Listen: John Mayer Dusts Off Guns N’ Roses Cover for First Time Since 2002

On Tuesday, Nov. 7, John Mayer played his second to last show on the current leg of the Solo Acoustic tour. The performance took place at the Chase Center in San Francisco. One of the concert highlights was when the known guitarist traded in his expected instrument for some time at the piano and treated the crowd to a short rendition of the Guns N’ Roses original “Patience.”

Unlike the original composition, released on Guns N’ Roses’ 1987 album G N’ R Lies, with a full band supporting lead vocalist, Mayer was completely alone apart from the keys. The arrangement had a strong delivery on the acoustic piano, making for a lighter, more wholesome approach. Whereas Guns N’ Roses’ take features a hauntingly beautiful whistled introduction from Axel Rose, Mayer did not attempt said part.

Instead, the former Dead & Company guitarist did the song justice, scraping the extended play, which clocks in at just under six minutes, for a stripped-down effect, using the borrowed piece of music to transition into his own song “Changing,” which appeared on the 2017 record, The Search For Everything. Tuesday’s rendition wasn’t the first time Mayer had played the cover, the artist debuted it in 2002, according to Setlist.FM.

Mayer’s last show on his 2023 tour will be tomorrow, Nov. 10, when he takes the stage at The Kia Forum in Inglewood, Calif. Tickets remain on sale for tomorrow’s concert. 

Listen to Mayer’s cover of Guns N’ Roses’ “Patience” below.