JM

A sudden chord from an electric guitar resounded in the stadium and you knew he was in the house. John Mayer in Madison Square Garden, that is. Last week, I had the pleasure of watching him perform on his tour promoting "Continuum." Though I sat in section 423, located behind the stage (aka the "worst" seats), I got to see the view of the enormous crowd that every performer sees from the stage (look above). With his quirky humor and intermittent observations on life, he played selections from all four albums. My favorites were "I Don't Need No Doctor, Belief, Why Georgia, Stop This Train," and "Good Love is on the Way." His wide ranging playlist really showed the versatility he's achieved as an artist, reaching into the world of pop, soft rock as well as jazz and blues. He ended with "Gravity" and surprised us with a visit from Alicia Keys, joining him for a few short harmonies. Though Madison Square Garden felt a bit Noah's Ark-ish at times, it really did put you in the mood for a concert. To see some live clips, check out the links below: http://youtube.com/watch?v=yhgF2XYaaGA : Opening http://youtube.com/watch?v=ZV3G7lHVgZg : Belief http://youtube.com/watch?v=2hJek8faHb4 : I Don't Need No Doctor