One of the biggest perks of attending a concert at Virginia’s Nissan Pavilion is sitting under the stars with friends, sharing a picnic dinner while enjoying great music.
This Sunday’s lineup will be no exception, as Grammy Award-winning superstars John Mayer and Sheryl Crow headline one of the final concerts of Nissan’s 2006 season.
This perfect summer concert, slightly mellow, with some upbeat tunes thrown in there for dancing, is an ideal way to cap off the summer before heading back into the grind of school.
Mayer, the sensitive singer-songwriter best known for his off-the-charts radio hit “Your Body is a Wonderland,” was originally trained as a guitarist. He attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston before dropping out and appearing at local clubs as a solo act.
In 2001, Mayer burst onto the pop scene with his debut major-label album Room for Squares. He became a female favorite when the sexy “Your Body is a Wonderland” took control of the airwaves in early 2002. After all, what girl wouldn’t swoon if a guy were whispering that he would never “let your head hit the bed without my hand behind it”? Take notes gentlemen – it’s poetic gold.
Room for Squares propelled Mayer into the A-list of pop music performers, a position solidified by 2003’s Heavier Things.
In 2005, Mayer ventured into the world of jazz with the John Mayer Trio, a now-defunct group that went back to basics after Mayer made appearances on albums by iconic musicians including B.B. King, Eric Clapton and Buddy Guy.
Mayer is currently working on Continuum, a contemplation about getting older and the ever-revolving circle of life.
“We’re all fighting [growing up] together and we’re always going to be those kids, the first really emotionally aware generation,” Mayer said recently. “When I realized that, I could relax about it a little bit. And I thought that maybe I can be the guy to sing about it.”
Sheryl Crow is one of the biggest-selling, most award-winning rock singers of the past decade.
Beginning with her massive debut album, 1994’s Tuesday Night Music Club, which earned her Grammys including Best New Artist, Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and Record of the Year (for the single “All I Wanna Do”), Crow has been a force to be reckoned with on the music scene.
In 2003, Crow released The Very Best of Sheryl Crow, which showcased some of her past successes. You really don’t realize how many hits this woman has had until you listen to this album and find yourself singing along to every song.
In more than a decade of recording music, she has collaborated with artists such as Willie Nelson, The Rolling Stones, the Dixie Chicks and Kid Rock. Her latest album, Wildflower, is more acoustic than previous albums and seems to reflect a more laid-back, easygoing Crow. With beautiful instrumentals and soaring harmony vocals, Wildflower has again taken Crow to the top of the music industry.
Check out John Mayer and Sheryl Crow, with guest Mat Kearney, this Sunday at Nissan Pavilion. Doors open at 5 p.m.; the show starts at 6:30 p.m. Tickets start at $30.50.
– By Erin Ruberry
