John Mayer remains loyal to his loyal fans

John Mayer

After four studio and two live albums, ten years on the road, six Grammys, numerous public fall outs over insensitive interviews, and many, many questionable high-profile relationships, John Mayer’s fans have stuck with the singer during times that have killed other artist’s careers. With his narrative, highly emotional and honest music as the backbone to his identity, Mayer’s fans see John as a their friend rather than a celebrity. And you don’t turn your back on your friends.

Playing to a packed house at the Molson Amphitheater in Toronto on Wednesday August 11, the always-confident Mr. Mayer ensured that the night was about the people that have been coming to see him play his folky-rock blues music since his 2001 release Room For Squares. Dressed in green cargo pants, a black tank top, a pink bandanna on his head and Silly Bandz bracelets on his wrist, a subdued John Mayer took the stage for his two hour plus set.

Using his iPad throughout the night Mayer repeatedly checked his Twitter account to determine what songs the audience wanted to hear. Many of these requests went beyond music, with tweets requesting Mayer remove articles of clothing throughout the night. At 6’3 with curly brown hair and boy-next-door good looks, coupled with the majority of his lyrical subject matter centering on longing for love, Mayer’s audience members tend to lean towards a mainly female make up, with Wednesday nights show being no different.

The set list for the night included tracks from all six of Mayer’s albums, including Vultures, Bigger Than My Body, Waiting on the World To Change, Slow Dancing in a Burning Room, Why Georgia, Perfectly Lonely, Clarity, Gravity and Half of My Heart. At the request of a Twitter follower Mayer played 3 x 5 from his debut album, saying that it was the first time he had played the song while promoting his current Battle Studies tour. He also indulged a follower by playing his cover of Tom Petty’s his Free Fallin, citing it as the only cover he’s ever played that he felt he was able to make his own because of the huge amount of love and respect he had for the track.

Mayer appears to have moved away from his blues background, engaging in his usual guitar solos only sporadically throughout the night and eliminating the blues covers that he has performed in past concerts. Although his latest release, Battle Studies, features a cover of blues legend Robert Johnson’s Crossroads, a song that Mayer frequently plays in concert, the album is Mayer’s least bluesy record yet.

With the 2009 release of Battle Studies exhibiting Mayer’s weakest offering to date both musically and lyrically, I was unsure as to whether the hugely respected and accomplished musician still had the drive and passion for his music that has been glaringly obvious in the past. Mayer appears just as comfortable and self-assured on stage as he did during the height of his career upon the release of 2003′s Continuum. Engaging and joking with the audience throughout the night, Mayer graciously thanked his fans repeatedly for supporting him throughout his career.

Delighting the audience by first changing lyrics in Who Says to incorporate a Canadian theme and later appearing on stage for his encore wearing his own merch t-shirt reading ‘It’s been a long night in Toronto’, Mayer praised the audience for their energy and enthusiasm, amazed at the high level of reception and fervor in their singing to each song. As a singer whose personal lyrics resonate on a deep level with many listeners, Mayer has amassed a following of fans who credit him with helping them through difficult periods. And as karma goes, these fans have been there to help Mayer through his times of discontent as well.

John Mayer