John Mayer’s show at New York City’s Madison Square Garden on Monday night (Feb. 21) went on without a hitch after the singer revealed his touring drummer tested positive for COVID-19.
Thankfully, The Roots frontman Questlove was able to step in, according to Mayer, “on an hour’s notice to help end the show on such a powerful and definitive note.”
The “New Light” star thanked Questlove for his help in an Instagram post Tuesday (Feb. 22), and also shared appreciating for the rest of his touring band, who “stepped up in ways that I will never forget, and will bond us forever.”
In the comments section, Questlove gave an inspiring and refreshingly vulnerable account of his night, writing, “Normally if i cram more than 3 songs (like say a Roots Jam session is a 30+ song affair) I gotta stay in isolation—-not because of song difficulty or simplicity—-I just need to absorb the song so much it becomes second nature and then once that happens the magic can [appear] and you can relax a lil.”
“So initially I didn’t wanna run in audience for fear that what you were playing would erase my memory banks,” he continued. “But I had to see what the show energy was. You solo’d w ‘Neon’ & man….I gotta say that yeah—-this Avengers band is to die for..but uh if I were you? Maybe for summer season one of these years just Prince that ish and solo tour it. It was so jaw dropping at one point it literally had to relearn ‘Clarity’ for ALL the info of the last 45 mins just seeped out—-and of ALL the songs from last night you’d swear I’d at least would know the song I originally drummed on. Thanks for inviting me.”
Questlove concluded his thoughts by sharing that “last night was also a great lesson in me shedding skin and getting over anxiety (2017 Ahmir woulda made an excuse to not come cause fear was my homeboy & until 2 years ago when @summerofsoulmovie came along I would never leave my comfort zone and do something so reckless like what I did last night) so lesson learned people: EMBRACE CHAOS! there is magic there!”
Mayer stepped in, replying, “@questlove everything I learned about embracing ‘chaos’ I learned from @deadandcompany. Everything teaches you something.”
Mayer’s Sob Rock tour continues on Wednesday (Feb. 23) — without Questlove — in Washington, DC. See the full list of dates here.