The first chapter of his show was his full-band show, opening with the bluesy and mellow “Moving On and Getting Over” and “Helpless,” where the stage had a blue and pink backdrop respectively. “Good evening, New York City,” Mayer said. “How are you?” he asked, saluting his fans.
“Are you guys ready to go on a trip with us?” Mayer asked, and the answer was a resounding “yes.” One of the highlight vocals of the night was his stellar rendition of “Slow Dancing in a Burning Room,” where he exuded a great deal of soul and passion. The audience was reciting the lyrics verbatim to him, and several of the fans were even slow-dancing with their significant others.
After the fan-favorite “Waiting on the World to Change,” where yellow lights displayed from the stage, he closed with a cover of “War” and “Something Like Olivia.” “Thank you,” he said, and immediately broke into the second chapter of the show, which involved his acoustic set.
The acoustic portion of his show kicked off with the gentle and soothing “Walt Grace’s Submarine Test, January 1967,” which featured a whimsical background. It was followed by the new song “Emoji of a Wave” and a distinct version of the Tom Petty classic “Free Fallin’,” where he showcased his impressive falsetto.
Another exceptional moment was when John Mayer performed with his trio on stage, where all the musicians rocked, especially the drummer Steve Jordan. They began with a killer cover of “Crossroads,” and they immediately broke into the laid-back and nonchalant “Vulture,” prior to closing with Jimi Hendrix’s “Bold As Love.”
The fourth chapter of their show involved a reprise of their full band show. “Are you guys having a good time so far?” he asked. He opened this act with “Who Says” and it was followed by “Queen of California,” which was a neat jam, prior to introducing his keyboard player. He also tipped his hat to Grateful Dead with “Fire on the Mountain” and closed with such noteworthy tunes as “Still Feel Like Your Man” and the crowd-favorite, “Why Georgia,” thus taking his fans on a trip down memory lane to his breakthrough studio album.
For his encore, the Connecticut native returned to perform a subtle and delicate rendition of his single “Love on the Weekend,” which was lyrically and sonically powerful, and he concluded with his Grammy-winning “Gravity.”
The Verdict
Overall, John Mayer gave Madison Square Garden a night of music to remember. His voice was smooth as silk, and most importantly he allowed for the music to speak for itself. He took his New York fans on a musical journey and was able to deliver song after song all night long. His live show garnered an A rating.
