5 Reasons Why: It's ok to like John Mayer

I've never been very vocal about my fascination with John Mayer, mainly because a lot of people don't like him. I don't understand why though. My first concert was John Mayer at the Hollywood Bowl front row and that experience changed my life. John's music was the soundtrack for my tween years. It's completely OK to like John Mayer and here's five reasons why...

1) John Mayer is talented
When I sat there front row at my first concert I realized one thing. It was that I was in front of a legend. John made these intense guitar solo faces and he plucked the guitar like it was his second nature, feeling every note as if it were a part of his body. He may shoot out a few unlikable pop hits (Your Body's a Wonderland, etc. etc.) but he, much like Eric Clapton, hides his blues and soul behind catchy riffs. Mark my words when I say John will go down next to Clapton, Hendrix, and Page. 

2) John Mayer is funny
I have this vivid memory of being at that concert and John cracking jokes between every song or even in the middle of a song. He isn't some adult contemporary artist who makes an album a year, he's actually like a cool guy. Don't believe me? Watch him with Kanye here or on how he writes a song here. 

3) John Mayer's music is good
You're just lying to yourself if you don't like 'Waiting on the World to Change' or 'Neon'. They're generally catchy, fun, and audibly sweet to the ear. I know it's viewed as "lame" or "mainstream" to like pop music, but pop music is also the best kind of music! Michael Jackson was pop, The Beach Boys were pop, even The Beatles were pop. John Mayer's music is delightful and nothing should stop you from listening. 



4) John Mayer is a lyrical genius
It's one thing to have catchy riffs, easy going chorus', and a nice sound, but something about smart lyrics really gets me listening. It's also great when the person singing the song is also the person who wrote it. John saying things like "If fear hasn't killed me yet, then nothing will" and "Just a great figure eight or a tiny infinity". 


5) John Mayer is gorgeous
It was the elephant in the room. John Mayer is a complete and total BABE! He has a "bad boy reputation" with kissing and telling. He was once the male version of Taylor Swift (which I find ironic since the two dated and then Taylor wrote a song about him) but after buying a ranch in Montana and growing out his hair (thank God he cut it!) he's been pretty steady on dating Katy Perry. There is no denying his good looks, his charm and his wit. I LOVE JOHN MAYER AND I'M NOT ASHAMED! 

Xxx,

Kit

Tha Knows: A Night in Ventura

The Arctic Monkeys Concert that changed everything

The day was like any other. Except it wasn't. This was the day I would finally (after three years) see my favorite band the Arctic Monkeys. The line into the Majestic Venture Theater was wrapped around the venue and I was smack in the middle of it. After waiting for what seemed like an entire day it was 8:00 and the doors opened. The line slowly moved and I recognized many people from the fandom, however the moment was too surreal for me to greet any of them. Beyond recall my ticket was scanned, my bag was checked, and I was on the floor in the pit. I was with my cousin and she spotted a gap in the front to the far left of the stage where Nick O'Malley usually played. Reality set in. I was front row an Arctic Monkeys concert. Suddenly cheers irrupted from the balcony and I saw Alex Turner.

 He was wearing a white suit with a black bow-ish tie and high-waisted fitted slacks. Matt Helders wore his Olympic tracky suit bottoms and his own band's shirt. The first song was new and blew me away. It was called "Do I Wanna Know?" and Alex played a teardrop shaped (fitting) mandolin looking instrument. About half way through the set, the white suit jacket was off, his shirt was undone and Alex's boyish charm had suddenly disappeared when he blurted into the microphone "Is that enough buttons undone?.....or maybe not enough" the crowd cheered. My dreams came true and they played so many deep tracks like "Old Yellow Bricks" and "That's Where You're Wrong". Eventually they closed with "505" and I found myself wandering around outside.
                                                  Two hours of

waiting when by and I was looking up at the room where the monkeys celebrated. Out flew from the window a white sheet of crumbled paper WHICH I CAUGHT!  To my disappointment it was not the set list. But it was some sort of schedule thing that had a wifi password on it so I feel like they all looked at it which makes it special. Regardless I was still outside waiting as the security guards bullied me for being a fangirl and the crowd of fans slowly dwindled down to about 20 people. SUDDENLY! The guards linked arms and yelled "MAKE ROOM!" to which I pushed the guards with all my strength. The first to leave was Alex Turner's girlfriend Arielle. I shouted her name and told her I loved her. She replied "Oh my gosh I love you too!" she got into her black Mercedes-Benz.                                         

                                                 Next was the

man the myth the legend Alex Turner. He rushed out and stopped for a moment at someone I couldn't see then ran passed me.  I ,again, told him I loved him, touched his shoulder, and he waved to my direction and said "Cheers", hopped in the car and drove away from my life. Matt and his fiance Breana left next. Same routine. I told them I loved them and they half acknowledged me, a worth less mardy bum. As the rest of the band exited I was too overwhelmed to really move my body and the crowed rushed away afterwards. My cousin and I walked back to our hotel at midnight. Without warning my cousin Monica held up two signed tickets, which I instantly recognized to be Alex's signature, and mumbled the words "I don't even know...". She was the person He stopped for. The only person. We got signed tickets. Upon arriving to our room we both dazed off and were mostly silent until we both fell asleep. The next few days were hard on me. My post concert depression was on an all time high. I will get over it eventually. But for now the fact that it happened to me is unbelievable.

Love and post-traumatic concert stress,

Kit