By Delia Paunescu
In the exciting time leading up to the debate, the University thought to bring in an artist that would fuel the fire of discussion and civic awareness. Of course, no one comes to mind when speaking of heated social issues more than Jason Mraz.
The laid back singer, originally from Mechanisville, Va., took the stage at about 2:30 in the afternoon on the Intramural fields last Saturday. But the day’s festivities began long before.
As early as 11:00 a.m., students lined up outside the fenced-in area to get in on the action. Inside the tent at the back of the field they found much pre-debate excitement. Club leaders from around campus presented their organizations with a political spin. There was free food, airbrush tattoos, crafts galore and even a wall of expression for students to scribble issues or ideas important to them.
Even some Hofstra performers took the stage. Several members of the spoken word club SP!T, as well as the rap group C4 pumped up the crowd. The beautiful weather and enthusiasm of host Tammy Kim certainly helped.
Irish folk singer Lisa Hannigan, who is accompanying Mraz on his North American tour, opened. Her dreamy vocals cast an ethereal tone on the perfectly sunny day. When speaking, her voice is ragged and breathy but in song, the raggedness turned soulful.
Mraz, however, was less than stellar. While his celebrity status was enjoyable and the close proximity the audience had to the stage equally so, by no means was this a concert to write home about.
The lackadaisical nature of the performance began when the San Diego resident spent the first 10 minutes just scatting away. He didn’t seem enthused to kick off the show with a bang but instead, cast a chill note on the rest of the set.
Giving away the secret to his relaxation, Mraz ended a bit about his political views (healthcare for all, get out of the war, fix the financial mess) by saying, “I know the wonders marijuana can do and you bet I will be out there voting.” This was followed by “Live High,” a single off of his latest album, “We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things.” Then Mraz played “Mary Jane”-a Rick James cover-for those who weren’t completely sure what was behind his incredibly unceremonious behavior.
The rest of the concert went along pleasantly. Mraz’s banter with the audience was lovely enough. In one particularly nice gesture, he gave a shout-out to the girl’s field hockey team who were practicing a field over: “What’s up, pretty girls with sticks?” It was at that moment that the fans appreciated his lack of pretentiousness as much as the field hockey players appreciated the recognition.
When radio hits like “You and I Both” and this past summer’s “I’m Yours” came up on the set list, they were greeted with little enthusiasm. The audience enjoyed the inclusion of recognizable tracks and sang along but there were no insane cheers, no wild recognition.
With a backdrop of autumn foliage and a clear blue sky, Mraz finished his concert at Hofstra with little fanfare. He thanked attendees and left the stage, high on life.
It was enjoyable enough, but nothing special. But for getting students out of their dorms and joined together on a gorgeous fall day, it was just great.