Topic: Saw John Mayer for the 6th time

Hey all,

I saw John Mayer in Detroit last night. I've seen him half a dozen times now.

I didn't start this thread to praise him or anything. Just wanted to report that it was a different show than previous tours.
His new stuff "Born & Raised" is folky and slightly country-ish. He kept most of the new songs on the setlist and only played about three or four "safe ones." I was surprised so many people stayed when he wasn't paying all the hits.

His vocal range was limited because of the granulomas? on his vocal cords. It seemed he could hit some notes, and others he just sang an octave lower. This is an upgrade from the review I got from a friend who saw his first show of the tour in Milwaukee and said his voice was terrible and sang everything an octave lower and didn't strain voice at all.

The guitar playing was good, but not the best I've seen him. He also had two other guitar players. One went between guitar and lapsteel while the other was exclusively guitar. Interesting as they both got solos throughout the show.

Mayer mostly played his SRV strat he's had since his teen years (pickguard changed). His new signature series super small parlor Martin acoustic, and this signature Martin 00 from the mid 2000's. He played a telecaster for two songs or so. And for one he played this rickenbacker looking baritone or something weird.

all in all interesting show, and not a "canned - pop sensation" show. It wasn't as good as John Mayer Trio, and it wasn't the best show I've ever seen. It was an interesting "aging" John Mayer that seems to let living in Montana affect his creative direction. Worth the money, and exceeded my low expectations.

- Nic from Detroit... posting on JB's Forum since 6-2-2006
Ask me about my handwound Great Lakes Guitar Pickups
Since 2010, Bonamassa fans have taken advantage of my JB friend discount = my cost + shipping. cool

Re: Saw John Mayer for the 6th time

Mayer just doesn't do anything for me....something wholly dishonest about his playing and attitude in my mind.
He is very popular...so what am I missing?

Re: Saw John Mayer for the 6th time

I saw John Mayer about 3 years ago and he put on a great show! I haven't gotten into his new stuff, my favorite is his trio stuff. I have the Where the Light is dvd live from LA and it's great, but ever since finding Joe he doesn't quite do it for me anymore!

DaveWammbarro wrote:

Mayer just doesn't do anything for me....something wholly dishonest about his playing and attitude in my mind.
He is very popular...so what am I missing?

Re: Saw John Mayer for the 6th time

edragoo wrote:

I saw John Mayer about 3 years ago and he put on a great show! I haven't gotten into his new stuff, my favorite is his trio stuff. I have the Where the Light is dvd live from LA and it's great, but ever since finding Joe he doesn't quite do it for me anymore!

DaveWammbarro wrote:

Mayer just doesn't do anything for me....something wholly dishonest about his playing and attitude in my mind.
He is very popular...so what am I missing?

Id have to agree with you guys, his whole energy i just cant get into. And his "blues" guitar playing is just regurgitated SRV and BB, i see lots of cats do it better. But i always thought I would love to see him smash a guitar, that would be great, but i dont think he has that edge to him. Would absolutely much rather listen to JB, or many of the other great young blues rippers. But hes doin it big on a massive scale, so who's to say anything. You dig some you dont dig others.

Re: Saw John Mayer for the 6th time

DaveWammbarro wrote:

Mayer just doesn't do anything for me....something wholly dishonest about his playing and attitude in my mind.
He is very popular...so what am I missing?

Totally agree, I can't get into him at all. Just too much of what I've read and seen has shown him into himself and who he's going out with

Alan

Re: Saw John Mayer for the 6th time

DaveWammbarro wrote:

Mayer just doesn't do anything for me....something wholly dishonest about his playing and attitude in my mind.
He is very popular...so what am I missing?

My thoughts exactly.   

I recently watched the Youtube video of him inducting Albert King into the HOF and the whole thing was an exercise in self promotion and insincerity.

These seem to be 2 personality traits that follow him around and I just don't like the guy.

Re: Saw John Mayer for the 6th time

sbalkun2 wrote:

And his "blues" guitar playing is just regurgitated SRV and BB, i see lots of cats do it better.

I can see how you could say that, but to me that's tunnel vision IMO. How many other great blues guitarists have this same cliche label? roll Pretty much anyone who ever played a strat... including JB. If you listen to more things, you'll hear just as much Paul Simon or Charlie Hunter in his playing. I always saw mayer as a total package... jack of all trades, king of none. Although his pop songwriting capability has proven most profitable in commercial music. I see him as someone who teenage girls will go to see, and Mayer plays THEM some blues. That is something that is needed in the US music industry. So god bless him for that. To me, that's a great angle to deliver blues to younger generations.

I think he is "over" his media antics. Grown out of it or whatever. That stuff is just fluff, and I ignored it, so I'm not defending him either way on that front.

- Nic from Detroit... posting on JB's Forum since 6-2-2006
Ask me about my handwound Great Lakes Guitar Pickups
Since 2010, Bonamassa fans have taken advantage of my JB friend discount = my cost + shipping. cool

8 (edited by rioi 2013-08-09 13:45:10)

Re: Saw John Mayer for the 6th time

I like John Mayer but have never seen him perform live. He comes to Norway for the first time in October but i didn't get tickets. They were sold out before i came home from work hmm
I like the blues stuff best. Try and Continuum are good albums, but i can also put on Born and raised and enjoy it.
And John Mayer knows the blues!
John Mayer inducts Albert king in Rock and roll hall of fame - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jq4LkaQkSbw

Re: Saw John Mayer for the 6th time

Somebody didn't read your post. lol don't think anybody's missing anything, he doesn't do it for me either. But thanks for the report Nic.

hulldanfan wrote:
DaveWammbarro wrote:

Mayer just doesn't do anything for me....something wholly dishonest about his playing and attitude in my mind.
He is very popular...so what am I missing?

My thoughts exactly.   

I recently watched the Youtube video of him inducting Albert King into the HOF and the whole thing was an exercise in self promotion and insincerity.

These seem to be 2 personality traits that follow him around and I just don't like the guy.

As corn through a goose, so are the days of our lives

Re: Saw John Mayer for the 6th time

I think he's a great player. I don't really care about his off-stage antics or personality, I'm not aware of anything so offensive to me that I'd just want to stop listening.  Let's face it, some of our other, older guitar heroes were no saints.  I've heard him do some really cool playing (blues and otherwise), and I like his writing.

Re: Saw John Mayer for the 6th time

Dig John Mayer! Good to hear his voice is slowly getting better.

"And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make"

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Re: Saw John Mayer for the 6th time

Its either love him or hate him. Personally I think he is a genius.

Deezer wrote:

Dig John Mayer! Good to hear his voice is slowly getting better.

Re: Saw John Mayer for the 6th time

Well, to put it like that, I first got into John Mayer because of his guitar playing and then stayed because of his songwriting.
He is really one of my favorite Artist around right now and I really dig his current acoustic/jam band approach. And concering his guitar playing, a lot of people do only see the SRV inspired licks he plays but that´s really just a small part of all the emotions he can express on his instrument.

There´s a really good offical audio clip from this tour:

http://johnmayer.com/posts/2013/if-i-ev … -red-rocks

I really love how he takes a good, mellow song and develops it into a longer jam.

Also, his solo during Leon Russels RnR introduction is perfect imo:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M001JpWB_Ms

Re: Saw John Mayer for the 6th time

It was thanks to someone on here that drew JM to my attention. I Now have the JM Trio Live, +3 solo albums,  and the double live CD, and i've just ordered his new album. Added to that, We have tix to see him when he comes to London in October - I guess you could call me a fan - right?? ♥

GOOD KARMA - http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3zkw … o1_500.jpg
Avatar Credit: D.Hirst,Olympic Union Flag
Adele: RAH http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Oio8V3e3WU&ob=av2e -
We Are The Champ20ns

Re: Saw John Mayer for the 6th time

.... well, saw John Mayer last night at London's o2 arena

The Setlist:

Wildfire
Half of My Heart
Paper Doll
I Don't Trust Myself (With Loving You)
Something Like Olivia
Going Down the Road Feelin' Bad
(Grateful Dead cover)
Slow Dancing in a Burning Room
Free Fallin' (Tom Petty cover)
Blues Run the Game
(Jackson C. Frank cover)
Queen of California
Dear Marie
If I Ever Get Around to Living
Belief
Waiting on the World to Change
The Age of Worry
Why Georgia
Encore:
Can't Find My Way Home
(Blind Faith cover)
Gravity

Around 18,000 in attendance, audience made up of around 2 -1 females - a wide age range of men and women -
It was the first time we'd seen John Mayer (see my post above) and the first time to see a gig at the o2.
We were about half way back- right side - looking at the stage - good views & vibes - the sound didn't disappoint either.
The light and backdrop animations were superb throughout.
The whole 18,000 of us LOVED IT. My only gripe...... He didn't include Vultures in the set - My fav JM track. Oh well !
Would we go and see him again ? Hell Yeah!

GOOD KARMA - http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3zkw … o1_500.jpg
Avatar Credit: D.Hirst,Olympic Union Flag
Adele: RAH http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Oio8V3e3WU&ob=av2e -
We Are The Champ20ns

Re: Saw John Mayer for the 6th time

Brack wrote:

.... well, saw John Mayer last night at London's o2 arena

The Setlist:

Wildfire
Half of My Heart
Paper Doll
I Don't Trust Myself (With Loving You)
Something Like Olivia
Going Down the Road Feelin' Bad
(Grateful Dead cover)
Slow Dancing in a Burning Room
Free Fallin' (Tom Petty cover)
Blues Run the Game
(Jackson C. Frank cover)
Queen of California
Dear Marie
If I Ever Get Around to Living
Belief
Waiting on the World to Change
The Age of Worry
Why Georgia
Encore:
Can't Find My Way Home
(Blind Faith cover)
Gravity

Around 18,000 in attendance, audience made up of around 2 -1 females - a wide age range of men and women -
It was the first time we'd seen John Mayer (see my post above) and the first time to see a gig at the o2.
We were about half way back- right side - looking at the stage - good views & vibes - the sound didn't disappoint either.
The light and backdrop animations were superb throughout.
The whole 18,000 of us LOVED IT. My only gripe...... He didn't include Vultures in the set - My fav JM track. Oh well !
Would we go and see him again ? Hell Yeah!

That's a pretty deep setlist.  Not too shabby at all.  How was the screaming, Brack?  A little I can handle, a lot of (stupid) screaming randomly (hey, I'm composed when drunk...composed of mellowing in the belly alcohol, that is) is sheer torture.


Rock ON & Keep the Faith,
Rocket

ps-I won't dring-kah either wink

"He still doesn't charge for mistakes! wink"
http://jbonamassa.com/tour-dates/
"Everybody wants ta get inta the act!"
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Re: Saw John Mayer for the 6th time

Rocket wrote:
Brack wrote:

.... well, saw John Mayer last night at London's o2 arena

The Setlist:

Wildfire
Half of My Heart
Paper Doll
I Don't Trust Myself (With Loving You)
Something Like Olivia
Going Down the Road Feelin' Bad
(Grateful Dead cover)
Slow Dancing in a Burning Room
Free Fallin' (Tom Petty cover)
Blues Run the Game
(Jackson C. Frank cover)
Queen of California
Dear Marie
If I Ever Get Around to Living
Belief
Waiting on the World to Change
The Age of Worry
Why Georgia
Encore:
Can't Find My Way Home
(Blind Faith cover)
Gravity

Around 18,000 in attendance, audience made up of around 2 -1 females - a wide age range of men and women -
It was the first time we'd seen John Mayer (see my post above) and the first time to see a gig at the o2.
We were about half way back- right side - looking at the stage - good views & vibes - the sound didn't disappoint either.
The light and backdrop animations were superb throughout.
The whole 18,000 of us LOVED IT. My only gripe...... He didn't include Vultures in the set - My fav JM track. Oh well !
Would we go and see him again ? Hell Yeah!

That's a pretty deep setlist.  Not too shabby at all.  How was the screaming, Brack?  A little I can handle, a lot of (stupid) screaming randomly (hey, I'm composed when drunk...composed of mellowing in the belly alcohol, that is) is sheer torture.


Rock ON & Keep the Faith,
Rocket

ps-I won't dring-kah either wink

The screaming..... ?  you're referring to the fairer sex, young and older??.... It wasn't too bad at all - quite well behaved - I heard a few random "Johnny, i love yoooou" shouts, but that's to be expected. Saying that, at a few Joe B gigs i've been to , i've also heard a few 'I love you jooooe" ..... also to be expected! wink

GOOD KARMA - http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3zkw … o1_500.jpg
Avatar Credit: D.Hirst,Olympic Union Flag
Adele: RAH http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Oio8V3e3WU&ob=av2e -
We Are The Champ20ns

Re: Saw John Mayer for the 6th time

By the way, watch out on Jools Holland, BBC2, Tuesday 29th Oct and Friday 1st Nov for appearance from John Mayer.

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Give back the lemons.  Why were the lemons free?  What's wrong with the lemons?
Do Not trust the lemons...