Recently, John Mayer has been known more for what he says about his sex life than for his music.
Those who saw his show at the Fargodome on Thursday night got good doses of both.
The singer/guitarist seemed like he would keep his mouth shut when he wasn't singing and let his guitar do the talking, opening with "Heartbreak Warfare," an Eric Clapton-like version of "Crossroads" and his early hit, "No Such Thing."
Then, he noticed the signs.
"So many 'sexual napalm' signs," he said, referring to the infamous Playboy interview in which he talked about his ex, Jessica Simpson, in bed. "I love saying things people have to Google."
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He settled on another sign down front that defended him and said he was worthy of a date. He obliged by jumping offstage for a smooch and a quick dance.
After that, he stuck to picking on his guitar. He thrilled the mostly female crowd when he sang high notes on "Comfortable" and put on a solo acoustic clinic with "Neon." He plugged back in for a reggae trip on Bill Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine" and "Waiting on the World to Change" before this version of the newspaper went to press.
Mayer needed to be on his A game as opener Michael Franti and Spearhead nearly stole the show with their pop reggae. Twice Franti made his way around the floor during songs. Brave move for a man who doesn't wear shoes.
Franti closed his hour-long set inviting younger fans on stage to dance and sing along with last summer's top 20 hit "Say Hey (I Love You)."
Rarely do you see an arena show where both opener and headliner turn in electrifying performances, but Thursday night was a treat for music fans.
Readers can reach Forum columnist John Lamb at (701) 241-5533
