John Mayer, Manchester Apollo, January 15th
John Mayer olayed Manchester Apollo on January 15th
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By Tom Powell. |  |
Monday, 18, Jan 2010 05:39
Bringing recently released Battle Studies tracks live to the UK, John Mayer and his band warmed up Manchester on a freezing Friday night at the Apollo.
The US artist, who is currently touring the UK, threw in some of his better known tracks into his set-list, with Georgia proving a real favourite with the crowd.
As always, Mayer let his band, the John Mayer trio, take the limelight in sections of the concert, allowing for stunning solo performances, particularly from his drummer Steve Jordan.
Starting the night with Heartbreak Warfare from his new album, Mayer stormed the stage after a rather disappointing performance from Codeine Velvet Club, who were held together with the vocal talent of Lou Hickey, rather than her more famous band-mate Jon 'Fratelli'.
Battle Studies was mixed up with some older classics from Mayer's more seasoned albums, including Gravity and Bigger Than My Body. As live music goes his talent is surely immense (and if you get past the gurning face) his raw, and surely unique, ability with a guitar is incomparable.
Similarly, he has picked some truly spectacular musicians to stand by his side, and it was evident from the eclecticism of the crowd that his choice to pick talent over youth was a winner with all fans.
Appealing to the Mancunian crowd, Mayer told them they weren't the raucous rabble he had expected, only to be told by his bass player that a football generally needs to be involved to get the Manchester crowd stirred.
Finishing the night with Friends, Lovers or Nothing, Mayer told his adoring fans this was the age old question - now just which of his glamorous Hollywood exes (who include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Simpson and Jennifer Love-Hewitt) was he referring to with such a statement?
Sarah Garrod