American jazz guitar supremo Pat Metheny’s life changed when in 1964, as a 10-year-old in a trumpet-playing family, he watched The Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show playing these strange instruments …

Now, 50 years later with 53 albums under his belt and an unprecedented 20 Grammy awards across 10 different categories, Metheny was here for a one-off appearance at Sydney’s Vivid to present the greatest musical one-man show on earth.

Pat Metheny, Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House. Photo © Ravyna Jassani

It all began with the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall stage set with a single guitar on its stand, a stool, several amplifiers, fold-backs and pedals and floor synthesisers scattered around. There were also several mysterious shapes covered in drapes.

The lighting was tasteful with geometric patterns splashed around and above the stage as Metheny walked on, beaming appreciatively, to a spectacular ovation, shucking off his jacket and picking up the guitar, a nylon string acoustic made by his favourite luthier, Canadian Linda Manzer.

Hunched over, his luxurious grey-white mane almost hiding his face as he nodded from side to side,...