With his unassuming nature and all-American good looks, Atlanta-based singer/songwriter/guitarist John Mayer could be the guy next door. His performance before a sold-out crowd of approximately 450 people at Starr Hill Restaurant and Brewery on Feb. 18 certainly seemed to leave the audience wishing he would move into the neighborhood.
The 23-year-old Mayer has attracted considerable attention in Charlottesville, and with good reason.
"Mayer's acoustic style is reminiscent of David Gray and the Dave Matthews Band," third-year College student Austin Schell said. "However, his ability to personalize romantic melodies such as 'Your Body is a Wonderland' and 'Comfortable' makes his work seem less commercial than his big-name counterparts."
At Starr Hill, Mayer attracted an audience comprised mainly of University students who swayed happily to his acoustical tunes.
Mayer's two-hour concert showcased many songs from his recent recording "Room for Squares," including "St. Patrick's Day," "Love Song for No One," "Why Georgia," and the popular "Your Body is a Wonderland," which the crowd joined in singing. "Room for Squares"wasthe follow-up to his 1999 album "Inside Wants Out," which mainly features solo acoustic renditions.
This show, however, was not a one-man effort. Bassist David LaBruyere, guitarist Matt Mangano and drummer Stephen Chopeck joined Mayer onstage. All demonstrated considerable talent, which was showcased during instrumental interludes in many of the songs, including a drum solo by Chopeck during the song "Neon" that left the crowd cheering and clapping. However, at times the volume of their instruments overpowered Mayer's voice and made it difficult to fully understand his lyrics, one of Mayer's greatest strengths.
Lyrics such as "I want to scream at the top of my lungs / I just found out there's no such thing / as the real world / just a lie you've got to rise above" (from "No Such Thing") make Mayer easy for University students to relate to. His songs tackle topics ranging from love (and lack thereof) to social mishaps, to life in Georgia. Although some of Mayer's lyrics may seem exceedingly simplistic or sappy ("I tell everyone / I smile just because / I've got a city love"), in concert Mayer sings them with such sincerity that even skeptics are smitten.
Throughout the concert Mayer presented himself as an unpretentious, ordinary fellow, sharing glimpses of his personal life and stories about his songs with the audience.
"I used to work a job labeling videos for eight hours a day, and I came home one night and wrote this song when I wasn't feeling particularly sexy," he told the audience before launching into the upbeat song "Back to You."
Mayer's performance style was marked by his subtle and smooth dance moves, his keen facial expression and his seemingly genuine passion for music.
"On the last day of my life I'll probably be playing music," he told the crowd.
For his final song, Mayer took the stage alone, and the audience joined him singing the perpetual crowd-pleaser "Comfortable." Certainly it had been a comfortable evening for all, a time void of glitz and glamour but infused with first-class acoustical songs and honest melodies from a down-to-earth musician on his way to the top.
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