 | The Experience (Unabridged)
We started our journey, like everyone else, with a lifeboat drill. We made our way down to the fourth floor to stand around for twenty minutes. While we were down there we were told that John had made his way onto the Lido deck and was being pestered. Such ashame that some people have to ruin it for the rest of us. How cool would it be just to hang around him? I had made up my mind early on that if it meant I had to make an ass of myself to get something, I didn't want it. I would much rather keep my dignity than get an autograph from him that pisses him off to have to do. Anyway, back to the drill. While we were down there I asked if anyone had seen Scotty. The lady on the other side of me asked who Scotty was. Blink. Blink. Thinking she had not heard me I added his last name to the mix. You know, Scotty Crowe. Nothing. She didn't know who that was. OK then.
We get done with the drill we high-tail it to our room to drop off the life jackets and then head up to the Lido deck to see Brett Dennen and take part in the festivities. Our very own Captain Mayer greeted us; however, was interrupted by the sound of the horn. The first two times he stopped, but by the third time he kept talking while it blew. There is no telling what he said. He very nicely asked us to not take photos of him milling about and not to ask for autographs. He said that if we did that he could hang with us more. Brett Dennen had a good set and also did some Bob Marley for us.
We saw Colbie Caillat, James Smith and Sherrod Small that night and then later made our way to the disco to watch people shake their booty. No ass shaking for us (that is a good thing). We eventally called it a night sometime early Saturday morning because we had an 8:15 a.m. excursion planned. We found out later that we had just missed the man himself. Oh well.
We decorated our door with a poster and markers. We just wanted people to stop by and sign, we weren't interested in winning. Some of the signatures we received were "John Mayer's Ball Sack" "John Mayer=Booger Face" and "Asshole" Other people just signed. We had one that said, "Be real! Have fun! So be it.....'Necronomecon'." Which intrigued me.
The next morning we made our way down to the bowels of the ship to get off for the excursion. Groundhog Day. We just wanted to relive this trip over and over like Bill Murray. While we were waiting, a lady looked at my bag (which we received in our cabin) and asked what does AKOG stand for. Um, you know Another Kind of Green, just a little song that John Mayer wrote and performed and is using as a name for environmental causes. She still looked perplexed. Seriously, how do I attract these people. But I was very nice on the outside.
We made our bus trip to do our excursion which included sailing on a catamaran and snorkeling. We found out that we were doing our excursion with members of the Bomb Squad. I know that Mike, Ian and Dan were there. Very nice people. Down to earth and just good people. The water was a little nipply, but it was easy to adjust after a few seconds. We had motored over, but we sailed back. It was beautiful and worth every penny. We also found out the captain had played as an extra for Barbosa on Pirates of the Caribbean and stayed on the Black Pearl for 10 days. He had pictures to prove it
Later when we got back, we hung around on the Lido deck just to relax and people watch where I pointed out the Triple J. I said that someone needed to buy him a drink. My sister got up and bought the man a Corona. She chatted with him a little and he came over and met me. Pretty damn cool. A little while later Brett Dennen wandered out. Cool.
Later that night we went to Eighties trivia. Our team was named Number 5 (is alive) and we pretty much sucked after the first three questions. It was quite amusing that I ran into someone from Sixthman who I went to high school with (Ashley). It is such a small, small world. No wait, that is a Disney song. It is just a small world. No, that is a Disney ride. What a coincidence!
We had every intention of making it to the Bomb Squad's 10:30 p.m. show on the Lido deck, but didn't make it. We ended up staying to see Bob Reynolds and were absolutely taken aback by his talent. David Ryan Harris played with him. Utterly and completely amazing.
We stuck around and saw James Smith and Sherrod Small again. It was even better the second time. Sherrod made some reference to John Mayer being able to get all the girls but that he didn't have the anatomy that Sherrod did. Later, we thought we would check out joke-e-oke, we made it through two people and had to leave. Not my thing.
After that, we just wandered around aimlessly and eventually called it a night in the wee hours.
Sunday was THE Mayer day. We got up early and made our way to stand in line for the Local 83 Q&A session since it was general admission. Let me back up. I worried about this for two days because I realized when we got on the ship, that my sister had a ticket and I didn't. I was crushed. She offered to give me her ticket, but I never would have taken it. Come to find out, I should have gotten one too and was directed to the Sixthman desk. Phew. So we get in line and we were fifth and sixth in line. Sweet. We get in and I ended up as far right on in the front middle. Perfect view. My sister sat across the aisle from me and had just as good a view. We were asked not to videotape and not to ask personal questions. I didn't want to ask a question because I couldn't think of one that hadn't already been asked or that I soon after thinking of, didn't decide was lame. He came out and his first thing was he asked us, "Is it just me or is this boat rocking like a motherfucker?" That became my mantra the rest of the trip. He was asked several questions and I guess I am just greedy but I am not ready to blog about it just yet. I will though as a separate blog later. He was very nice and very kind. I took very few photos because I wanted to listen to what he had to say.
We left that with our heads in the clouds and quickly made our way up to the Lido deck for the 3:00 p.m. Mayer show. We got pretty crappy spots because people had been staking them out all day, but that is ok. We ended up stage right on the upper level standing behind people. I was pleased to have the L83 thing, so no worries. I had also wanted to see the VH1 you ought to know performance with Colbie Caillat and Brandi Carlile, but that was right in the middle of the L83 thing as well.
I couldn't see when John came out, but I heard it and what I heard was, "Oh my God he doesn't have a shirt on." (let the teeny bopper shrilling begin) There were plenty of people in bikinis and bathing suits and it was a very relaxed atmosphere. John played a couple of songs and then exited to take a piss, while David Ryan Harris played. John came back, played a few more,and then David Ryan Harris left (for quite a while) to do the same. In the time DRH was gone, he played snippets of several songs. "Sucker" "Love Soon" "Man on the Side" "Only Heart" and "Say". He said he played "Say" just to prove he wrote it. My sister was happy he played her favorite song "Love Soon". I was hoping for "Why did you mess with forever", that didn't happen. He did an awesome rendition of "Bigger Than My Body." Wait for YouTube. Trust me. He went up to the sun deck which we only found out after we sat down at the Siren's Pool because people were standing and staring at him from afar (because it was roped off) like they were at the zoo. Ashame!.
We went back to take a nap before the show and ended up rushing downstairs at 10:00 for the 10:30 show. John didn't come on stage until 11:00, but it was well worth it. He played until after 1:00 a.m. The set list:
Vultures
Good Love Is On The Way
I Don't Trust Myself (with loving you)
-He bantered about getting home tomorrow (Monday) and throwing your keys on the table at your house (in essence being back to reality)
No Such Thing
-He said something about taking it home and don't have to put it through a metal detector then proceeded to play Clarity
Clarity
Gravity
-Played part one handed
-Mentioned "I've got dreams, dreams to dismember"
-He then went to drink water. He said that this song was brought to us by water. He said nothing bad happens when you want water. He said he said something like I see you there with very little clothing and a wedding ring. I am going home to drink some water.
Waiting on the World to Change
-He intro'd it with, "One, Two, Eleven, Cinco."
-Changed the words to "Me and both my friends" and "missed Christmas three times before."
Bigger than my Body
Heart Of Life/In Repair
Belief
I Don't Need No Doctor
-where I looked at Robbie McIntosh to see a red dot on his forehead. I am pretty sure that is what I saw.
--encore--
Can't Stop Thinking About You (with Martin Sexton)
-Mentioned that people can say what they want about him but they can't say that he doesn't like good shit.
Wheel
"Gravity" was fucking awesome, as always, and I can't wait for the recording. But the most moving song was "Can't Stop Thinking About You." WOW. Just Wow. That was the sexiest most sensual song. Unbelieveable. I was completely enraptured by it. Good shit.
And then it was over. We got in the car and drove home to reality.
We are in for Mayercraft Carrier Part Deux.
I know this was long and I know I will have forgotten something, but I had to get it out of my brain and in print. It was starting to hurt.
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