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Taken from The StarPhoenix (April 7, 2010)
With the paparazzi away, John Mayer reminds Saskatoon crowd he can play
by Heather Persson, The StarPhoenix
Will the real John Mayer please stand up?
The guitar phenom that showed up to play Credit Union Centre Tuesday did not resemble the wise-cracking, starlet-kissing-and-telling, sneaker-collecting TMZ regular you see all over the tabloids and the internet.
What a relief.
Mayer was in town on his 2010 Battle Studies tour, which includes the single currently getting some good radio time, Heartbreak Warfare, as well as the hits Say and Waiting for the World to Change.
And he was a congenial host for this musical ride -- boyish in a black T-shirt and distressed jeans -- intense and serious as he stood at the microphone. Introducing his first-ever hit, No Such Thing, he got downright philosophical.
"People will impose their experiences on your future experiences," he said.
But, contrary to his reputation, Mayer was generally a man of few words on stage.
It is as a guitar-playing virtuoso that Mayer, 32, has earned his highest praise, and he did not disappoint as he regularly broke into blistering solos -- wringing out soaring high notes with lips planted between his teeth or pursed in concentration. You can see why he has been compared to Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan -- the latter being Mayer's hero. The quality of play was there both in his electric and acoustic numbers.
He may let the effort of his playing show all over his face, but Mayer's music goes down easy.
His love of the blues, funk and jazz is clear and always present, but he never strays too far from the chart-friendly, pop-infused sound that made him his fortune.
Your Body is A Wonderland was one of his older hits that seemed to resonate sweetly.
His singing takes some hits from the critics, but Mayer makes the most of both his whispering, mellow lower voice and his falsetto to make his lyrics heard. He sounds just as good live as he does on his recording.
The staging was simple and effective -- just a big screen, soft lights and a couple of lovely backup singers. CUC was not close to full, with blue curtains pulled over the top tiers of seats.
While he was in Saskatoon prior to the concert, Mayer apparently further showed he can be a very good sport. He and the other musicians on tour went curling and did a session at YogaOne. It's probably easier to move around on the streets of Saskatoon than in paparazzi-laden L.A. or New York.
Michael Franti and Spearhead opened -- and possibly stole -- the show for many of the fans. His mash of reggae, hip hop, funk and folk is fresh and downright joyful.
A committed peacenik, Franti's soul and political view are as bare as his feet. (He hardly ever wears shoes. It's a thing with him.) But the tall, handsome dreadlocked hippie charmed the crowd with his soulful voice and hopeful outlook.
Franti is known for strong political views, but the man knows how to show people a good time. He drew in the crowd by doing a lap of the arena floor, singing Hey, Hey, Hey from a seat on the side of the room and pulling local kids on stage to rock out with the band.
The sunny Say Hey ended a solid hour of music with a frenzy of dancing and grinning. Can't imagine a better warm-up group.
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