Mayer Hawthorne Lays Down the Law at Apogee Studios

Silky smooth Mayer Hawthorne (aka the Mayor of Hawthorne, as he has been mistaken for) has been a station favorite since his 2009 debut album, A Strange Arrangement, and he has played for KCRW in numerous capacities, from performing live on Morning Becomes Eclectic to entertaining the crowds at the Fox Hills Mall. But this was probably the most elegant setting yet for him and his band to play for us and a select group of guests, in the beautiful confines of legendary engineer & producer Bob Clearmountain’s Apogee Studios. On the eve of the release of his new album, Man About Town, Mayer brought good vibes to the Westside, bringing out fans from across the city, including our own Anne Litt, who, despite just returning for the live music overload of SXSW, said of Mayer, “He’s a great time – super, super talented and he just totally made me happy!”

(photos by Larry Hirshowitz)

Bringing the soul and the cool outfits (check out those shoes!), Mayer and his band serenaded the crowd and sent everyone home happy. As Mayer himself said, “Everybody was classy, and I had a ball.” You can experience the fun yourself, as the session will be broadcast on Morning Becomes Eclectic on Friday, April 8, when it will also be available for streaming as well.

KCRW’s Apogee Sessions featuring Mayer Hawthorne

hosted by Jason Bentley, Monday, March 21, 2016

Set list

Back Seat Lover

Love Like That

Designer Drug

No Strings

Cosmic Love

The Valley

Fancy Clothes

I Wish It Would Rain

Walk This Way

The Walk

Musicians

Mayer Hawthorne – vocals & guitar

Quentin Joseph – MD & drums

Christian Wunderlich – guitar

Joe Abrams – bass

Tyler Cash – keys

Jimi James – vocals