By Rory Donahue
John Mayer began his career in 1999 with only a guitar and a microphone. Today, he returns to his original style by embarking on his first-ever acoustic solo tour. While much has changed since his early days, his expressive, powerful vocals are still present and impactful.
His Acoustic Solo Tour started in January 2023 and has continued into the fall, beginning when he performed two nights at Madison Square Garden on October 3rd-4th.
I was lucky enough to be able to attend his show on Tuesday, October 3rd. His show was opened by the talented singer JP Saxe and began around 8 p.m.
Mayer has had an interesting career over the past two decades, from hitting the road with Grateful Dead to hosting veteran musicians like Lenny Castro on his tours. His solo tour represents all of the work he has put into his career leading up to this moment. Sitting alone on that stage, he shared his stories and poured his heart out to the sold-out audience.
He played various songs, including his early 2000s hits and new releases. Starting off with “Slow Dancing in a Burning Room” and “Heartbreak Warfare”, he broke into his emotional state. He also covered Bruce Springsteen’s “I’m on Fire”.
Then, he moved into his piano section, where he covered the Grateful Dead’s “Friend of a Devil”, a personal favorite of mine.
During Mayer’s second acoustic portion of the concert, he brought out the legendary Steve Miller to perform“The Joker.” Mayer provided harmony vocals, backing Miller while both musicians strummed acoustics.
Lastly, during his double-neck acoustic portion, he performed my favorite song of his, Edge of Desire. This song displays some of Mayer’s best lyrical work, conveying heartfelt words with the bluesy guitar in the back.
His show was just the way it should be: authentic and emotional. He went on that stage and gave it his all, with just himself in front of a sold out crowd. I highly suggest checking out his show if you can!
