Just back from Mayer @ O2

bacchanalian

Thanks to all.  I have bought Paradise Valley for the car and there are quite a few albums to stream on Prime

Danny1969

Personally I never listen to any of the studio albums but constantly have Where The Light is in the car and always watch live stuff. Luckily there's a huge stash of it on Youtube

Completely brilliant guitar player \ singer with enough good songs to make the Live shows work ... the studio albums not so much

Adamski

BRISTOL86 said:

We were in Block 111 @DrCornelius - about 45 degrees to the stage. Thought the sound was great where we were.

https://i.imgur.com/Xq8QWX0.jpg

I don't go to a lot of shows and the ones I have been to in recent years were big venues so that may be a factor. 

And I completely get it about the new stuff not being great, relatively. I said myself that if it was anyone else other than Mayer I probably wouldn't even like it. 

But I only got into guitar fairly recently and it was his playing that made me think 'I want to do that' so I'll always love what he does!

I was in block 112 and the sound was immense! Some of the best I've heard at the O2. I definitely think off to the sides of the stage is the sweet spot in that venue. It was nice and close too and I saw everything well without having to look at the big screens. 

Niallseroreilly

I am a fan of his... favourite would be where the light is.... but by God he is truly madly deeply in love with himself...

Strat54

Danny1969 said:

Personally I never listen to any of the studio albums but constantly have Where The Light is in the car and always watch live stuff. Luckily there's a huge stash of it on Youtube

Completely brilliant guitar player \ singer with enough good songs to make the Live shows work ... the studio albums not so much

As he's taper friendly you can listen and download plenty of his gigs shared here;
https://archive.org/details/JohnMayerMusic

Kebabkid

The 'Where the light is' DVD is a good one to watch for someone new to JM as it covers all of what he does.

'Continuum' is probably the best album to listen to and has the most commercial value and the more popular songs.

My personal favourite from a later album is 'Shadow Days"

Adamski

Also I don't get some of the hate for his music. He is probably the only relevant solo artist out there who has his level of profile, can sell out a venue like the O2 for two nights and get away with playing over two hours of heavily guitar laden blues/country inspired music to a general audience who think of him (wrongly) as an American Ed Sheeran. 

I think he he should get a lot more respect amongst guitarists for achieving something like that. I think what maybe let's him down is he comes across as a bit of a dick off stage. 

TimmyO

cbellanga said:

And yes he's a great guitar player with lovely / catchy songs.

But I have to say that David Gilmour gig @ Royal Albert Hall and Pat Metheny @ Ronnie Scotts gigs were 1000x more interesting and inspiring! His acoustic guitar technique was nice though.

On the other hand, his stage visuals and animations were great! Probably one of the best I've seen so far!

Were you one of the lucky ones who got a ticket in the first 37 nano-seconds they went on sale, or did you pick one up more recently? 

robdynamite

DrCornelius said:

For me top 3 studio albums are (in order)

paradise valley
born and raised
continuium

the first two add a folky country feel to his sound , continuum is more straight ahead pop rock/blues imho

I fully agree.

Niallseroreilly

Battle studies is brilliant

dindude

Continuum 
Born & Raised
Battle Studies

That would be my top three studio albums.

Blacksheep

I wish he'd release a studio album with Palladino and Jordan. It's long been rumoured to be in the pipeline.
 Try! was an outstanding example of how good a trio can be live. 

Dominic

John Mayer and Brad Paisley are probably the only 2 guitar heroes that could sell out a big venue in these days of guitar hate 
Obviously the odd iconic old rock band such as Zep ,Stones etc could but as front men guitar slingers and singers there are very few others
Most promoters would agree.

imalrightjack

Dominic said:

John Mayer and Brad Paisley are probably the only 2 guitar heroes that could sell out a big venue in these days of guitar hate 
Obviously the odd iconic old rock band such as Zep ,Stones etc could but as front men guitar slingers and singers there are very few others
Most promoters would agree.

Give me somebody like Laura Marling in a small venue, any day of the week. Interesting songs, great voice, excellent guitar playing (without resorting to cliché or showiness) and superb band.

Alterlifeson

stickyfiddle said:

Of the studio albums, Continuum is by far the best. Try is a great live album with just the trio, but Where the Light Is is a better overall performance by far.

Then the rest all have merit, but get patchier in (for me) the following order: Born & Raised, Battle Studies, Paradise Valley Room for Squares, Heavier Things and The Search for Everything. 

I'd agree with Continuum being his best work but I'd put the rest in pretty much the opposite order from yourself, only swap TSFE and Heavier things around.

I love the new album, sure its not as 'guitar' based but for me it flows much better than any of his other stuff, I can start at track 1 and not feel the need to skip at all. The order is just perfect. Some nice clean playing on there as well.

I was there as well last night, on the back stalls about 1/4 of the way up, thought the sound was great!

skinfreak

BRISTOL86 said:

bacchanalian said:

Mayer has completely passed me by and the bits I have heard sounded a bit smooth and smoochy.  Could someone recommend an album where I should start?  

Personally I'd watch the 'Where The Light Is' DVD/BluRay from start to finish. That's what got me. I don't think I'd have reacted the same if I'd tried to get into him by listening to his studio stuff. 

It's available on YouTube as a playlist if that's your thing

OK. Hang on. Bear with me here...trying to process something...

OK. Got it.

HE. IS. DRIVING. A. FUCKING. MERC. WITH. A. SMALL. DOG. IN. A. SEATBELT. NEXT. TO. HIM. PROSTRATING. HIMSELF. AS. AN. APOLOGY. FOR. HIS. DETRACTORS.

Am I the only one here that laughed like a hyena with him complaining about people thinking they know everything about him? He's is setting himself up to be some sort of more verbally articulate Paris Hilton! I don't care about his perception of a 25 year old self. Work his own shit out on his own time and entertain me. Dance Monkey Dance.

That video is not the one for me to get into him. He looks and sounds like a pompous asshole.

Mayer Fans: TRY. HARDER.

Whitecat

Mayer's only ever done one thing I genuinely love and listen to repeatedly - and it's a bit random but it just gels and I think it's great. 

TimmyO

skinfreak said:

BRISTOL86 said:

bacchanalian said:

Mayer has completely passed me by and the bits I have heard sounded a bit smooth and smoochy.  Could someone recommend an album where I should start?  

Personally I'd watch the 'Where The Light Is' DVD/BluRay from start to finish. That's what got me. I don't think I'd have reacted the same if I'd tried to get into him by listening to his studio stuff. 

It's available on YouTube as a playlist if that's your thing

OK. Hang on. Bear with me here...trying to process something...

OK. Got it.

HE. IS. DRIVING. A. FUCKING. MERC. WITH. A. SMALL. DOG. IN. A. SEATBELT. NEXT. TO. HIM. PROSTRATING. HIMSELF. AS. AN. APOLOGY. FOR. HIS. DETRACTORS.

Am I the only one here that laughed like a hyena with him complaining about people thinking they know everything about him? He's is setting himself up to be some sort of more verbally articulate Paris Hilton! I don't care about his perception of a 25 year old self. Work his own shit out on his own time and entertain me. Dance Monkey Dance.

That video is not the one for me to get into him. He looks and sounds like a pompous asshole.

Mayer Fans: TRY. HARDER.

Jog on.

richardhomer

skinfreak said:

BRISTOL86 said:

bacchanalian said:

Mayer has completely passed me by and the bits I have heard sounded a bit smooth and smoochy.  Could someone recommend an album where I should start?  

Personally I'd watch the 'Where The Light Is' DVD/BluRay from start to finish. That's what got me. I don't think I'd have reacted the same if I'd tried to get into him by listening to his studio stuff. 

It's available on YouTube as a playlist if that's your thing

OK. Hang on. Bear with me here...trying to process something...

OK. Got it.

HE. IS. DRIVING. A. FUCKING. MERC. WITH. A. SMALL. DOG. IN. A. SEATBELT. NEXT. TO. HIM. PROSTRATING. HIMSELF. AS. AN. APOLOGY. FOR. HIS. DETRACTORS.

Am I the only one here that laughed like a hyena with him complaining about people thinking they know everything about him? He's is setting himself up to be some sort of more verbally articulate Paris Hilton! I don't care about his perception of a 25 year old self. Work his own shit out on his own time and entertain me. Dance Monkey Dance.

That video is not the one for me to get into him. He looks and sounds like a pompous asshole.

Mayer Fans: TRY. HARDER.

Broadly speaking, would you say you're a fan, or not?

Norwegian_Blue

Blacksheep said:

I wish he'd release a studio album with Palladino and Jordan. It's long been rumoured to be in the pipeline.
 Try! was an outstanding example of how good a trio can be live. 

To be honest, that's what Continuum, Battle Studies and The Search for Everything are? Steve produced them and him and Pino pretty much play on everything!