Backstage at Summerfest is a funny place. There are staffers waiting for assignments, security guards milling about, police officers, paramedics and a slew of tour buses. The most efficient way to get anywhere with a press pass is to duck backstage and walk through the empty space. And then you never know who or what you’ll find…
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| Guster |
For day four of the Big Gig, I started with the amp show – Guster and Jason Mraz. Guster came on stage to a rather empty Marcus but put on a respectable set nonetheless. Frontman Ryan Miller played to the crowd, encouraging those who somehow made the crazy early start time of 6:30 p.m. to their feet, launching into “Barrel of a Gun” to keep them there. The multi-instrumentalists of the five-man group worked through their catalog, with a talking interlude to commemorate their 10th time at Summerfest and mention of how much they love playing it – root
beer stands, sky glider trips and an annual visit to the art museum
topped their highlight list. Miller even suggested a boycott of
Transformers because of Michael Bay’s poor use of the gorgeous Art Museum space. Thanks for the Miltown love, Miller. We’ll take it.
And I must say this: I’ve seen Guster somewhere in the neighborhood of 436 times, most recently at San Francisco’s Oyster Fest. And the funny thing is I’ve never been a big fan. We always just end up in the same place at the same time. But this time around, I really enjoyed them. Any band that can put forth that kind of energy to a relatively empty space at a bizarrely early hour gets props in my book.
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| Jason Mraz |
They exited, and Jason Mraz entered, adding one more fedora to the hilarious number in the starting-to-fill amphitheater. Mraz kept the (still small) crowd engaged with an insane amount of interaction. There were coordinated hand motions and dances, sing-a-longs and all kinds of clapping escapades. Mr. Suave finished off the night with “I’m Yours” just before 10 p.m.
Excitedly, I meandered back to the Millter Lite stage. But first, during the Mraz set, I ducked out to interview Cowboy Mouth with Mindpool (VIDEO). Frontman Fred LeBlanc was a total treat, engaging, hilarious and energetic.
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| Maroon 5 |
On my way to conduct that interview I passed the Stephen Marley crew and tour bus and continued on, running into Maroon 5 in the middle of a meet and greet. (Ladies, Adam Levine is just as stunning up close as he is on TV. Trust me.) After this brief run in, I only thought it necessary to check out their set at the Miller Lite Oasis. I was not disappointed and even caught myself singing and dancing along to “This Love.” My college self is fulfilled.
