John Mayer Was Able to Be Himself at Enterprise Center Wednesday in Saint Louis

Sean Derrick April 1, 2023 0 Comments John Mayer, Joy Oladokun, Saint Louis con

–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 Joy Oladokun 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.

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.

One fan brought a sign that was lit up and impossible to miss. She was there with her dad and they wanted to hear “Daughter.” 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 “designed to be worry free” 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 ”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.

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 “Changing”, leaving the audience a-gasp and cheering for more.

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 “Why Anyone Has to Go” 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.