Sitting at the piano with one hand caressing an electric guitar and another tinkling the ivories, John Mayer gave a glimpse of why his musicianship has won him seven Grammys and countless fans all over the world.
Making his Abu Dhabi debut (having last played in the UAE in Dubai in 2006) as the closing act of this year’s Saadiyat Nights season, it was a performance worth waiting for and a suitable finale to this season’s series of live gigs.
Billed as "John Mayer Solo", the singer-songwriter took to the stage with no backing band – instead, just a chair, a piano and a guitar for company – and over the course of 90-plus minutes, treated the rapt crowd to pared-back songs from his pop, rock and blues repertoire, spanning his 2001 debut album Room for Squares to 2021’s Sob Rock.
The show got off to an upbeat start with crowd favourite Slow Dancing in a Burning Room – which showcased Mayer’s mastery of the acoustic guitar and prompted a singalong from the crowd. Heartbreak Warfare continued the upbeat tempo and demonstrated the singer’s fine vocal range and ability to effortlessly switch in and out of a falsetto.
Low-key night
In between songs, he effused charisma as his self-deprecation and pithy jokes endeared him even further to an audience enjoying the night just as much as the performer on stage. “This is going to be a good show”, enthused Mayer, as he performed a double number (Last Train Home and Shot in the Dark) from Sob Rock, which was lapped up by the adoring fans.
There was no thrashing of guitars, no barrelling down the microphone – this was a low-key night of stripped-down numbers that sounded timeless and fresh, delivered by a master of craft and melody.
Next followed the first of two very brief musical interludes: a nostalgic trip down memory lane with a short video clip filmed in Los Angeles at the beginning of his career, with Mayer asking the viewers to “come with us as we play the music for the kids and we learn a little something about ourselves in the process". This was a segue into No Such Thing – a feelgood track off his debut album – displaying his vocal dexterity and his command of the blues.
His blues influence was again on show during a performance of Neon and proved another example of his mastery of acoustic guitar, as he effortlessly pulled off a two-minute jazz and blues medley mid-song.
This was a singer enjoying himself on stage and feeding off the crowd’s energy. The good vibes continued with the catchy chorus of In The Blood, prompting a hearty sing-along.
“You will never quite understand the joy and the freedom of standing on stage with an acoustic guitar… alone. Looking out at a whole bunch of people who love your music and pretty sure they love you," he said. Mayer was in his element as he launched into a rarity: In Your Atmosphere, a song that only features on his 2008 live album.
Looping piano riff
Shifting to the piano, Mayer jokingly warned the audience that he’s “not a very good piano player”, but proved he’s more than capable as the heartfelt You’re Gonna Live Forever In Me and downtempo Changing held the audience captive throughout as he whistled and sang falsetto along with the first song while playing the electric guitar with the second – helped by looping a riff on the piano.
A brief video clip introducing the John Mayer Trio was second and final interlude, as Mayer explained that “Continuum is a result of everything I’ve done up until now. And that incorporates a blues feel, that incorporates a soul feel.”
This was a perfect segue into Stop This Train – which had the singer move away from the piano and stand in the middle of the stage with his customary acoustic guitar.
An improvised medley featured shortened versions of three songs (Half of my Heart, Waitin’ on the Day and New Light) and had the crowd singing and clapping along to the Flamenco-esque beat, while Mayer quipped at his ability to glide between songs: “Not a bad transition, eh?”
Mayer was in an ebullient mood and clearly enjoyed interacting with the crowd: “I don’t have a song for it yet, but I got a cool riff” and treated fans to said "cool riff" while ad-libbing a melody. “I’m using the fact that I’m in front of you right now and maybe two years later I’ll have the whole song. I shouldn’t use these shows for research and development,” he said, as the crowd erupted into laughter.
Tom Petty’s 1989 rock hit Free Fallin’ was given a spectacular cover, with the audience singing along.
Guitar aficionado
Throughout the show, Mayer used guitars in all different shapes and sizes and called upon a steel acoustic for Walt Grace's Submarine Test, January 1967 – which lent the song a feel-good, folksy vibe. For the upbeat Edge of Desire, Mayer showed off another of his unique guitars as he flitted between frets on a double-necked acoustic guitar.
At the beginning of the encore, Mayer reciprocated a fan’s affection: “That’s me saying I love you too” as he played a few notes on the guitar. Although just one song (a blues-y Gravity) was played, the aisles filled up with people dancing, capping a mesmerising night under the stars (and sounds) of Saadiyat Nights.
“Thank you so much Abu Dhabi. What a beautiful night,” said the singer. Although he didn’t play Daughters, or perhaps his most famous song (Your Body Is a Wonderland), his body of work had transported the crowd to a wonderland.
