As soon as the lights went down at The Park at Harlinsdale’s Midnight Sun stage, fans began cheering for the last performer of the 2025 Pilgrimage Music and Cultural Festival.
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A few minutes later, John Mayer made his way up with little fanfare, casually picking up a guitar and beginning what would go on to become a spectacular show.
“Last Train Home” and “Queen of California” got things going, each with an extended musical section. The live addition—which Mayer implemented in most songs throughout the night—gave him a chance to show off his incredible guitar skills.
The audience—which included country star Kelsea Ballerini—was wowed by those moments in particular, with mouths hanging open as the camera zoomed Mayer’s fingers as they played.
Despite his virtuoso-like talents, Mayer came across as both humble and grateful throughout the show.
While introducing “Slow Dancing in a Burning Room,” for instance, Mayer lamented that lots of people got good at the guitar part of the song, meaning he has to be even better than them each time he played it. He proceeded to perform it, extended guitar portion included, and proved he can do just that.
At another point, Mayer admitted that he didn’t think anyone would care about his set, something that was quickly dispelled when he noticed the signs that littered the crowd.
Mayer brought up those signs more than once, even implementing an acoustic set to play portions of some requested songs. “Covered In Rain,” “Neon,” “A Place to Call Home” and “Whiskey, Whiskey, Whiskey” were among the included tunes.
John Mayer Delivers Unforgettable Encore at Pilgrimage
The set came to an end with Mayer’s groovy 2018 song “New Light,” but fans weren’t ready to say goodbye. At the insistence of the crowd, Mayer came back out for an encore.
He was so happy to do so, in fact, that he beat his band back to the stage, something he good-naturedly mocked himself for as the musicians made their way up.
After thanking fans for supporting his music and attending the show, Mayer gave them another reason to smile. “I’ll go write some new music and come back to you pretty soon,” he promised.
“Gravity” was Mayer’s closing song of choice. The crowd sang along the whole time and continued to cheer long after the music ended. Though fans were clamoring for a second encore, the clock had struck 10 and the lights had come up, signaling the end of Pilgrimage 2025.
Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images for Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival
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