Let me confess: I didn't know much about John Mayer's music before I went to his concert, save for a few hits that I recognise but whose names I was unable to place. Still, I found myself at Impact Arena Muang Thong Thani last week for his Asia Tour concert. I remember my guitar teacher always spoke highly of him. The guitar hero of our generation, my teacher said. Mayer is definitely the one to watch.
So when an opportunity to see Mayer playing live presented itself, I didn't hesitate. And, my, was he a joy to watch, even to non-fans like me.
His set-up was very basic. It was just Mayer and the band onstage, and that really allowed us to focus our attention on all the talented musicians onstage and the music that surrounded us. There were no elaborate props, not even a screen projection with dizzying graphics artists have been using in recent years. No costume change, either. It was simply the man and his music, and his guitars.
Throughout the concert, Mayer switched between a collection of acoustic and electric guitars. And he killed it in every number he played in the 24-song setlist. Each lick and riff he delivered satisfyingly. Each solo he shredded so perfectly.
Backed by a solid band, the songs all sounded great; however, I have to say, some of my favourite moments were when Mayer sang and played acoustic versions of his songs Your Body Is A Wonderland and Daughters. They allowed us to hear clearly what Mayer sounded like on his own -- stripped-down, simple, yet so powerful and charming.
The extended version of Gravity was just mesmerising.
There was also an intermission, the first I've seen in a concert. While others went out to get more beer, I was sitting there listening to people in the row behind me discuss how many girls Mayer has dated over the years, and how many Grammys he's received.
I don't usually go to concerts for artists when I don't know at least half the setlist. The last time I did that was for Lady Gaga, in the early days of the Poker Face era, when I was living in Sydney. I walked out of that one a fan. And Mayer's concert was no different, to be honest. While I haven't listened to many of his songs, that wasn't a problem during the concert. We were easily drawn into his music, his talent and his charm onstage. The atmosphere inside the packed hall felt intimate.
It turned out that deliberately not researching an artist before you go to his concert can be a good thing. I went in with no expectations, except wanting to see Mayer work his magic on the guitar. He surely cast a spell with his skilled fingers. The live performance became my first real impression of him, and judging from everything I got to see and hear that night, the memory is not going away anytime soon.
