Jason Mraz: The power of love in Manila

MANILA, Philippines – It was a mark of true grace and humility that Jason Mraz climbed onto the stage at exactly 8pm on Tuesday night May 14 not to start performing, but to introduce his opening act. Audiences quickly got up on their feet and audibly expressed their thrill at the unexpected appearance of the marquee act, but Mraz merely thanked everyone for coming, said it was going to be a fun night, and proceeded to call out rising local singer Zendee. 

After a few songs from the YouTube sensation — including well-applauded renditions of Michael Bolton’s “Go The Distance” and Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” — the crowd had to wait another 30 minutes as the stage crew set-up for the main act. Mraz himself reappeared at around 9pm, wearing a simple T-shirt, jeans, sneakers, and his trademark fedora. He was also sporting a blue and white streak of what looked like paint on his right cheek and a henna tattoo-like scrawl in a similar shade of blue on his right forearm.

Unlike his last show in Manila back in October 2011 — a simple, acoustic set-up that was just him and perpetual sidekick Toca Rivera — Mraz brought along a full band this time. They started with the song “Everything Is Sound,” a feel-good ditty with a catchy “la-la-la” chorus from his latest album, “Love Is A Four Letter Word.” The show is part of the artist’s current tour in support of the album.  

By the second song, the now-classic “The Remedy” from his debut record released over 10 years ago, it became evident that hardly anything has changed in Mraz’s performing abilities. One of the most gifted vocalists and lyricists to rise out of the crop of singer-songwriters in the last decade, Mraz proved his enduring appeal yet again not just with his stellar voice, but through his ability to connect with his audience with a simple grin, a wiggle of the head, and a shake of the hips.

Watch this vlog posted on YouTube by MozaVlog:

He brought out a horn section comprised of 3 baldheaded men on saxophone, trombone, and trumpet that added an extra layer of showmanship to the number. 

I had to ask a friend about the next song, an old unreleased track called “Who I Am Today.” The lyrics go, “I thank the boys who kicked my ass when I was 17 / I thank the one who chose to laugh and those who acted mean / I thank the bullies for body slams and accidents and then some / They shaped my life they made me like who I’ve become.” Mraz played it solo on acoustic guitar, further emphasizing how far the 35-year-old Grammy winner has come from his younger days as a struggling musician. 

The rest of the show alternated between old and new favorites, with Mraz choosing to perform solo on acoustic on some numbers and bringing back the whole gang for some of the bigger songs for a fuller sound. He did “Butterfly,” “3 Things,” “Frank D. Fixer,” “You and I Both” (which my obsessed fan friend said has made a consistent appearance in virtually all of his live shows), “Living In The Moment,” “Lucky,” “Make It Mine” that segued into “Live High,” “Only Human,” an amazing version of “Plane,” and an irreverent, off-kilter song called “You F***n’ Did It.” 

Mraz put on a fake British accent as he introduced the next song, “I’m Coming Over.”

Here’s a video of Jason Mraz performing ‘Plane’ posted by happyredpanda:

“One of the most memorable gigs I’ve ever played was on a kayak in front of penguins in Antarctica. If this song was good enough for the penguins, then it’s good enough for you.” Eventually, he gathered all the musicians on one side of the stage for a rousing cover of the Canned Heat song, “Going Up the Country.” It was one of my favorite parts of the show because Mraz made it feel like an intimate jam session in somebody’s living room right inside Smart Araneta Coliseum. (In his earlier days as a musician, bootleg copies of such shows were traded incessantly by infatuated fans.)

Zendee came back out to duet with Mraz on “Lucky.” She did a good job and it was clear she got the crowd’s approval. 

“This next song is for all the dudes,” he said. “Because we all know how the ladies can go a little bit crazy sometimes. They cry and they whine and they forget how great they are.” It was the cue to “The Woman I Love,” a stirring, self-explanatory ballad that appears on the new album. The last 3 songs in the regular set followed the same slow theme: “A Beautiful Mess,” “93 Million Miles,” and “I Won’t Give Up.”

He came back for two encores: “Song For a Friend” and his megahit, “I’m Yours,” before expressing his thanks and taking a bow with the rest of the band.

Here’s a video by MTV EXIT on Jason Mraz’s 2011 Philippine visit at the Visayan Forum Foundation:

Counting two shows back in 2004 (one at the old Dish in Rockwell and another at Aliw Theater) and two in 2006 (Rockwell Tent and NBC Tent) and his last show at the Big Dome in 2011, this was my 6th time to see Jason Mraz perform live. Every time, it was a thrilling, transcendent experience. He matches a knack for putting to words snippets of the universal human experience with an incredible vocal ability that is yet unmatched by any other active singer-songwriter.

My guess is that he can keep coming back here and audience response will always be the same. I can bet he’ll accept all that adulation the same way, too: with utmost grace and humility. – Rappler.com

Paul John Caña is the managing editor of Lifestyle Asia magazine and is a live music geek. Email him at pjcana@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @pauljohncanaa.