My John Story
I had this posted on the old forum and figured I would post it again. I had it in my livejournal too, hence the beginning paragraph. I hope you all don’t mind. Sorry it is so long. It is a known fact that I adore John Mayer, if you don’t know that about me you have been living under a rock. My adoration has gone beyond teeny bopper crush, not that it ever was. I have been a fan of Johns for almost 4 years now, however something happened last summer and I had go find out all that I could about him. If he sang a song I wanted to here it, it he was on TV I wanted to see it. On July 18, 2004 I saw him in concert for the first time. I had never liked a singer for that long without seeing them live before. It was a pure feeling of ecstasy the entire time he was on stage. It was a release of energy from being a fan for so long; I was able to let it all out. Song after song he rocked and I cheered. He ended the night with “Comfortable” acoustic just him and his guitar. The way he started. On October 26 I found out he was coming to Jingle Ball on December 3. I didn’t think he would be doing this for all I knew he was off touring and would come around whenever a new record came out. On November 3 my and Mags tickets were bought. They weren’t the greatest seats but we were going to be there. A couple of weeks before the concert Star put up auctions, one was a John Mayer meet and greet and front row seats. I wanted it so bad, I had to meet him. Only thing was I knew that it was going to be expensive and the only way I would get it is if my parents bought it for me. I showed it to my dad and he put it on his eBay watch list. All through the week he kept telling me it would be great if I got a guitar autographed by him. I told him I had to meet him for that to happen. On November 28th I woke up to a normal morning. I could only think about is whether or not my dad got the auction for me; I didn’t want to ask him in fear that I would start crying if he hadn’t. Mid-morning he called me over to the computer, on the screen it said “Congratulations.” There it was I was going to meet John. I can’t describe how happy I was. I immediately called Magdals and told her the fantastic news. Meeting him was one of the best moments of my life. He was everything I expected and then some. To hold such adoration for someone and for them to treat you the way he treated me was an amazing feeling. I felt like I was talking to an old friend, not some super star celebrity. I asked for a hug and it wasn’t some, one armed quickly let’s get this over with. It was both arms around holding tight. He even called us long huggers. The highlight of the performance was when he was singing “Daughters” he looked at Mags and I for most of the song. I will never forget looking right at him and seeing his eyes looking right back at me. That guitar my dad was talking about is on my bedroom wall, signed by John. On April 11th I found out that he was going to be playing in Memphis, TN on June 11th. What made me think this was possible to go to I don’t know. All I knew was that I had to be there, and nothing was going to stop me. On Saturday June 11th, my Mom, Mags and I were in Memphis watching him play. He was part of Herbie Hancock’s Headhunters band. I was fun to see him just play; songs that we didn’t know. All that mattered to us was that we were there. The best part of the night was crouching behind one of the tables while he was singing “Stitched Up” so that we could be closer. On June 28th we found out that he made the John Mayer Trio and was going to play quite a few shows in the Southern California area. To our disappointment our home town show was 21 and over. However we were fortunate to get tickets to Las Vegas and Los Angeles. My parents enjoyed the San Diego show, and got Covered in Rain, I’m still insanely jealous. As we were standing there in Las Vegas with my throbbing feet waiting for him to come on I still couldn’t believe that I was there. Once he came out it was like I was seeing him again for the first time. I have been to a lot of concerts and I can say that was one of the best I have been to. I was about 3 people deep, just off to his right. There was eye contact in the intro of “Ain’t Gonna Give Up On Love.” It was somewhat of a weird feeling to be watching this guy whose music I love and career that I follow up there singing songs that I did not know. Sure I knew the covers and the old reworked tunes, but having not heard the new one’s that many times, I was in love. It’s still amazes me that he has done almost a complete 180 with his music and I like it just as much as the old stuff. That right there is some serious talent. We got maybe 4 hours of sleep after the concert, had an early flight home the next day. We went to dinner with my mom and dad at HOB in San Diego, while they were at the show we wandered around the city wasting time. Sleep deprived we made our way back to the venue to wait outside, for him to come out. Even a glimpse anything at that point would have been fine. Since I didn’t have a sense of time anymore I don’t know how long we were out there waiting. He finally came out, waved and got straight on the bus. A minute later he came back out with a smile on his face and a sharpie in hand. I was trying to hand him a picture of him signing sheet music from the first meeting. I said “look it’s me and you.” He responded “I know, I know, but I’m going to sign the posters first because they paid for them.” He signed my picture and after he handed it back to me I stuck my hand out to shake his. I thought it was nice of him to take the time shake my hand and probably a few others when there were a lot of people around and I’m sure he did not have that much time to sign. There I no doubt in my mind that was not a person skipped that night. I think Los Angeles was better than Vegas; it’s a great feeling to be there right by the stage rocking out with your best friend and mother. As I have said before, I am lucky to have found his music. He is true musician and whatever he does I will follow. Again after the show we waited for him to come out, this time we didn’t need anything signed we just wanted to tell him what great show it was and thank you. After an hour or so of waiting him came out. I reached out my hand and said “hey John, great show.” He replied “thanks,” then looked at us, pointed and said “Oh, Hey!”With this surprised and happy look in his face. He took my hand a shook it, next thing I know I’m asking for a hug and my arms are wrapped around his neck with our cheeks touching and his hands are around my waste. We are on the street corner hugging like a couple of long lost friends. Mags got her hug too and he posed for a picture that I didn’t ever realize was being taken at first, but my camera wasn’t set to take another picture, I think my mom panicked said something about it not working and John had to go. I would have loved to have had a picture, but the memory of it is more than enough. I thank John for the memories I have from this past year that have to do with him. To Magdals for being just as crazy about him as I am, you get it. I love the fun times we have had. And lastly to my parents who have accepted this craziness and never told me to stop.
I had this posted on the old forum and figured I would post it again. I had it in my livejournal too, hence the beginning paragraph. I hope you all don’t mind. Sorry it is so long. It is a known fact that I adore John Mayer, if you don’t know that about me you have been living under a rock. My adoration has gone beyond teeny bopper crush, not that it ever was. I have been a fan of Johns for almost 4 years now, however something happened last summer and I had go find out all that I could about him. If he sang a song I wanted to here it, it he was on TV I wanted to see it. On July 18, 2004 I saw him in concert for the first time. I had never liked a singer for that long without seeing them live before. It was a pure feeling of ecstasy the entire time he was on stage. It was a release of energy from being a fan for so long; I was able to let it all out. Song after song he rocked and I cheered. He ended the night with “Comfortable” acoustic just him and his guitar. The way he started. On October 26 I found out he was coming to Jingle Ball on December 3. I didn’t think he would be doing this for all I knew he was off touring and would come around whenever a new record came out. On November 3 my and Mags tickets were bought. They weren’t the greatest seats but we were going to be there. A couple of weeks before the concert Star put up auctions, one was a John Mayer meet and greet and front row seats. I wanted it so bad, I had to meet him. Only thing was I knew that it was going to be expensive and the only way I would get it is if my parents bought it for me. I showed it to my dad and he put it on his eBay watch list. All through the week he kept telling me it would be great if I got a guitar autographed by him. I told him I had to meet him for that to happen. On November 28th I woke up to a normal morning. I could only think about is whether or not my dad got the auction for me; I didn’t want to ask him in fear that I would start crying if he hadn’t. Mid-morning he called me over to the computer, on the screen it said “Congratulations.” There it was I was going to meet John. I can’t describe how happy I was. I immediately called Magdals and told her the fantastic news. Meeting him was one of the best moments of my life. He was everything I expected and then some. To hold such adoration for someone and for them to treat you the way he treated me was an amazing feeling. I felt like I was talking to an old friend, not some super star celebrity. I asked for a hug and it wasn’t some, one armed quickly let’s get this over with. It was both arms around holding tight. He even called us long huggers. The highlight of the performance was when he was singing “Daughters” he looked at Mags and I for most of the song. I will never forget looking right at him and seeing his eyes looking right back at me. That guitar my dad was talking about is on my bedroom wall, signed by John. On April 11th I found out that he was going to be playing in Memphis, TN on June 11th. What made me think this was possible to go to I don’t know. All I knew was that I had to be there, and nothing was going to stop me. On Saturday June 11th, my Mom, Mags and I were in Memphis watching him play. He was part of Herbie Hancock’s Headhunters band. I was fun to see him just play; songs that we didn’t know. All that mattered to us was that we were there. The best part of the night was crouching behind one of the tables while he was singing “Stitched Up” so that we could be closer. On June 28th we found out that he made the John Mayer Trio and was going to play quite a few shows in the Southern California area. To our disappointment our home town show was 21 and over. However we were fortunate to get tickets to Las Vegas and Los Angeles. My parents enjoyed the San Diego show, and got Covered in Rain, I’m still insanely jealous. As we were standing there in Las Vegas with my throbbing feet waiting for him to come on I still couldn’t believe that I was there. Once he came out it was like I was seeing him again for the first time. I have been to a lot of concerts and I can say that was one of the best I have been to. I was about 3 people deep, just off to his right. There was eye contact in the intro of “Ain’t Gonna Give Up On Love.” It was somewhat of a weird feeling to be watching this guy whose music I love and career that I follow up there singing songs that I did not know. Sure I knew the covers and the old reworked tunes, but having not heard the new one’s that many times, I was in love. It’s still amazes me that he has done almost a complete 180 with his music and I like it just as much as the old stuff. That right there is some serious talent. We got maybe 4 hours of sleep after the concert, had an early flight home the next day. We went to dinner with my mom and dad at HOB in San Diego, while they were at the show we wandered around the city wasting time. Sleep deprived we made our way back to the venue to wait outside, for him to come out. Even a glimpse anything at that point would have been fine. Since I didn’t have a sense of time anymore I don’t know how long we were out there waiting. He finally came out, waved and got straight on the bus. A minute later he came back out with a smile on his face and a sharpie in hand. I was trying to hand him a picture of him signing sheet music from the first meeting. I said “look it’s me and you.” He responded “I know, I know, but I’m going to sign the posters first because they paid for them.” He signed my picture and after he handed it back to me I stuck my hand out to shake his. I thought it was nice of him to take the time shake my hand and probably a few others when there were a lot of people around and I’m sure he did not have that much time to sign. There I no doubt in my mind that was not a person skipped that night. I think Los Angeles was better than Vegas; it’s a great feeling to be there right by the stage rocking out with your best friend and mother. As I have said before, I am lucky to have found his music. He is true musician and whatever he does I will follow. Again after the show we waited for him to come out, this time we didn’t need anything signed we just wanted to tell him what great show it was and thank you. After an hour or so of waiting him came out. I reached out my hand and said “hey John, great show.” He replied “thanks,” then looked at us, pointed and said “Oh, Hey!”With this surprised and happy look in his face. He took my hand a shook it, next thing I know I’m asking for a hug and my arms are wrapped around his neck with our cheeks touching and his hands are around my waste. We are on the street corner hugging like a couple of long lost friends. Mags got her hug too and he posed for a picture that I didn’t ever realize was being taken at first, but my camera wasn’t set to take another picture, I think my mom panicked said something about it not working and John had to go. I would have loved to have had a picture, but the memory of it is more than enough. I thank John for the memories I have from this past year that have to do with him. To Magdals for being just as crazy about him as I am, you get it. I love the fun times we have had. And lastly to my parents who have accepted this craziness and never told me to stop.
Ending his set
Memphis
Las Vegas, bad quality camera phone
San Diego
Los Angeles
