Alway's Buzzin' Just Like Neon

Once in a while we are given the great pleasure in life to be completely transformed from the inside, out. Does it seem possible that something that begins with the simple movement of finger against string can be converted into a sound wave that can hit the ear, bypass the all too analytical brain and suddenly ignite the heart and awaken the soul? John's fusion of blue-y rifts and eloquent lyrics touch the spirit in more than one way. Suddenly it is possible to see right through his tattooed layers into a broken soul, that is waiting for love to gently reclaim territory. And at the same time it is as though he ascends his own trials and understands exactly the darkest emotions buried inside each of us. When he sang Heartbreak Warfare: "Drop his name, Push it in and twist the knife again, Watch my face, As I pretend to feel no pain" he might as well be channeling my own feelings of discomfort when certain people are surprisingly worked into a conversation. To John, the crowd is not faceless, and not simply a ca-ching! of $42.50 or more. Each of us in a journey, laced with the desire to love and be loved. John has for so long kept the dream alive for me that people truly have the capacity to create such tangible songs. John was in the flesh, no frills, flawlessly raw and intimate and as good as it gets. His appeal is not solely that he has a creative mind that works differently than any other artist, it is his utter relateabilty, knowledge and courage to say to a packed theater what many of us keep hidden and could not confide with our closest friends. Some may say that it is a strategically planned ambiance, but I prefer to think of it as just his style. When you think that John is so in touch with the troublesome emotions of the crowd, and they expect another heavy song, he lifts the crowd and remedies by playing something uplifting of his own, "Good Love is on the Way" or one that certainly got the people with blood shot eyes around me excited, "Who says I can’t get stoned?, Turn off the lights and the telephone, Me in my house alone, Who says I can’t get stoned?" Or he breaks into the vault of his predecessors, and sings out classics such as Raspberry Beret and Don't Stop Believin'. Often when a song is covered the original sensation is lost, and the crowd may not be as rapt in the music, but the way the John makes it his own is unreal and it is impossible not to instantly fall in love with the song all over again, like hearing it for the very first time. 

My Lovely Loyola Ladies

Whipty-Do! Loves Johnny

After moving the crowd for two hours with his musical wiles, it is expected that they would only crave more. When he appeared for the anticipated encore, holding just an acoustic guitar without the accompaniment of his band, my heart fluttered, recognizing the rarity that was about to happen. Then the slow harmony of "Your Body is a Wonderland" came through the speakers and I realized just how rare the moment was. See, John has said that he does not play that song because he feels as though he was young and ill-guided when writing it, and somehow thinks that it doesn't deserve airtime. IT DOES JOHN, IT DOES! The end of that song slowly melted into my all-time favorite, Neon. I don't know why it is my choice, maybe it is because it is what I would like to be sung about me and I like the imagery, "She comes and she goes, like no one knows, She's always buzzin' just like Neon". The first three second, distinguished guitar rift sent chills up my spine and caused me to involuntarily scream. The recording has much of my voice in it (hence why I didn't put it up) because I couldn't help but sing along, but then again you can't blame me because John even said that the experience must come along with the person beside you singing off-key because they needed to, and that person was me. 

Although I enjoyed his witty commentary on the improvements Body 2.0 would have; the real highlight was the more sophisticated, multifaceted use of his guitar. He played it on the ground and behind his head. Nonchalantly, of course. 

Who does that? He was so cool, they need a new word for cool.