Tuesday, April 22, 2025
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John Mayer Was Able to Be Himself at Enterprise Center Wednesday in Saint Louis

John Mayer performing at Enterprise Center Wednesday night. Photo by Laura Tucker/ Laura Tucker Photography.

 

–by Laura Tucker

 

John Mayer is instantly recognizable by his soft and almost sugary vocals and his impeccable guitar work. Apparently, that’s all you need to pack an arena like he did on Wednesday night at the Enterprise Center. He’s on tour this year, all by himself. Solo.

Well, he’s on tour with JoyĀ OladokunĀ who opened the show, also performing with nothing but her guitar and her message of hope and inspiration. She is a soft-spoken and talented musician that is surely on the path of her higher purpose.

Joy Oladokun performing at Enterprise Center Wednesday night. Photo by Laura Tucker/ Laura Tucker Photography.

You might think that one person and an acoustic guitar wouldn’t be big enough, bold enough or loud enough for a venue this size, but it was exactly the opposite. There was nothing missing from this show.

Joy Oladokun performing at Enterprise Center Wednesday night. Photo by Laura Tucker/ Laura Tucker Photography.

John Mayer has collaborated in the studio with many artists of notability from Buddy Guy to Shawn Mendes, and even Slowhand himself, Eric Clapton thanks to his prolific guitar work, but this stripped-down and raw style of performing gave him a chance to have a little banter with the audience and to just simply, be himself.

John Mayer performing at Enterprise Center Wednesday night. Photo by Laura Tucker/ Laura Tucker Photography.

One fan brought a sign that was lit up and impossible to miss. She was there with her dad and they wanted to hear ā€œDaughter.ā€ She got her wish and some recognition from John.

Early on in the show he told a story about a sign he read on the bathroom stall door. He wrote a little jingle for the company and their tagline ā€œdesigned to be worry freeā€ and then sang it for us, showing us just how clever he can be on the spot. Maybe writing hit songs just comes that natural to him. Songs like ā€No Such Thing,” “Your Body Is a Wonderland,” and “Why Georgia” from his debut album Room for Squares, released in 2001. It was then that he became a staple in pop music and has never let up.

John Mayer performing at Enterprise Center Wednesday night. Photo by Laura Tucker/ Laura Tucker Photography.

His reputation as an amazing guitarist precedes him but who knew he would play the piano and electric guitar at the same time. That’s what he did at one point, on the song ā€œChangingā€, leaving the audience a-gasp and cheering for more.

John Mayer performing at Enterprise Center Wednesday night. Photo by Laura Tucker/ Laura Tucker Photography.

One amusing element of the show was the interview reels that played between songs on the jumbo screen allowing us to see his journey as an artist as well as his hairstyles over the years.

Another moment that was unexpected came in the form of ā€œWhy Anyone Has to Goā€ which is dedicated to his friendship with the late Bob Saget. Apparently, the two of them have been very close for years and his passing has had a profound impact on Mayer’s life.

John Mayer performing at Enterprise Center Wednesday night. Photo by Laura Tucker/ Laura Tucker Photography.

ā€œSayā€ and ā€œWaiting on the World to Changeā€ are also among the hits in his discography but were notably absent from his set list.

He’s loving this tour so much that new dates are being added to extend the Solo performances into fall 2023 with changes in the opening act.

 

Setlist:

Slow Dancing in a Burning Room

Shot in the Dark

Waitin’ on the Day

Queen of California

No Such Thing

Neon

Who Says

Cattle Call

The Age of Worry

The Heart of Love

Your Body Is a Wonderland

Why Anyone Has to Go

Changing

Stop This Train

Daughters

In Your Atmosphere

Born and Raised

Walt Grace’s Submarine Test, January 1967

A Face to Call Home

If I Ever Get Around to Living

Edge of Desire

Encore:

New Light

You’re Gonna Live Forever in Me

Free Fallin’

 

 

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