DALLAS -- John Mayer hasn't endeared himself to many people lately, but that didn't stop him from feeling the love Tuesday night.
His two-hour performance at the American Airlines Center, the latest stop on his Battle Studies promotional jaunt, felt more like a homecoming than just another date on the itinerary. From the opening notes of Heartbreak Warfare, a Studies track cut from sturdy U2 cloth, the nearly full room roared and didn't let up until Mayer began noodling on Gravity during the encore.
Flashbulbs popped, lighters blazed briefly and homemade signs ("I want to lick your face," read one) dotting the female-heavy crowd. Even Mayer couldn't help himself: "You're the most beautiful crowd I've ever played to," he murmured near the evening's end.
The unabashed adoration had to feel pretty good for a guy who's been through the media wringer over the last few weeks. By his own, seemingly careless doing, Mayer dropped a series of bombs in a February interview with Playboy magazine. Blurting out the N-word, referring to ex-girlfriend Jessica Simpson as "sexual napalm" and making crude references to his, uh, racist genitals, Mayer crammed his foot so deeply into his mouth he could probably taste his kneecap.
Although he hurriedly took to his popular Twitter feed to apologize (and again, tearfully, onstage to his fans and bandmates soon after), Mayer, known for his gregarious ways and ribald sense of humor, quickly understood he just needed to shut up and play.
Which, for the most part, is exactly what he did Tuesday night. By letting the music do the talking, Mayer allowed his true gifts to shine through. He is often (and rightly) knocked as a lightweight lyricist (dude's occasionally got a way with a phrase, usually not), but his guitar chops are monstrous. Those skills weren't on frequent display, yet when Mayer let loose -- as he did during Vultures and again during Assassin -- it was confirmation that, although competition isn't exactly fierce, he is one of the best guitarists of his generation.
Backed by an airtight five-piece band and two back-up singers, Mayer surveyed all phases of his catalog, reaching back to the naive pop-rock of Room for Squares (No Such Thing, My Stupid Mouth) and reveling in the messy complications of selections from Battle Studies (Perfectly Lonely, Half of My Heart).
Clad for much of the show in a Jason Kidd jersey, Mayer didn't completely close himself off; near the end of his set, the singer-songwriter allowed himself some chat time, most of which was spent profusely thanking the fans who'd shown up. It was mesmerizing, watching Mayer torn between needing to acknowledge their support without quite underlining why.
In fact, one sensed that, if given a choice, Mayer might just be content to hide in the shadows, letting the sound aver for him. There came a moment, near the end of Assassin, where the spare stage was shrouded in darkness. From within, rippling guitar lines cascaded forth, bold as love, and allowing Mayer's true voice -- free of confusion or foolishness -- to speak loud and clear.
