Touring behind his latest studio album, the pop-hued artist returned to Grand Rapids on Wednesday for an upbeat, sold-out concert. The review and photos at Local Spins.
‘I Won’t Give Up’ : Jason Mraz oozed positivity during Wednesday’s tour stop. (Photo/Chelsea Whitaker)
The remedy for a world in turmoil and strife?
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As a sold-out crowd at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park discovered on Wednesday night, Jason Mraz and his consummate band are quite the restorative in concert.
Mraz and The Superband rolled into town riding an iridescent swirl of color, song and dance on their Mystical Magical Rhythmical Radical Ride Tour.
Talking about his sunny attitude in songwriting, Mraz admitted this life holds darkness and pain. “Why else would you have to cultivate joy?” he asked, if not for the hard times.
The 47-year-old singer does joy-cultivating well as he croons ballads, belts out bouncy pop gems, and infuses every song with “the power of positive language.” He learned this power decades ago when a young friend in his twenties faced a cancer diagnosis with astonishing positivity. The friend beat the disease, and inspired Mraz to pen the upbeat lyrics to his first hit, “The Remedy (I Won’t Worry).”
Don’t worry, then, is his advice, and breathe deep. Mraz encouraged the crowd to engage in some deep breathing throughout the night. “Take a deep breath and come back to the moment,” he said, leading into two mindful tunes, “Good Old Daze” and “Be Where Your Feet Are.”
The artist knows how to deliver a sweet, lullaby-esque ballad about a variety of topics, including the moon (“Bella Luna”), fidelity (“I Won’t Give Up”), and how you can always come home again (“93 Million Miles”).
“Pancakes & Butter,” another smooth ballad, gave off time-traveling ’70s vibes, released in 2023 on the “Mystical Magical Rhythmical Radical Ride” album.
As for irresistible grooves, such as the one laid down with panache in “Feel Good Too,” he proved there’s nothing like a sizzling flute riff to get the old blood pumping.
Another highlight: Singer and guitarist Chaska Potter joined the frontman for “Lucky,” in place of Colbie Caillat, whose duet with Mraz was a hit in 2009. The cello solo in the middle of the song added an even deeper beauty.
By the time Mraz and his multi-colored band of merry music makers broke into “I’m Yours,” dancing in unison at the front of the stage, it was nearly all over but the magic memories — and hopefully, a greater capacity to cultivate joy, come what may.
Opening for Mraz was his exceptional electric guitarist, Molly Miller, and her trio of musicians.
Billing the trio’s sound as “instrumental Americana jazz songs tinged with folk and surf rock,” Miller, who has a doctorate in music and teaches guitar at the college level, skillfully engaged the crowd with her imaginative riffs on classics such as Cat Stevens’ “Wild World” and her singular songcraft from the album, “The Ballad of Hotspur.”
PHOTO GALLERY: Jason Mraz, Molly Miller Trio at Meijer Gardens
