looking ahead to March. This will be good.
Tristian
Looking ahead to March. This will be good.
Tristian
As I’ve written previously, Amy and I won a contest from Local-83 to meet John Mayer before his concert in Dallas. I will try to best explain how it all played out. We get to the venue and locate the Will Call area where we are instructed to gather and meet at a specific time. It’s HOT! Two minutes waiting outside and we are sweatin’. Meet up with the fellow contest winners and chat with them while we wait for the call to come backstage. Right before Lauren, the lady who manages the contest winners among other things, comes out the venue staff announces that they lost power to the facilities and were attempting to get it back on. I’m hoping this will have no impact on our meet up with JM. A few minutes later Lauren approaches the group and asks for all the winners to show IDs to prove they won and then she proceeds to tell us we’re waiting for a few more VIPs to show up. She asks if we know ‘The Wiggles’ from the popular children’s program. Everyone, including myself, thinks she’s kidding until she assures us that they are for sure coming to meet John as well. Apparently they were in Dallas performing and are big fans of John’s music too. Sure enough, ‘The Wiggles’ and their guests show up and a few ask to pose for pictures with them. We couldn’t resist and had ours taken as well if nothing but to just show the girls. Thanks to Kristy from the message boards/fan club for snapping the photo! Finally….we are lead backstage.
Got past security and pass by a few of John’s bandmates. I would have loved to get pics with them too but John is the focus right now. We arrive at the dressing rooms backstage and we are all trying to fan ourselves to keep cool. Lauren hands out the tour programs and gives us the details of how this is going to work. Amy notices my hands are shaking but I’m just super excited to be there. We continue to wait for another 10 minutes or so and Lauren tells us that he is on his way over. She also alerts us to clear a path because he’s probably coming from this one area and will need to pass through us. We all begin looking for him and he emerges out of nowhere it seems. Everyone is strangely quiet but I think inside everyone is just pumped to be there. John passes by so he can get to the photo spot. I notice one of the backstage crew hand him a pen and John kisses it like a trusty friend ready to sign some autographs. First up are ‘The Wiggles’ crew and John thanks them for coming out and snaps a quick photo. A few contest winners are ahead of us so we wait until they are done. Amy’s up ahead of me and just has a huge smile on her face when she heads out the side gate. Lauren waves me over and John looks me straight in the eyes. I shake his hand and say it’s great to finally meet him. He asks my name and repeats it back commenting on how interesting my name is. Normally I have to correct people because they usually hear “Christian” instead of “Tristian” but John proves he listens and I don’t have to correct him. He signs the poster I brought and poses for the picture. I tell him thank you and he just simply asks me to enjoy the show and have a good time. The man is super laid back, genuinely listens to his fans and just a cool guy. I wish I would have had more to say or ask him but I think nerves/excitement/awe got to me but I had a great experience. So….when do I get to meet him again?
Tristian
Have you ever found a musician you latched onto that you enjoyed their entire catalog of music? Well, a musician and guitar player by the name of John Mayer is that artist in my life. The man can play a guitar and play it well. But it’s not only his guitar skills that impress me, it’s his connection with the fans who enjoy his music. He knows where his money comes from and gives back with interaction. He updates a personal blog regularly and of course has many sites dedicated to him. Just a few short months ago, my wife and I joined him and numerous musicians he invited on a cruise to the Bahamas. Dubbed ‘The Mayercraft Carrier‘, it was an experience like no other. Awesome music, an enjoyable cruise, tons of people who enjoy John’s music as much as we do! We are already signed up for the next one!
I’ve enjoyed JM since the release of the album ‘Room for Squares’. With his most recent release, ‘Where The Light Is’, JM puts up an impressive set of the work he’s been doing since that first album. If you enjoy blues, rock, pop, acoustic, or just good music, check his latest offering out. “Ya owe it to yourself” - JM
Tristian