While many artists can put on a decent live performance, it is
the overpowering enthusiasm of John Mayer that makes his show so
engrossing. It appears with every song there is a little more
energy, a little more emotion being poured into the lyrics, a
little more life in his signature hop. With bouncing guitar solos
and the microphone moans of a rock star, Mayer put on a performance
Saturday at the Palace of Auburn Hills that allowed his true skills
and musical depth to come through.

“Clarity,” a rumination on the temporary nature of
the present, set the stage for the sound and feel of the rest of
the show. Featuring a trumpet and saxophone in the background, the
song reflected a bluesy atmosphere which continued throughout the
night. It was during songs such as “Only Heart” that
Mayer let loose on the guitar, proving his dexterity by stomping on
the fret and presenting a solo worthy of any true
rock’n’roll show. The setlist was one of reflection on
time and women, trademarks of Mayer’s latest album, Heavier
Things. With each transition came a step toward some sort of
conclusion, the concert playing out like a read through
Mayer’s journal.

Flowing seamlessly between his various electric, poppy songs
(like “Back To You”) and those more mellow and
slow-paced (“Daughters”), the show progressed as a
lover’s lament. One of his more somber and bluesy pieces,
“Come Back To Bed,” lasted nearly 10 minutes with its
various solos and a Mayer dialogue regarding the pitfalls of
arguing with a woman. With mock reactions of surprise as his guitar
did the woman’s side of an argument, the song exhibited what
anyone could see throughout the show: Mayer was having an
incredible amount of fun. It’d be impossible for him not to
with the reaction that came with songs like “Your Body Is A
Wonderland.”

The floor section was at his mercy and the overall crowd
enthusiasm was at its highest of the night when Mayer showed his
ability to change the energy of the crowd with a simple strum of
his guitar.

Mayer proved this control over the audience by dropping it to a
hush and closing with the slow and contemplative
“Wheel.” A meditation on the cyclic nature of life, it
was a fitting end to a show which presented an entertaining look on
the highs and lows of life.