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Taken from SWVAToday (March 30, 2010)
STRICTLY OBSERVING: Mayer for Mayor
by Mark Sage
posted by Zach Cooley
My first major concert of the year was a great one. Seeing the great John Mayer live at the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, N.C., on March 15 with my buddy Jacob Sharitz was a huge thrill for me. I consider the 32-year old Atlanta native as my favorite modern artist, who will achieve legendary status long before his career ends. The seven-time Grammy winner performed a two-hour set to a packed house of an estimated 13,000 delighted fans. Performing many hits from his chart-topping latest release, the brilliantly crafted Battle Studies, as well as a number of fan favorites, Mayer left fans feeling satisfied as they headed home. This was my first time seeing Mayer live. I regrettably passed up a chance to see his February 2007 performance at the Roanoke Civic Center when I bought my sister tickets for her birthday and didn’t get a chance to see his appearance at Virginia Tech that September. However, all regrets were forever laid to rest after taking in this incredible concert. Having seen all three of these performances, Jacob concluded that this one was the best by far.
Opening with “Heartbreak Warfare,” the breakout hit of Battle Studies, Mayer was greeted with an overwhelming welcome that extended well past the song introduction. The power and brilliance of his opening notes remained consistent throughout the program without falter. “No Such Thing” followed, which was one of Mayer’s first big hits from the 2001 breakthrough album Room for Squares. Fan favorites “Bigger than My Body” and “Slow Dancing in a Burning Room” were featured next, which led into “Perfectly Lonely,” another of his rising new singles. Then, Mayer performed a medley of his oldest songs with only the accompaniment of his own acoustic guitar, which consisted of “Victoria,” “My Stupid Mouth” and “Your Body Is a Wonderland.”
Mayer also paid homage to the legendary musicians that preceded him and by whom he has so clearly been influenced during cover versions of Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin’,” Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” and Bob Dylan’s “Just Like A Woman.” During his encore, a cover rendition of James Taylor’s “Carolina in My Mind” was performed especially for the Greensboro audience. The performance of the hugely popular “Waiting on the World to Change” was also a great crowd pleaser as was the familiar tunes “Say,” the mournful blues of “Gravity” and “Georgia Why,” with which he ended the show.
The live performance of “Assassin” was quite enjoyable as well. Also from his new album, this track is a bit edgier than is customary for Mayer, which adds to his versatile repertoire. He also acknowledged the John Mayer Trio with a solo rendition of “Vultures.” Also among his new singles performed was “Half of My Heart,” which was originally recorded as a duet with country crossover artist Taylor Swift, as well as the pleasurable “Who Says,” which was included in the three-song encore.
There were many young girls in the audience vying for Mayer’s attention. He acknowledged this as indirectly and with as much humor as he could, given his frequent recent appearance in the tabloids. “It’s an US Weekly waiting to happen if I respond to any of these signs,” he said. However, he did respond to one from a 16-year old girl named Emily who celebrated her birthday by requesting a kiss from the singer. He obliged her by inviting her onstage for an improvisational slow jam song and a kiss on the cheek.
Mayer’s band members were equally as awesome as their front man. Drummer Steve Jordan, in particular, gave an unbelievable drum solo that was the talk of the town well into the next day. Accompanying guitarist and vocalist David Ryan Harris was incredible as well. Guitarist Robbie McIntosh was also superb, even performing two separate guitar parts at once during one point in the show. Bassist Steve Hurley and keyboardist Charlie Wilson did a great job while backup singers Julie Delgato and Melanie Taylor showed as much elegance as talent throughout the show.
Michael Franti and Spearhead, Mayer’s opening act, did an incredible job livening up the crowd, playing almost long enough, and certainly well enough, to be considered a co-headliner. Like Mayer, they expressed a great deal of musical versatility in their hour-long set by blending reggae with everything from blues to jazz, rock and soul. With the obvious influences of everyone Michael Jackson to Eric Clapton and Bob Marley, the group was heavily engaged with the crowd. Franti took several barefoot strolls through the arena inviting several audience members on stage to strap on guitars and sing. With their final number being “Say Hey (I Love You),” their first chart success after more than a decade of performing together, the San Francisco-based group invited all the children in the audience to sing the familiar chorus. One girl, approximately age six, needed no help reciting the lyrics and got a great response from the crowd. Their songs promoted an overall optimistic approach to life a happy message of peace and love. Franti even encouraged those of us who came with a friend to hug them and say “I love you.”
In closing, I wanted to offer my thanks to the staff of the Park Lane Hotel in Greensboro, N.C., for accommodating us. I especially want to say thanks to my pal Jacob for his friendship and for giving one of the best trips I’ve ever had. I will always treasure the memory of our trip and hope we have many more!
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