James Brown be damned — John Mayer is the hardest-working man in show business today. If you disagree, well, you probably didn’t attend Mayer’s concert Saturday night at Hilton Coliseum.

Mayer has toured almost non-stop since the release of his breakthrough album, “Room For Squares,” and is currently touring the U.S. to promote his latest, “Heavier Things.” The first of Mayer’s two-day Iowa stint didn’t quite pack the rafters of the cavernous arena, but Mayer was well-received by the masses just the same.

Clad in a gray oxford shirt, jeans and royal blue and yellow Nike Cortez sneakers (circa 1983, get it?) Mayer emerged from the wings to maddening screams from the crowd and immediately launched into a flawless, uptempo version of his latest single, “Bigger Than My Body.”

Mayer followed up with a defiant rendition of an old favorite, “Why Georgia,” complete with an extended scatted bridge. Guitarist Michael Chavas’ electric talents were on display here, balancing Mayer’s acoustic skills.

Changing gears after a bouncy “No Such Thing,” Mayer proved what many of his fans know well — Mayer’s talents are more evident in his B-sides than his hit singles.

“Clarity,” however, is a song that could fit into both categories. A new addition to Mayer’s stage show — a horn section — was featured here. The combination of the brass and heavy bass was nearly overpowering, though. Hilton’s acoustics just couldn’t do justice to the multilayered track, and the sound was nearly deafening at times.

Mayer followed up with his long-time stage staple ballad “Something’s Missing,” a song that managed both to captivate and puzzle the energetic crowd. The stage lights faded to a vibrant blue, capturing the mood of the song, which Mayer explained was about “when you’re trying to get that good feeling back, but you just can’t.”

The confusing element came in Mayer’s earnest ramblings to the audience halfway through the song. Combining lyrics and spoken word, Mayer encouraged the audience to engage in some self-discovery — sort of.

“If you find yourself surrounded by people who don’t deserve you, make some noise,” he pleaded.

“If you find yourself with people who aren’t the right kind of people, but they’ll do for right now, then let me hear you.”

A 10-minute extended rendition of the sex-laden slow grind “Come Back To Bed” showcased Mayer’s blues guitar chops. In a solo echoing legends Stevie Ray Vaughn and B.B. King, Mayer also tipped his hat to the Rolling Stones, whose “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” inspired the song. An endearing “conversation” between Mayer and his guitar sealed the deal.

Rounding out the 13-song set were “My Stupid Mouth” — a somewhat surprising crowd pleaser — and the nostalgic “83.” Fans of VH1’s popular “I Love The ’80s” series hoping for a sly Trapper Keeper reference were disappointed, however, as Mayer stuck to the original lyrics.

Mayer wrapped up the night with a delightful flute-laden version of “St. Patrick’s Day” and perennial favorite “Back To You.”

Mayer’s performance Saturday highlighted his growth as an artist and entertainer — growth shown even since his summer concert tour with the Counting Crows. He’s built up quite an arsenal of songs, and his non-stop touring has added more than fuel to his fire — he’s working with dynamite these days.

Danish singer/songwriter Tietur, who finished up his string of tour dates Saturday — R&B newcomer Cody Chesnutt takes over from this point on — led the night with an impressive hour-long, eight-song set from his debut, “Poetry and Airplanes.” Tietur’s brand of thoughtful acoustic rock was well-received by the audience and helped brand him as one to watch in the future.