A look inside the Moody Center Austin opening night with John Mayer

Years within the making, the College of Texas’ new Moody Heart is lastly right here. Grammy-winning rocker John Mayer christened the constructing on Wednesday night time with a two-hour live performance that blended new materials with previous hits and left an almost sold-out crowd with vast smiles on their faces.

It was the primary of a two-night stand on the Moody for Mayer, who would not technically get the consideration of first act to play the brand new 15,000-seat enviornment. The Wednesday-Thursday reveals are the primary ticketed performances on the venue, however soul greats Earth, Wind & Hearth performed a personal present on Tuesday that was primarily for workers of Dell, one of many enviornment’s major sponsors.

Often called a lot for his guitar taking part in as for his singing and songwriting, Mayer twists the extra typical mid-song guitar-solo format a bit. He often presents up verses and choruses within the first half of his tunes, then lets his guitar wizardry carry it the remainder of the best way.

Mayer performed half of his 2021 album “Sob Rock,” together with the set-opening “Final Practice Dwelling” and the encore finale “New Mild.” Sprinkled all through had been hit singles from his first seven albums, together with 2007’s “Gravity” and “Perception” and 2009’s “Who Says.” One fan shouted out early on for maybe Mayer’s signature tune, 2002’s “Your Physique Is A Wonderland.” He smiled and answered, “Later,” finally trotting out the tune within the second half of the present.

A mid-set solo acoustic passage allowed Mayer to shift gears for some quieter moments with the tunes “Neon” and “In Your Environment.” Guitarist David Ryan Harris then returned in order that Mayer may lead the group in a refrain of “Joyful Birthday” for the famend Atlanta musician, who’d turned 54 the night time earlier than.

Harris was one among many aces in Mayer’s nine-piece band, which additionally included longtime bassist Pino Palladino, former Michael Jackson band member Greg Phillinganes on keyboards (plus an attention-getting keytar solo on “Helpless”), guitarist Isaiah Sharkey, keyboardist Jamie Muhoberac, backing vocalists Tiffany Palmer and Carlos Ricketts Jr., percussionist Lenny Castro and former Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers drummer Steve Ferrone.

Palladino additionally carried out with opening act Yebba, an Arkansas singer-songwriter whose debut album “Daybreak” got here out final yr on RCA Data. Her half-hour set was usually well-received by early-arriving concertgoers, a few of whom additionally caught Austin musician Jonny Grey’s solo acoustic set on the plaza on the Moody Heart’s west gate that started earlier than the doorways opened at about 6:40 p.m.

So how was the venue itself? Our expertise was usually constructive: The Moody had a superb movement and really feel, and the group appeared in good spirits all through, desirous to discover the sector’s many attributes. We additionally observed a number of issues that would have been higher or might use some fine-tuning because the Moody hits a busy spring and summer season run.

Higher than anticipated on the Moody Heart 

Mayer himself. We weren’t essentially followers entering into, however he placed on a commendable efficiency that was simple to get pleasure from. His use of video screens to enhance the efficiency was well completed, maybe enhanced by the standard of the sector’s state-of-the-art gear. Lighting additionally labored effectively, partly due to a wood-panel array hung above the stage that helped differ the patterns and presentation.

Automated concessions and tickets. This was an enormous win. Between the 2 of us, we bought meals and/or sodas 5 occasions at 5 totally different areas and by no means needed to wait in line. The cashless concessions stands had a number of checkout stations with one or two staff overseeing and troubleshooting, very like self-checkout areas at grocery shops. Digital-only ticketing additionally appeared to work effectively, with strains for entry shifting easily in any respect three public gates (west, southwest and east).

Learn the unique story:Touring UT’s new Moody Heart enviornment (sure, we talked to Matthew McConaughey)

The Texas Terrace at twilight. We’d seen this characteristic and its spectacular skyline view in a tour of the power final week, but it surely was superb simply after the solar went down. Just a few extra couches and chairs on the terrace is perhaps useful, however there was loads of standing room for gazing out upon the UT campus and downtown. The terrace had solely beverage gross sales on this night time. we stay up for the deliberate future addition of meals carts.

The higher degree. These could also be the place the “low-cost seats” are (tickets on the aspect for Thursday’s second present begin at $43.50), however the sight strains are good, thanks partially to the steeper pitch of the seats that helps maintain the seats from being too distant. You actually admire the total scope of the venue from the upper-level vantage level.

Inferior to anticipated on the Moody Heart

Sound high quality. Maybe our hopes had been too excessive, as Moody personnel had performed up the venue’s acoustics-oriented design in latest interviews. It was most likely higher than typical enviornment sound, but it surely wasn’t a quantum leap ahead. I’ve heard loads of acts on the Erwin Heart that sounded worse, but additionally a number of that sounded higher. (James Taylor and the Eagles come to thoughts.) That will partly be because of the acts and their sound crews. However we anticipated nice issues from the Moody’s new development, and finally, this nonetheless seemed like an enviornment — a superb one, however not a game-changer.

Escalators. Moody Heart has escalators on the west and east ends of the concourse, however just one was in operation on this night time. A saving grace was that there have been many elevators — a giant enchancment over the Erwin Heart the place it at all times appeared subsequent to inconceivable to search out one.

Extra Austin music information:The final word information to spring and summer season live shows

Flooring seats. The upside: You are closest to the motion. The draw back: Although there are seats, you are possible standing for the entire present if you wish to see. Seat and row markings had been in chalk, which smeared away in a number of spots as concert-goers walked the aisles. Decrease-level and upper-level seats have cupholders, however the flooring seats do not.

Air con. One concertgoer responded to one of our tweets about the venue by saying, “It is so sizzling in right here! Activate the AC please.” Little question it was on, however we agree that it wasn’t maintaining the venue fairly cool sufficient.

About what we anticipated on the Moody Heart

Parking. Some close by garages had been expensive, starting from $25 to $65, however we witnessed no actual issues. There was ample parking within the adjoining Manor Storage round 7 p.m., however a number of concert-goers opted to show round and discover different choices once they noticed the $65 price ticket.

Pickup/drop-off. In the event you’re on the lookout for a door-side drop-off, that is a luxurious afforded to high-rollers solely. The drop-off and pickup space for civilian journey shares was down the road on the east aspect of Erwin Heart. Higher signage and communication about this might need prevented the swell of concertgoers who spilled onto the Interstate 35 entry highway after the present, on the lookout for their drivers.

Extra:This is what it is advisable to learn about UT’s new Moody Heart in Austin

Meals high quality. We did not actually anticipate a lot on this entrance, and that is what we bought. This is a rundown and score (on a scale of 1 to 10) of issues we ordered:

• Dig Vegetarian Grill’s “Inconceivable Gyro”: 7. The greens had been recent, the pita wrap was pillowy, and it was a much more elevated vegetarian choice than you’d discover at most arenas. Having stated that, the “meat” was a scant handful of dry veggie crumbles. ($16)

• Stubb’s sausage wrap: 6. Good measurement, sufficient to carry just a little of it dwelling. Common style, however all issues thought-about, one among our higher decisions. ($14)

• Proper on ’Cue buffalo rooster tacos: 4. Not heat sufficient, form of dry, however the sauce that went with them was good not less than. A serving of two was good, however they’d do effectively to promote them as single tacos at half the value. ($14)

• Tony C’s sausage pizza: 4. Simply not excellent: form of leathery crust, not sufficient cheese, lukewarm. The one cause this can be a 4 and never a 3 is as a result of it was not less than cheaper than different entrees. ($9)

We’ll strive a few of the different stations, akin to native sausage/pretzel outfit Koko’s Bavarian and Shaquille O’Neal’s Huge Hen franchise, in future visits. Huge Hen did appear to have a gentle stream of shoppers at its station simply contained in the west entrance.