Bitches Ain't Shit

Just back from the Ben Folds/John Mayer show at US Bank Arena, or, as locals call it, the Coliseum.

Very excellent show. I've never seen so many asses in their seats for an opener, but for Ben Folds, everybody showed up. He sang his cover of Dre's "Bitches Ain't Shit," took a vote, and sang it again by popular demand. Now, that's rock and roll, getting an entire arena to sing "Bitches can't hang with the streets" in perfect, homogenous harmony. I found his entire set to be deliciously subversive.

John Mayer was great. Seriously. In fact, everyone gives the kid a hard time, but the boy can play him some guitar. It wasn't the second coming of a young Eric Clapton, but it was an inspiring show, one of the best arena shows I've seen. Of course I have a few observations:

A) Beer isn't that pricey. $5.50 for Harp, on draft!!! You really can't bitch about Harp on draft for $5.50.

B) The sound is muddy at US Bank. It's not bad, but it isn't great. It's just dull and subdued. Something's wrong. Either that or my memory fails me as I remember my ears bleeding at Van Halen concerts of yore.

C) One can still smoke at concerts, in Ohio. You have to go outside, but there's a designated area. Unlike Reds games (outside) or Bengals games (outside). Surprised me, smoking ban and all.

D) Out of the kindness of my heart, and a good buzz, I offered the chatty, adorable teenage girls next to me a sip from my beer. They acted shocked, and it made me feel dirty. When I was their age, I would have chugged the cup like Rusty Griswold and handed it back empty. Times have changed.

Sorry about the summer hiatus/writer's block, readers... I'll have more to contribute soon. In closing, it would be rude to end this post at its natural conclusion, with the lyrics from "Bitches Ain't Shit," brilliant as they are (do download the magnificent Ben Folds cover). But here's some John Mayer, and, I get what he's saying and all, and he plays the shit out of it, but, for what it's worth, I hope his generation stops waiting, and starts voting. Update: Well, that's encouraging!!

Shorter John Mayer Concert Review:

"But boy, could he play guitar. "

It's hard to beat the system
When we're standing at a distance
So we keep waiting
Waiting on the world to change
Now if we had the power
To bring our neighbors home from war
They would have never missed a Christmas
No more ribbons on their door
And when you trust your television
What you get is what you got
'Cause when they own the information, oh
They can bend it all they want

That's why we're waiting
Waiting on the world to change
We keep on waiting
Waiting on the world to change

It's not that we don't care,
We just know that the fight ain't fair
So we keep on waiting
Waiting on the world to change

- John Mayer, "Waiting On The World To Change"

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