John Mayer’s Introspective Show Dazzles New York’s UBS Arena

Over the past two and half decades, John Mayer has become on of the music industries' top performers. On Saturday night, the pop-music sensation, who bizarrely (and thankfully) became member of Dead & Company with the Grateful Dead's Bob Weir, entertained a packed UBS Arena for over two hours, by himself.

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The multi-talented Mayer delivered an evening of over two dozen solo renditions of his greatest hits, along with a few Grateful Dead teases and a familiar Tom Petty song to end the night, to the packed arena that his home to the New York Islanders.

The evening began with a 45 minute warm up set from recording artist, JP Saxe. Saxe entertained a small portion of the eventual crowd with his singing, piano and acoustic guitar talents but the crowd was there to see John Mayer. After about a 25 minute intermission, the seven-time Grammy Award winner took a seat on his simple stage, outfitted with a few different performing areas, including a grand piano. Mayer was by himself with his guitar and would be for the entire evening. This completely solo effort began in the early spring, took a hiatus in the summer to tour with Dead & Company for their "Final Tour," and resumed in late September.

Mayer started the evening, seated with his acoustic guitar, with a fan favorite from his 2006 'Continuum' album, Slow Dancing in a Burning Room. He entertained the crowd throughout the night, in between songs, reading signs that fans made, wishing happy birthdays and even giving advice to one educator-fan's second grade class. The multi-talented Mayer even took a minute or two to figure out an audience member's request to play Paul Simon's 'Kodachrome,' on the fly. He did. Mayer was funny, engaging and apparently very thankful. The video presentation was fantastic and even incorporated two vintage videos from the 46-year old entertainer's younger days.

John Mayer put on a terrific performance. We certainly didn't hear any complaining leaving the venue. By the way, the UBS Arena is an easy ride from the Capital Region. The venue is minutes from the Throgs Neck Bridge. The parking was easy and convenient. In case you are interested, the entire setlist was: (acoustic guitar) Slow Dancing in a Burning Room - Wild Blue - Love on the Weekend - Emoji of a Wave - Why Georgia - Daughters - Birdsong (tease) - Who Says - Waiting on the Day - Althea (first verse) - The Age of Worry - In Your Atmosphere - (moved to piano) You're Gonna Live Forever in Me - I Will Be Found - Changing (finished with electric guitar and piano solo. It was pretty cool) - (back to acoustic guitar) Stop This Train - Kodachrome - Your Body Is a Wonderland - Never on the Day You Leave - Still Feel Like Your Man - In the Blood - Walt Grace's Submarine Test - (switched to double-neck guitar) Dear Marie - Perfectly Lonely - Edge of Desire - (encores) Neon - Free Fallin'.