When I was 14 years-old, I went to my first concert to see a relatively unknown singer—John Mayer. So when I discovered that he would be performing on July 23 as part of the NBC Today Show Summer Concert Series 2010 I knew I had to go. Seven years later, I still had those same feelings of excitement and eagerness to see one of my favorite—and now famous—singers perform live. Mayer’s appearance would help him promote his upcoming world tour and latest album, Battle Studies. With my mom in tow, we headed out to see him.

When we arrived at the ungodly hour of 4:30 a.m. for the 8:30 show, the line was already snaking around the block and even continued across the street. People were coming from all over to see Mayer perform. The girls who stood behind us came from Fairfield, Connecticut and had been there since 10 p.m. the night before. Nonetheless, with the right moves and speaking to the right people, my mom and I were able to get front row spots.

Those arriving early do so in order to nab spots near the stage so they can see their idols up close. But I discovered there were other perks: complimentary t-shirts, sunglasses, and cute temporary tattoos. I even had the opportunity to meet The Today Show anchors—Matt Lauer, Meredith Vieira, and Al Roker—and had the chance to be seen on television.

Although we expected a long wait before we saw the star, Mayer first entered stage right around 7 a.m. to do a sound check, wearing large aviator glasses, a blue plaid shirt, faded blue jeans and an expression that showed perhaps the slightest resentment for having to perform so early. Certainly the large crowds that gathered let him know the sacrifice was worth it. He wrote on his Twitter, “I like playing The Today Show as much as I dislike waking up to play The Today Show. That is to say very, very much.”

After warming up with the three songs he was set to perform, he exited, only to return about an hour later, wearing a completely new outfit, sans sunglasses, which included a pale yellow button-up and high-water blue plaid slacks, to finally begin the show.

He first performed “Waiting on the World to Change” from his previous album Continuum and then performed two of his latest singles from Battle Studies, including “Half of My Heart,” a duet featuring Taylor Swift, whose parts, in her absence, were filled in by participants from the enthusiastic crowd, and ended with “Crossroads,” a Robert Johnson cover.

Being close up gave me a new appreciation for Mayer’s talents. I was able to see his quick and intricate finger moves along the neck of his guitar. Also apparent was much he likes to interact with his fans. He even commended us for arriving so early in the morning to see him rock out.

The show finished just in time because light rain began to fall. I left with happy memories and a Battle Studies World Tour guitar pick as another memento.

At the end of the day, yes, I was exhausted and yes, my body slightly ached, but if asked would I do it all again, I would say yes, without a doubt; the pros definitely outweighed the cons.

Here are some tips that may be helpful for first-timers hoping to attend one of these summer concerts:

• If you want to get a good spot, you must arrive early! For big names such as Lady Gaga, Enrique Iglesias, and John Mayer some people even arrived the night before the show began.

• Even though it is tempting, especially for those who have to wait many hours, do not bring cumbersome items, such as folding chairs because once the concert begins, you’ll have nowhere to put them.

• Make sure not to drink too much water. Once you are in your place within the crowd, there’s no getting out until the end. If you do manage to finagle your way through the throng of eager fans to use a restroom, don’t expect to come back to the same spot even if someone has held your place.

• And ladies, even though it may seem like a good idea to come to these events looking your best and wearing those new heels because you hope to meet your idol and possibly get on TV, comfort is the number one priority. You may have to endure hours of standing being uncomfortable will make the experience less enjoyable.

The NBC Today Show Summer Concert Series 2010 takes place on Friday mornings on the plaza at Rockefeller Center between 49th and 50th Streets near Fifth Avenue. The remaining shows for the summer include:
• Carrie Underwood on July 30th
• Train on August 6th
• Ke$ha on August 13th
• Keith Urban on August 20th
• Katy Perry on August 27th