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This year has been a whirlwind for John Mayer. His first major record label debut, “Room For Squares”, has climbed the charts since its release, and he has his own headlining tour. At the Cumberland County Civic Center Nov. 22, expectations were high as teenage girls from miles around flocked to see the sensitive troubadour himself.
Nickel Creek, a bluegrass band out of southern California, opened with a 45-minute set that included songs from both their self-titled album and an earlier release. Their music didn’t seem to sit well with the younger audience and many of the band’s slower songs were drowned out by talking, even though the band proved themselves to be good musicians.
While the band included elements of bluegrass in their music, they were not strictly a bluegrass band. The folk influence was noticeably present in their songs, which included bluegrass-based covers of the Super Mario Brothers theme, The Beatles “Taxman” and a verse from Nirvana’s “Lithium.”
Sara Watkins, who played the fiddle, had a folksy voice slightly reminiscent of Jewel. Mandolin player Chris Thile seemed to win over many in the teenage girls with a combination of intense playing and energy, not to mention his apparently charming good looks, judging by the screams of approval that met his every appearance on stage.
Once Nickel Creek humbly thanked the audience for the standing ovation they received, a blessedly short set change rewarded the audience as they waited with a palpable level of anticipation.
Mayer appeared on stage in casual sweatpants and a T-shirt. He began with an acoustic version of an older song, “Victoria.” From the opening verse, it was apparent why Mayer was so suddenly thrust into stardom — he sounds as good live as he does on his recorded material. After the solo effort on “Victoria,” his on-stage band performed for the rest of the set.
Mayer’s playing was impressive, and one almost forgot about the overwhelming majority of young girls — until he played the summer radio hit “No Such Thing.” A sign proclaiming undying love for Mayer was actually held up during the song, reminiscent of a Backstreet Boys concert. However, Mayer still managed to impress the portions of the audience that actually appreciated his music. During a new, unreleased song, “Covered In Rain,” Mayer played a stunning blues riff, the only hindrance being the distraction of drums played too loudly.
Mayer mentioned his laid back outfit, saying he wasn’t “feeling very sexy” and was in more of a “hangout vibe.” But he said in moods like this, he feels his playing and voice are better.
Towards the end of the set, Mayer brought out the mandolin player from Nickel Creek, who joined him in “3×5.” The combination of Mayer’s laid back guitar licks and Thile’s high-energy mandolin playing provided a nice contrast.
At the end of the set, Mayer left the audience wanting more. He began his three-song encore with another acoustic song, “Comfortable” and brought his band back out for “A Love Song for No One” and “St. Patrick’s Day.” Before launching into “St. Patrick’s Day,” Mayer thanked the audience for what he called “the most incredible year of my life.”
While Mayer may have ridden to the top of the charts based partly on good looks, his live show displays the fact that he is, although many won’t admit it, an incredible musician.
Bangor Daily News