Jason Mraz / G. Love at the Bank of America Pavilion

Last night I found myself amid thousands of screaming women at the Jason Mraz / G. Love & Special Sauce show at the Bank of America Pavilion - one of my favorite venues in the area.

I bought tickets on a whim a few months ago, figuring this would be a cool show to see outdoors right on Boston Harbor. I saw G. Love years ago in Las Vegas at House of Blues, and hadn't been to a Jason Mraz show yet.

I truly underestimated the popularity of Mr. Mraz. Two almost sold-out shows here in Boston, much likely attributed to the success of "I'm Yours." I remember when his last album was pretty dead in the water, and even though I liked a few songs from it, I figured he would kind of disappear into the abyss of early millennial singer-songwriter pop.

Guess I was totally wrong.

His vibe is perfect - quirky love songs, self-deprecating humor, and the feeling that his music would perfectly complement a summer soundtrack. He recorded a song with Colbie Callait, another performer who I figured would disappear after her initial hits, but has since recorded a new album with songs written on lovely Hanalei Beach in Kaua'i (which...I miss). Slacker-songwriter music is alive and well.

Jason Mraz had the crowd going during most of his set, less a lull of unfamiliar, slower tunes around the middle of the show. He had an eight or nine-piece band backing him, complete with a Chicago-esque brass set. Jason totally worked the crowd, bantered between songs, and seemed entirely comfortable on stage. I'm a bit surprised he bailed on a few singles that were non-hits (but singles nonetheless) like "You and I Both," "Wordplay," and "Geek In the Pink," but he managed to fill two hours with consistently good music.

G. Love is a unique cat. You love him or hate him. I think he's great. Bluesy pop that works in limited doses. I think I'd go nuts if I had to listen to G. Love for five hours straight, but for a 45-minute set, or for songs that shuffle into my ears while at the gym, G. Love is perfect. I still think "Cold Beverage" is one of the most fun songs from the 90's.