Perhaps it was inevitable. After a summer tour grossing close to 9.4 million dollars and selling out over 180 show dates, who wouldn't feel they were entitled to a DVD release of their own? John Mayer, the recent recipient of a Grammy award, certainly felt it was time after a season of selling over 375,000 tickets. The February 2003 release of Mayer's live DVD, "Any Given Thursday," is a documented wrap-up of this past summer's long string of dates.  

Recorded in September of 2002 at the unprecedented location of Birmingham, Alabama's Oak Mountain Amphitheater, "Any Given Thursday" contains over two hours of music, as well as a sound check, photo gallery, audio commentary on the show, and a "Morning After" interview with the man himself.  

The video opens with "3x5," Mayer's self-proclaimed favorite song to play live. Though the vocals are overly breathy and are continuously trying to catch up with the music, it sets the mood for the remainder of the DVD -- clearly this is a show, that for the next two hours, is going to take you on a trip through Mayer's metaphorical experiences.  

"No Such Thing" is quickly given the second spot on the set list, either to get it out of the way, or to appease the fans who might want to hear something they know all the words to is the viewer's decision. Two more songs from Mayer's debut, full-length release "Room for Squares" follow -- the jumpy "Back To You" and the jazzy "City Love."  

"Something's Missing," placed just before the halfway mark of the show, turns out to be one of the more memorable moments on the DVD. Already slated for Mayer's sophomore release, it is comforting and strangely alienating at the same time. He calls it the "pee-break" song as he introduces it, but it would be a shame to miss out on the passion that Mayer puts into it.  

Random banter, a few classic cover songs (The Police's "Message in a Bottle" as well as "Lenny," by Mayer's own guitar hero, Stevie Ray Vaughn), and more tunes from "Room for Squares" make up the remainder of the show. "Why Georgia" adopts a new intro titled "Portable" (also affectionately referred to as "Porta-John") and still packs its effective punch. "Covered In Rain," another highlight of the show and the longest track on the DVD, showcases Mayer's remarkable mastering of the electric guitar -- you may have heard it on a CD, but being able to watch him play creates a new appreciation for his skill as well as the song. The show comes to a pretend end with "83." Mayer returns solo for an encore of the pre-teen hit "Comfortable," and then with his full band for a tripped-out version of "Neon."  

The bonus features and audio commentary that follow the show are helpful if you're trying to get a more complete picture of who this John Mayer character might be. "Any Given Sound Check" reveals in time-lapse video all the work that goes into preparing for a production such as this one. "The Morning After" interview that takes place in his New Orleans hotel room is humorous, and he is surprisingly confident in his speech and actions for someone who has just woken up in his underwear. Perhaps the most helpful section of the bonus features is the audio commentary over the Birmingham, AL, show. It reminds you that Mayer is still very much human when he can't stop criticizing his profile, or when you hear his strange, almost hyena laugh. He also gives great insight into the meanings behind songs, the history, his own feelings on the DVD, and the goals he had for it. Any John Mayer connoisseur will enjoy this section the most.  

If you've never seen Mayer live, "Any Given Thursday" is a good representative of the relaxed witticism and musical prowess he reveals on stage. Living up to its title, the vocals, instrumentation, and stage presence stay true to whenever you might be able to catch one of John Mayer's acclaimed performances -- on "Any Given" day.