Singer/Songwriter John Mayer has more than good looks when live
Emily Tumbrink
Scene Music Critic
Numerous Notre Dame students made the trek to Chicago's UIC Pavilion Saturday night to see singer/songwriter/poster boy John Mayer in concert.
Mayer was greeted by thousands of screaming fans when he stepped into the spotlight, opening his set with a solo acoustic version of "Love Soon," an energetic song from his recently re-released EP Inside Wants Out. Without hesitation, Mayer segued into "Why Georgia," the solitary spotlight replaced by lights illuminating the whole stage, revealing Mayer's band-mates already in position to jam.
Following "Why Georgia" was the popular radio hit "No Such Thing," which seemed to be many audience members‚ sole motivation for coming to the show.
The majority of Mayer's so-called fans sat down whenever he played a lengthy guitar solo or an unfamiliar song, missing some of the most brilliant musical moments of the show simply because they had not heard them previously on the radio.
Mayer, however, did not disappoint the loyal members of the audience. He not only played all but two of the songs from his major label debut Room for Squares, but he also played the unreleased songs "Covered in Rain" and "Something's Missing," a tune which Mayer knowingly dubbed a "pee break song" due to its unfamiliarity.
"83," the obvious crowd favorite, was prefaced with a free-form intro that included the "My Buddy" commercial jingle and lyrics about Michael Jackson and Star Wars, staples from Mayer's youth in the 1980s. The song itself energized the audience, most notably when Mayer digressed into partial covers of "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" and "Let's Hear it for the Boy."
He closed the show with "Neon," a song that explores his jazz influences and never fails to show off his talent as a guitarist. After only a brief pause to tease the audience, Mayer returned to the stage, playing a solo acoustic rendition of "Comfortable," a perpetual crowd favorite from his humble beginnings in Atlanta that remains a favorite to this day. His band then joined him for the remaining songs of the encore, "Love Song for No One" and "St. Patrick's Day," both from Room for Squares.
Having released only about 20 songs in his short career, Mayer does not have a large amount of material to draw from. Luckily for concert goers, absolutely everything that he has released is worthy of inclusion in a live performance. There was not a single clunker among the 15 songs in the set, despite the boredom of some "fans" during the gaps between well known songs like "No Such Thing" and "Your Body is a Wonderland."
Obviously targeting the show at his most loyal fans, instead of those who only know him through his recent success, Mayer was unabashed about his talent on stage. He utilized every opportunity to include guitar solos and improv jamming, showing the extent of his abilities with live performance.
"Playing onstage is that truth that no one else can touch, which I really love. The reason I can enjoy the ups and downs, and the uncertainties, and the insecurities of the TV, radio, record career is because I know that every night I get on stage I'm going to be rooted in this really incredible truth, musically. . . being on the road really kind of is the alkaline to the pH balance of [my life]," Mayer said, describing the concert experience.
With his quick wit and boyish good looks, John Mayer seems to be a more obvious candidate to host MTV's TRL than a legitimate musician. Critics, however, must keep in mind that this young star writes his own songs and is also proficient at playing the guitar, things that the majority of today's pop stars cannot claim. Mayer's musical talent stands alone. His marketable sex appeal is just an added benefit.
With sweetly sensitive lyrics like "I loved you / gray sweatpants / no makeup / so perfect" no doubt assisting him in his efforts to get into the sweatpants of the ladies, Mayer's identity as the cluelessly sexy boy- next-door cannot be denied. What girl wouldn't want to be wooed by such an understanding and honest male who so clearly places women on a pedestal?
''I really don't want to be a hunk,'' he says. ''I don't want to be Sensitive Hunk Guy. That's just a little fear of mine. But I think women can relate to the lyric side more. I know the guys are waiting for all the sappy songs too, but they have a front, which is the guitar playing.''
Despite the abundance of middle school girls in the audience shrieking about how hot he is, Mayer's heartthrob status has not interfered with his credibility as an artist.
"Everyone kind of has their agenda. I certainly have no self-imposed limit. I wouldn't mind selling six million records. I would like to think though that you can sell six million and make every person who owns it feel like it's a personal experience. I may be wrong. I think that there's a way to be mainstream in terms of accessibility, but musically remain true in whatever it is you want to do," Mayer said.
With no intention of selling out anytime soon, John Mayer is a breath of fresh air in the world of dancing boy bands and wannabe divas. Time will only tell if he can avoid paying too much attention to the hype and continue to play quality music for his true fans. From the sounds of Saturday's concert, he's headed in the right direction.
All Scene Stories for Tuesday, November 19, 2002
