Jason Mraz in Boston 6/5
June 8, 2026
I was positively obsessed with Jason Mraz from roughly 2003 - 2007. You remember The Remedy, right? It was everywhere.
I recorded it off of the radio by holding my tape recorder up the speaker before I was able to get the album on CD. Then I wore the CD out and had to get a second CD. I latched on to it partially because it rips, and partially because I heard him explain that he wrote it about his friend who had cancer. And what would you know, my best friend had cancer at the time. She died. His didn't.
I was around 12 at the time and I'm kind of surprised that this didn't make me bitter (towards him, at least). I think because the message was that he wasn't going to worry, not that everything was going to be fine, is why I didn't sour on it. The song still rips. I still think of my friend every time I hear it. I'm still okay with it. To make things even weirder it sounds like our friends had similar bone cancers of the shoulder. I didn't know that until I saw him talk about the song in person. I cried like a little baby for a few seconds.
There were entire years of my life where the only place I was receiving a positive message about how to handle my emotions and my grief came from Jason Mraz's music. People straight up do not know what to do with a child whose best friend just died. This blog isn't really about that, but it's important context for my emotional attachment to him. I didn't listen to his music for a while and then did a huge YOLO in 2024 for his godawful (affectionate) dance album tour. I bought front row tickets to finally see him in person. I had a great time and told my husband he was out of my system for a bit. An acoustic tour was announced for this summer. I said I didn't need to go to a show so close to Warped. I looked at the setlist.
This motherfucker had my favorite of his old songs on the setlist. Tickets were $41. We went.
The Venue
The Wang Theatre is very pretty. Visibility was, um, fine for how far back we were. I paid $18 for a Truly tallboy and usually venues gouge me that much for a regular sized Truly so I guess that makes them reasonably priced for Boston?
I think they're employing every senior citizen in Boston as ushers. That's not derogatory. They just definitely have their demographic.
Sound was good! Clear audio without being deafening. I brought my Loops but didn't end up wearing them, which is rare for me.
The Show
Gregory Page
Gregory Page has a truly daunting discography that I have not bothered to listen to. He had Jason come out after his first song and play the rest of his set with him so it wasn't even a true opener. It was cute. I like it when musicians like each other.
I don't have much to say about the set. I can't find a setlist online. He's just solid folk music.
Jason Mraz
Oh, right, the song that I spent $82 for two people to hear is called Unfold. Here's a potato quality video of him performing it in a coffee shop in 2002.
These Java Joe's sets are like drugs for Jason Mraz fans. We are jealous of the people who were there when he was this small. We covet their recordings. He was so prolific and talented in his early days of performing. It's not on a level that I've experienced with any other artist. I've got a stack of burned CDs in my basement of live recordings of unreleased songs. And they're SOLID, man. They're good shit.
I mean, I also don't really follow Men With Guitars as a genre much. So it's possible I'm ignorant. But I think he's special.
The Setlist
You and I Both
Living in the Moment
Love Someone
Unlonely
Have It All
Unfold
The Remedy (I Won't Worry)
3 Things
Little Time
Details in the Fabric
Peach Pie
Look for the Good
Life Is Wonderful
Bella Luna
Lucky
I Feel Like Dancing
Butterfly
You Matter to Me (Sara Bareilles cover)
I'm Yours
I'm Coming Over
Song for a Friend
93 Million Miles
I Won't Give Up
This photo is hilariously bad but I am committed to taking a souvenir photo at this point. It's zoomed in a fair amount. I wouldn't sit that far back if I was seeing anything other than an acoustic set at this theater.
But having said that, honestly it was a perfect night. Jason Mraz is at his best when it's just him and a guitar. He's one of the few people on earth that I think can't give a bad vocal performance. I prefer this style of concert to the Superband backing that we saw last time. I'd see him a third time in a heartbeat.
And I have another old song that I'm on the prowl to hear: