(Lindsey Perkins)
Clutching neon poster board signs that confess their love for Jason Mraz, six preteen girls eagerly await his arrival onto the Nokia Live stage in Grand Prairie, Texas. Four seats to the left of them, a group of moms in their mid-30s discussing their favorite Mraz songs and how difficult it will be to get their kids to school on time the next morning.
The audience for Mraz’s concert in the nearly sold-out venue on Thursday, Oct. 23 was diverse. Boys, girls, young, old- they all came to witness his signature sound and style for themselves. They wanted a chance to be charmed by the self-proclaimed geek on the guitar, and Mraz didn’t leave them disappointed.
Without much effort, he has mastered the art of endearing charm. His talent is obvious and his rhythm instinctive. The nearly two hour set, full of sing-alongs and fancy footwork courtesy of Mraz and band, was all about having a good time.
The San Diego based artist kicked off his tour on Oct. 8 in Penn., and his supporting act for most dates is Irish singer/songwriter Lisa Hannigan. The tour is supporting his latest release, “We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things,” that dropped in May and debuted in the top three of the Billboard 200 Chart. The single, “I’m Yours,” has seen a lot of radio success and the video is topping VH1 music video countdowns.
The album was preceded by three EPs that feature unique versions of the album’s tracks. It follows two previous studio releases, the 2002 debut, “Waiting for My Rocket to Come,” and the 2005 release, “Mr. A-Z,” the 2004 live album, “Tonight, Not Again” and his 2006 digital-only release, “Selections For Friends.”
Mraz took the stage wearing one of his signature hats, a pair of jeans, a white long sleeve shirt and no shoes. Six video screens behind the stage displayed slideshows of Polaroid photos and videos to accompany each song. He started with “Make it Mine” off the new album, and in addition to strong vocals and skilled guitar solos, Mraz entertained with comic conversation and improvised interludes. The audience became part of the show as they illuminated Nokia Theater with their cell phone screens during Mraz’s performance of the song, “Bella Luna,” from his sophomore album, “Mr. A-Z.”
But it wasn’t until Mraz performed his first hit, “The Remedy,” from his debut album that the audience was really brought to its feet. Once they were up, they did not want sit down. When Mraz sang “The Dynamo of Volition” no one hesitated to act out the lyrics “Get’em up way high/Give me, give me that high five/Good time/Get’em way down low/Give me, give me that low blow.” And when he sang “I’m Yours,” the entire audience did not hesitate to sing along.
Mraz’s excitement and light hearted spirit is contagious. He admits he is having the time of his life to his audience, and the sense is they’re having the time of their lives watching him.
Singer/songwriter Jason Mraz gives the crowd a thumbs up at the end of his song “Dynamo of Volition” Oct. 23 at Nokia Theater in Grand Prairie. (Lindsey Perkins)
