Australia has had the chance to watch Jason Mraz evolve from the dawn of his career. I have lost count of the Aussie tours for Mr A-Z but each one has gotten a little bigger and and a lot better every time. He is now at the point of delivering an “amrazing” show.
For this tour, Jason grew into larger venues. He is now out of the clubs and into the theatres.At the Palais Theatre last night, Mraz gave the audience a show of exceptional standard, due in part to one of the hottest live bands in the world. The act has also gone world-class.
The appeal of Jason Mraz is his ability to connect with the audience one on one.
Toca Rivera is the heart of the band. He was with Jason on that very first tour six years ago. The Grooveline Horns are the soul. These three guys from Austin, Texas were instrumental (pardon the pun) it lifting the Jason Mraz show from the singer/songwriter performance to the full-tilt band.
It might sound strange calling the Mraz show R&B but in the old sense of what Rhythm and Blues was before rappers bastardized the term, this is true R&B.
I must make a special mention of Jason’s friend Bushwalla. Mraz is using this tour to introduce Bushwalla to Aussie audiences although he has been around for a while. Cleveland’s Billy Galewood (aka Bushwalla) has been guesting towards the end of the show. He is Mraz’s old room-mate. They first collaborated on ‘Curbside Prophet’ off the first Mraz album.
New name to watch Lisa Mitchell filled in for the Colbie Cailat part of ‘Lucky’ for Jason. That song has become a central point of the recent tours.
The Palais show in Melbourne last night was sold-out. His Festival Hall show tonight is just about there. It will be your last chance to see Jason Mraz on this Australian tour.
Jason also offers a free download of his shows after the show.
You can grab yourself last nights show here
Here is the setlist from Jason Mraz at the Palais, Melbourne, April 20, 2009
Make It Mine
The Remedy (with In The Future / Wonderwall)
Anything You Want
You And I Both (with Sleeping To Dream)
Live High
Lucky with Lisa Mitchell
Unfold
A Beautiful Mess
The Dynamo of Volition
I'm Yours
Absolutely Zero
Fall Through Glass with Bushwalla
Butterfly
Final show tonight:
April 21, 2009 - Festival Hall, Melbourne
