19 Mar 1998 - Cain's Ballroom "Tulsa, OK"
I attended the Johnny Winter concert at Cain's Ballroom
in Tulsa thursday night.
I have been trying to collect my thoughts about what to report since then. Let
me preface my review by stating that I have been a hard core Winter fan since
I had my 8 track tape of the black album in my car in 1969 in high school.
I have faithfully purchased all JW legit recordings and have attended no less
than 10 Johnny Winter concerts in the last 20 years. The last time I saw him
was in Fort Worth Texas at the Caravan of Dreams in 1993, and he still had the
spark to his playing and live performance.
This last thursday in Tulsa, the spark was gone. He was a shadow of the Johnny
Winter that ignited my fire in the past. Sorry I don't keep track of playlists
and small details of concerts. I can just report that this was the first Winter
concert I have ever attended that the crowd remained sitting thru the entire
event. And a Tulsa crowd, especially for Johnny Winter is not that way. His
guitar playing was slow. He missed notes, he never took the audience to a higher
plane.
I don't know quite how to express this fully. Maybe it was a bad night. I truly
hope so.I debated on wether to report or not but this is my response and that
of my friends who are also Winter fans. I'm looking forward to reviews of future
events. Rex Thomas
21 Mar 1998 - Stubb's "Austin, TX"
I meant to get this written last night, but didn't for reasons that are stated within. Last night Johnny Winter played at Stubb's in Austin. Stubb's is a barbeque joint/outdoor venue that is situated along Waller Creek in downtown Austin. Reasonable barbeque but not one of the main music venues in Austin. I say this because, last night Buddy Guy was playing at Antone's, Austin's premier blue's club and a place that Johnny has played in the past. It could be that South by Southwest (the annual music festival and industry shmooze-fest held here in Austin) dictates who plays where, but I have a feeling that the hand of Slatus must be in here somewhere. (More on that later.)
I got there early to ensure that I would be right up front. With all that was going on, there was no problem. The space was largely empty until much later in the evening. In retrospect, I probably should have gone to Antone's and then just elbowed my way to the front for Johnny, but you don't take chances when it's four years or more between appearances.
The opening acts were predominately local and predominately country. Now, I'm not a country music fan, but a couple of these bands were pretty good. The first act, the Cornell Hurd band was alot like Asleep at the Wheel, with a wry sense of humor and decent players. A good bar band. Dale Watson and his band were very adept musically, exhibiting great interplay between Dale on Telecaster and his steel player. Truck driving songs delivered with sincerity and a good sense of humor. Bonus: Jimmie Dale Gilmore made a guest appearance. The only bummer. Some jerk name Jack Ingram (a friend of Todd Snider and similar in the snide, rude four letter country song writer didn't get enough love at home genre) showed up drunk and was the darling of the frat boy set. His guitarist was good (Mike McSomething from Del Rio) but otherwise a waste of time and protoplasm.
The Mighty Blue Kings (who played second on the bill) were outstanding, and I would like to thank whoever mentioned them previously on the list. 40's/50's jazz swing stylings, two saxes, piano, bass drums, male vocalist/front man and a GREAT guitar player who tastefully pulled together the groove and added an imaginative and fun sound that really made the big difference in this bands appeal. I recommend them. BTW, their next to last number was Manic Depression, which I gather is a sort of signiture tune for them. They did a great very jazzy rendition that did not compromise the intensity of the original at all. Great band.
By this time, it has gotten chilly. It is 1:00 am, we're outside along what has become basically an arroyo (dry creek bed) with a breeze blowing and most of the performers have been visibly cold. The stage hands have everything ready, the Music Man amps are warmed up and a spare Lazer is tuned and ready for use. No Firebird, but this is a showcase type of gig and the best that we can expect is about 40 minutes to an hour of Johnny.
It's time for Johnny to come on, and they fire up two propane space heaters, both of which point to where his mic is set up. After some "John-ny, John-ny" chanting by the crowd, he finally comes out. He has aged alot since the last time that I saw him, which was at Liberty Lunch here in Austin, about five years ago, if I remember correctly. He is wearing a black windbreaker because of the cold, and the trademark black hat pulled down over his eyes. He was playing the white Lazer with the decals on it and using, I think, a combination of flange and distortion to get his tone. Once you got used to it, the flange did fill out the tone a bit for those single note rhythm parts, and it was an alternative to using as much volume as it used to take to get that fullness.
I have already mentioned that he had aged alot. I was about eight feet away from him for the whole show. He almost never opened his eyes. His sight must be close to gone. He walked out on stage without being obviously led, but he was following a carefully chosen path. He had some difficulty getting the guitar plugged in at the beginning and basically pulled the jack out and dropped it at the end in what looked like fairly fumbling movements. He was led offstage by a flashlight, as we have seen before. So, not blind, but pretty close. His onstage movements were very contained. A little rocking from side to side, but very careful not to really step anywhere, possibly so he wouldn't get too separated from the mic. Physically, he looked very frail and a good deal older than I would have expected. He did, however, not look particularly sick. He appeared to be someone who has battled some health problems and recovered as far as his physical limitations and age would allow. He won't be playing in any charity softball tournaments, but I expect that I'll get to see him play again. He is not at death's door.
He opened with Hideaway. I've gotta say, I don't think that this tune is the best vehicle for Johnny's playing. As someone mentioned, he riffs through it, very methodical. Good playing. No real flash. This is Austin. You can throw a stick in any direction and hit a guitar player that could have delivered as good or better version of that particular song. This is a guitar player's heaven/hell, depending on how you want to look at it. His chops warmed up through the tune, but as I looked around I saw alot of faces displaying some of the sadness and disappointment that has been expressed via reports to this list. I saw something else, however. More on that later. He did get a very loud and warm response at the end of the tune and that seemed to warm him more than any space heaters ever could.
I'm freezin' by this point, not having been aware that it would be an outdoor gig and that the temperature was going to drop as much as it did. The next song was (I think) Boogie Real Low. From the opening riff, there was more confidence and more of the timing that is part of his signature. There wasn't the blazing speed of the past, and some of the fluidity was missing. (I can attribute part of the fluidity issue to the cold. Mark (the bass player) mentioned afterward that the cold had been a real concern.) The biggest surprise was his voice. You could hardly hear him. I had attributed the problem to the sound when he was hard to hear at the end of Hideaway as he introduced the band, but this was a real surprise. This also improved as the gig went along, but the reports that the growl is gone are correct. If you have heard some of the earlier recordings with Edgar, like the original Christmas tune recording, and you can picture that sweet, high voice, that's where his vocals are now. However, he doesn't have the support to belt it out as he did then. I would guess that whatever his illness was, it took a toll on his wind.
Chopswise, he hit some good points along the way in Boogie Real Low. I found that if I closed my eyes and didn't watch an old man rock from side to side as he played, and pictured a young man moving around on the stage, that, for the most part the same energy and notes were there, especially during the parts he plays to accompany himself while he sings. However, when he took of on a lead, it was nowhere close to what it used to be. There were physical limitations that were, I think, exacerbated by the cold. What Slatus could've been thinking, God only knows.
Sick and Tired was next and he made a little crack about the title. Something to the effect of what the song could be about, perhaps alluding to his own past illness. He was smiling and having a good time. It went well, although, as with all the songs, he extended them without filling the space as he used to. It might have been better to play more tunes and cover more material. This was really the case with the next number, a blues tune that I didn't recognize. Real nice changes, but I didn't catch the hook in the chorus. During the second song, one of the space heaters had started to malfunction. It was puffing and belching flame smoke onto the stage. I was afraid the damn thing was going to blow! (So, it turns out, was Mark Epstein!) The stage hands finally snapped to, and turned the damn thing off, but the stage started getting colder as a result. By the time he had started into the blues number, I could tell that he was getting cold and was having more difficulty playing. He missed the occaisional note at various points throughout the evening, now he started missing quite a few more. He was, I think getting concerned about this and at the end of the song exhibited the mannerism that has been mentioned by several contributors to this list. He looked at his watch. He had started doing it a little earlier in the evening. There's only one problem with this scenario. He wasn't wearing a watch! I could practivally reach out and touch him, I got the best view ever of his technique (big bonus!) and I can tell you that there was no watch. Whenever he would do that, Mark would step over and they would confer. I think that it's a signal for, "what shall we do next" or "God, I'm freezing my ass off! How many more tunes do we have left?
He closed with Johnny Guitar. He rallied a little during that tune, but he was visibly cold and anxious to finish the tune without flubbing any more leads. I have played gigs in the cold before and I know what he was experiencing. He was sticking with licks that allowed greater economy of movement, and using extended bends, etc. to get through the tune. I had heard him play better in the evening, and as I stood there, I was glad to see him again, but sorry that he had been booked into the worst possible venue: an outdoor gig at 1:00 AM with a cold breeze blowing in. I was glad for his sake when he was able to finish and get offstage.
Throughout the gig, every time a song concluded, the crowd applauded wildly, cheered and whistled. This is Austin and Johnny is always very welcome here. Considering the shitty conditions, the turnout was very good for the venue and people were lined up on the bridge overlooking the back of the stage. At one point, I looked offstage and there was Junior Brown, come to hear one of his heros. He was sans the trademark hat, and just respectfully catching a set by someone who influenced his own incredible playing.
Johnny's fans continue to love him, and he was visibly moved by the reception. I think that that also frustrated him, though as he got cold in the course of playing and was further hampered in performing as a result. He isn't the Johnny of the early years, but he is still alive and well.
After the gig I bought a poster and a ball cap. I went to the bus in the hope that Johhny might autograph the poster. Mark came out for a smoke and did some autographs, hung out and spoke with some of us. Genuinely warm person. Very supportive of Johnny onstage and a great bass player. Tom Compton did his usual incredible job, but didn't come out after the gig. We asked Mark about the chances of Johnny signing a few autographs. One guy there had an INCREDIBLE picture of Johnny and SRV sitting together with big smiles spread over their faces that was possibly one of the best pictures that had ever been taken of individually, let alone together! He want Johnny to autograph it for him. Mark's eyes looked up and he politely explained that he would love to help, but that there was a "protocol" that HAD to be followed and he couldn't do anything to help. He looked at the picture again, warmly complemented it, and apologized again that he was unable to help.
During the gig, I had noticed a small, skinny guy with curly grey hair. The way that he seemed to be concerned with what was going on, I suspected that he might be Teddy Slatus, Johnny's "manager". While the gig was proceeding he was constantly moving around, he got concerned during the business with the space heater (as was appropriate.) He got and more agitated as the gig went on (almost a distraction, although he was offstage.) When Mark mentioned the "protocol" thing, he told someone that they would need to see Teddy about any autographs. So that those of you who have read about Teddy Slatus in this group can meet him through this experience of mine, let me describe him as I saw him. Probably mid-50s, about 5' 6", short curly grey hair, big, skinny nose, back slightly hunched over at the shoulders. He moved very quickly where ever he was going. Kind of dashing from here to there. He reminded me of a ferret. He would bea humorous figure if he wasn't managing Johnny's career. When he came out to the bus, I approached him with my most professional demeanor, "Mr. Slatus, is there any chance that Johnny might sign a few autographs this evening?" He replied, "Ah, no, no, not tonite, we have a meeting with the record people tonite. This is the only evening we can't. No. Not tonite. We have a meeting. This is the only night..." looking over my shoulder at someone else vying for attention... "oh great! you bought TWO of the caps, that's great!" turning back to me... "no not tonite, we have a meeting." And away he dashed. I felt like I'd met the White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland. A few minutes later, Slatus ushered a group into the bus. It consisted of Jim Franklin, local artist of note who had done some of Johnny's posters back in the Armadillo days, and three or four other people, a couple of which I recognized as local music writers. So much for the record company meeting.
My impressions of Slatus. I think that he does care about Johnny's welfare. I also think that he is incompetant. By way of the Peter Principle, he found himself making decisions in a business for which he was not really prepared. There's a big difference from managing equipment and managing a career. For whatever reason, Johnny has allowed him to remain in charge. They may be very close. Who knows. All I know is that I have been in the business and around it going back 25 years, and I wouldn't let this guy park my car. I don't think that he is necessarily evil (I haven't ruled it out, either) but I did get a general feeling of incompitance mixed with a very controlling attitude.
Well, that's my brain dump of the experience. I warned you of the length. I didn't proof this, so I'm sorry for any typos. I apologize to those of you who e-mailed me regarding getting together to meet at the show. My arrangements were up in the air for too long during the week for me to make plans, and I should have let ya'll know earlier. I'd have written this last night when everything was more fresh in my alleged mind, but I was so damn cold and tired I just crawled into bed.
Hope this gives some of you a sense of what it was like. See Johnny if "he comes to your town."
Mike McIntosh
I was probably behind Mike M at the show last night. He is dead on accurate in his review. Johnny looked like a 75 years old man who had lived hard. No extraneous movements. My friend from Lowell Mass came down and I thought he was gonna cry when JW came out. He hasn't seen JW in about 10 years. More or less, he played material from his live CD at about 90% capacity. Some interesting flourishes but some uncharacteritic mistakes. I'm proud to say that Austin, which can be jaded and spoiled when great players come to town (you know, it ain't cool to get too enthusiastic), treated JW royally. That was Teddy Slatus. I met him during a live radio interview with Roy Buchanan. Roy died a susspect death a week later and I stopped doing interviews (Roy was opening for Johnny at Club Casino at Hampton Beach, NH. Never seen JW work harder). At last night's show, a gorgeous woman from France who had never seen JW before was completely blown away. She also thought he was in his 70's till I set her staight. All things considered, he's still better than even the really great players. Hope he's building strength and getting better.
Mark Fenlon
I thought the January 1997 concert was bad, but I couldn't believe my eyes this time.
When he first walked out he tried to adjust his mike stand, but could not move it. With his left hand shaking, he just stood there holding the mike then let go and stared into space while the band watched and waited. I personally thought he was going to fall over.
He did the Live In NYC set, dragging the bands tempo up and down throughout most songs. Besides walking out, the next biggest round of applaus was when he actually opened his eyes half way through the show.
Johnny played half way descent, slightly better than the January show. His playing was sloppy but his outstanding knowledge of blues licks and turnarounds was awesome. We went hoping that the fifth of vodka and fig newton cookie rumors (pre-show dinner) was just that, a rumor. Unfortunately, as we waited for the show to start, we watched Johnny's guitar tech open up a fresh package of fig newtons.
While waiting for an autograph after the show, another fan had mentioned they saw somebody pouring straight vodka into the plastic cups by his side. All heart-breaking news! This is all extremely upseting as I feel that I am the world's biggest Johnny Winter fan. After twenty years of playing guitar, Captured Live was the Holy Grail for endless inspiration.
I have since purchased almost all of Johnny's CD's as well as a beautiful Gibson Firebird guitar, to get that sound!
Needless to say we went to the show with the greatest of expectations, but we knew the night was over when Johnny pulled a "Jerry Lee Lewis" and stuffed a cocaine saturated towel up his nose for what seemed like ten minutes in front of 2000 people.
Obviously Johnny is not what he used to be but could be better than looking like "death-warmed-over"! I talked on the phone to Teddy Slatus and Betty Ann personally. They both denied any booze or drugs and said Johnny is in the best health he's been in in years. Sheer greed has made them blind as I truly believe this continued abuse and touring is killing him. YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF TEDDY! But what does that matter as long as the money keeps coming in right!
As mentioned earlier, I am sincerely heart-broken and feel somebody should help keep the greatest white bluesman in history alive, even if it means taking him off the road.
David Barkman
22 Mar 1998 - House of Blues New Orleans
As a long-time fan of Johnny Winter, I must express my
concern for his show last night. First of all, I love Johnny and I am always
thrilled to have the opportunity to hear him play!!! But last night was so sad
for New Orleans. Johnny had to be helped on the stage & was so out of it that
he cldn't sing the lyrics to his songs. Also, he went on & on an uncomfortable
length of time on every song but the last one & he quit playing 10-15 minutes
early. B/c of the length of his songs, I believe he only played 5 songs in one
hour & 15 minutes!!! Of course, Johnny never faltered on his guitar playing,
but his appearance was so shocking that the audience gasped when he came out
on stage!!! Johnny is beyond frail!!!
My reason for writing this e-mail is b/c I believe that if someone doesn't help
Johnny asap he will not be around to enjoy the fruits of his hardworking labor.
Many people last night said that they believe this will be the last time we
will ever see him in New Orleans!!! I realize that his family, & Edgar in particular,
have probably done all they believe that they can. But I am pleading for someone
to intervene & help Johnny get the help he needs to save his life!!!
On 3/7/98 Edgar Winter & Rick
Derringer played @ House of Blues in New Orleans & Edgar dedicated a song
to "my poor brother Johnny." Now I know what he means by that statement. Please
help me try to help Johnny!!! I want him to live a long life & @ 54 yrs. of
age - Johnny is at the prime of his career. It is devastating to see him look
so thin!!! What can we do???? Debora
I have debated whether to write a review of this concert.
But I feel that I must after reading the current postings.
First of all, I want you guys to know that I am a long-time Johnny fan. Started
listening to him @ 14 yrs of age & I just turned 40 on Feb. 25, so it's been
26 yrs. for me. I have always felt this strong kinship w/ Johnny b/c his birthday
is 2/23/44 & mine is 2/25/58. But all this aside - I love Johnny & his music!!!
Fortunately, Johnny loves to play in New Orleans. During the N.O. Jazz Fest
(coming up in April)- Johnny usually makes an appearance (although it is usually
a last minute thing - so you have to be ready to go). The last time was 3 yrs
ago & he actually played on the Riverboat!!! B/f that - he played @ Tipitina's
& although he was frail - I only really felt an urge to send over orange juice
to him. He cld still yell w/ spirit & had a zest for life. But on his last visit
, I felt like calling for an immediate drip from the hospital to pump some life
into Johnny.
In all the times I have seen Johnny (which are too numerous to mention here),
I was totally shocked when I saw him last Sunday night!!! I felt compelled to
get a message to Edgar (who also did a show @ House of Blues on 3/7/98 w/ Rick
Derringer ). Edgar dedicated a song to "my poor brother Johnny." Not until
3/22/98 did I really know the full extent of this dedication!!!
Just like usual, this was a spur of the moment booking for Johnny. Another band
cancelled & Johnny took the slot. I was ecstatic & cldn't get to the phone fast
enough to order my tickets ($20.00 + $2.00 handling each). What a deal!!! Savoy
Brown w/ Kim Simmonds put on a great show b/f Johnny came on.
I immediately moved to the front row for Johnny - so I was as close as you cld
get. First of all, no one made any announcement that Johnny was coming out.
He just suddenly appeared after being practically carried down the stairs to
the stage. The audience actually gasped at his appearance. This was the thinnest
I have ever seen Johnny. His arms are so bony that they lack any resemblance
of muscle tone. His black jeans just hung on him & his rear end is completely
gone.
In total, Johnny played 1.25 hrs. which is amazing when you factor in the fact
that he was so loaded that his tongue was hanging out of his mouth, he did not
move on stage except twice, & he forgot the words to his songs. Johnny never
opened his eyes on stage; never yelled "Yea or Yea, alright." There was no dialogue
in btw songs & he even sang the words "Going to a party & everybody is there"
for Boogie Real Low.
The 1st time Johnny moved on stage - he gingerly shuffled over to his guitar
which was lying opened & flat on a table. Without opening his eyes, he took
great pains as he struggled to lay his guitar in the case. A young roady watched
in shock & did nothing to help. It appeared that his young age may have attributed
to the freaked out look on his face.
The 2nd time Johnny moved on stage - he actually spun himself around w/out moving
his feet out of the same spot where he stood on stage. He gave us a great big
smile & the audience went wild. But we were concerned that the spin might make
him too dizzy & he might fall down if he did it again. But, of course, that
was the end of his moves.
Also, Johnny lost track of when his songs were suppose to end. I enjoyed the
extra - long play, but the bass player & drummer kept looking at one another,
rolling their eyes, & trying to go w/ Johnny - not knowing how long it wld go
on. I mention this b/c it was uncomfortably too long!!!
During the show, people kept saying that this wld be the last time we wld ever
see Johnny!!! It broke my heart - even though I enjoyed just being near Johnny
& hearing him play. He is still the best guitar player - even w/ all these factors
going against him. I believe that Edgar, his family, & friends need to intervene
to help save Johnny's life. Debora
24 Mar 1998 - Tennessee Theater "Knoxville, TN
I went to Knoxville last night. It was almost over by
the time I got there. I was able to walk in and sit down and stand some to hear
the last four songs. This was better than what I saw and heard last April in
Cincy.
Last April was almost pathetic compared to last night. Johnny was mediocre but
a mediocre JW isn't too bad. He showed some flashes of his past. I thought the
last time he wasn't even a shadow of his former self. He defintely appears physically
weak but he doesn't seem ill like he did last year. He smiled and seemed happy
at times. I could hear him sing this time where before I could barely hear him
and the only thing the entire concert I understood was when he said "they call
me Johnny Guitar." This time I understood more than a 1/3 of the lyrics while
he sang. He growled a little between songs when he said yeah or alright. That
was nonexistant last year. He seems to be struggling with his fretwork. What
he's doing with his right hand(picking and strumming) seems fine but his left
hand doesn't seem to work as it used to. The expression on his face changes
when he should or wants to start using the frets alot. I wonder if he wants
to roll as he used to but can't or is afraid he'll screw up and might as well
not try. The expression he makes makes me feel something troubles him when in
the past he would really start jamming.
I only heard the last four songs he played. I have trouble figuring out what
he's playing now other than Johnny Guitar. He played one on slide that sounded
kinda like Mojo Boogie or Black Cat Bone. One part of one song sounded like
Memory Pain or maybe Fast Life Rider but I believe it sounded more like Memory
Pain. Another part sounded alot like the beginning of It's All Over Now from
Captured Live. He seems to be improvising alot more now without as great a skill
as he used to have. The part that sounded like Memory Pain and the part that
sounded like It's All Over Now were the parts that reminded me of how great
he's been. Johnny Guitar wasn't too bad either.
The band sounded better this time. Epstein's(sp?) bass did seem too loud at
times. He'd drowned the others out at times. I still don't like his playing
that much but he seemed better this time too. Someone mentioned before that
he's a real nice fella. I wouldn't be surprised if he is but I just don't really
dig him. I miss Jeff Ganz. He looked awful strange at times but he really liked
to play and seemed to really like Johnny. Mark seems to enjoy himself too but
he doesn't jam like Ganz would.
The volume on the mike must have been louder this time too. You could hear Johhny
sing fairly well. There was still alot that was hard to understand but his voice
was there this time. Last April Tom Compton didn't seem very enthused. He seemed
like a person that wanted to be somewhere else. This time he seemed more like
a person working a routine that he knows very well. At times they would all
start jamming pretty good. It didn't last long but it seems they've all come
together more now. Hugh, sometimes Tom would start jamming real well and start
hammering on his bell. The first time I looked for the train. I got a kick out
of that.
Another thing I thought was real funny was I saw Johnny from the side several
times. The way the brim of his hat is bent it looks like he ran into a wall
or something. I couldn't help laughing on the inside because i kept thinking
if he did he doesn't give a damn. He can't see anyway.
Overall it wasn't too bad what I saw. They all seem happier and sound better
than last April. Johnny's still not what he once was but he seems to be trying
harder and enjoying himself more. My expectations weren't as great this time
so I sure that helped a little but I'd have to say it was better than last year.
I'm not sure what he played though. The first song I heard sounded like something
from Hey, Where's Your Brother? The next song was on the Firebird. It sounded
kinda like Mojo Boogie. Then he played Johnny Guitar for an encore and finished
with that funky sounding thing they play now. I wish I had been able to get
there on time. I'm kinda surprised I went at all.
I had to go up there and ask for directions there. Mark's directions didn't
get to me before I left. One guy told me a wrong turn. So I got there a little
later than I would have otherwise. Mark, I drove from Huntsville too. You must
live near where I live.
I wish I had gone to New Orleans and got to see Savoy Brown. I haven't seen
them since 1990 and they blew me away. Kim Simmonds is kinda like Johnny. He
loves to play the blues and had some early commercial success later to have
a long career in relative obscurity.
By the way, who opened for Johnny? I've been rather pleased with the two previous
bands, Micheal Hill's Blues Mob and Jellyroll, that opened for him.
Sincerely, Greg
27 Mar 1998 - Majestic Theater "Detroit, MI"
I wrote a review on a concert that I saw on January 17,
1997 at the Majestic. Johnny's performance was terrible. I saw Johnny at the
same place this past Friday (03/27/98).
His performance was vastly improved. He seemed much stronger and far more fluid
in his movements, and his voice was far more powerful this time. He played for
1 hour and 20 minutes. Although he missed occasional notes and his timing was
off periodically, he performance was a 100% improvement over the one that I
saw one year ago. The most impressive part of the performance was the one slide
song he played where he repeatedly performed a famous riff copied from Elmore
James (Dust My Blues) & Johnny's Progressive Blues Experiment Album (Black Cat
Bone). He should play alot more slide in his shows. His timing is much better
during the slide tunes than it is when he's picking. He was generally very conservative
in his playing. In his songs, he would occasionally attempt a classic Johnny
flurry but would quickly retreat to a slower and more comfortable pace. I got
the feeling from watching him play that he was testing the waters where he once
walked to see where he's at in terms of his overall comeback. It reminded me
of a professional athlete who had a disabling injury and was now coming off
of the disabled list and trying to do a few of the things that made him great.
It would be very interesting to know where he thinks he is at in terms of his
overall performance, and how much of his former greatness he thinks he can ultimately
recover. If his improvement from January 1997 to March 1998 is any indication,
Johnny Winter fans may eventually be in for a very pleasant surprise. In seeing
Johnny ten years ago and seeing him now, I'd say his talent level is at about
40%. I hope his strength and health improve and I'm sure his talent will take
care of the rest!!
Johnny Winter's performance at the Majestic Theater on 3/27/98 was 100% WORSE than his performance at the same venue in January 1997. Hideaway was an embarassment - played in slow-motion with a lot of missed notes and stumbling. Sen Sa Shun/Mojo and Boogie Real Low were better, but Johnny was obviously struggling - he often stuck his tongue out through his lips and was clearly having a difficult time of it. He still has a great tone but played with no speed or dexterity, at a slowed-down tempo. I agree that he sounded great on slide, and should play that guitar more. But overall he barely played good enough to be able to charge admission, and is obviously not well. At one point he grabbed a kleenex and dug around in his nose for an uncomfortably long time in full view of the crowd. It was very sad to see Johnny in such bad shape, and unless his health improves, I don't see how he can keep this up for much longer.
28 Mar 1998 - Agoro Theatre "Cleveland, OH
A pre-concert review from "Cleveland Scene Magazine"
Saw Johnny last night at the Cleveland Agora. I decided to go relunctly by myself at the a last minute, since his last show in Cleveland (4/97)was so poor. I have to confess this was an improved and very good show. Sure, it was not the Johnny of years past but was great to see him. He played everything from NYC for about 1 hr 10 m. Then he did HW61 and Meantown blues for encores (just kidding). I am not a guiter player but I think his current playlist is easier to play for him, which is his way of adjusting to whatever is definitely slowing him down. He seems to rely more on melody with more carefully chosen notes that do not require the physical speed and flash of his younger days. He did walk on and off the stage unassisted and even did one spin (a very careful one) during the encore. This was pretty much the same set that he played last year but this was just better. I don't know if that was due health, fatigue or whatever but it was nice to see him make some sort of rebound. I have a pre concert interview with JW from the local paper which I will scan and forward shortly as well as local reviews when they come out. Cheers, Marc
01 Apr 1998 - "Bottom Line" New York
The West 4th Street Fearless Foursome (myself included) met as usual, a few hours before the show began, and did we ever get rained on!!! That's the price you must sometimes pay for being first on line to a club with general admission seating. During those wet hours, we talked about every Johnny album ever made. Sang a few songs, had a few beers. It was fun. It's part of the reason I keep going.
About an hour before the show, we met the usual cast of characters: Teddy Slatus,
Mark Epstein, and Tom Compton. After seeing them play last night, I am more
convinced than ever that Epstein and Compton are truly gifted musicians. And
real nice guys to boot. Despite the rain, our friends at the Bottom Line wouldn't
let us in even 1 minute early. Of course, all that anger disappeared once we
got inside. That ends the easy part. Now for the hard stuff.
Johnny walked in to the club while the opening band was playing, and the place
went wild. I guess everyone was just glad that he showed up. He came on stage
at 10:30, looking just as he has for quite a while now. Same walk, same clothes,
same guitar, same Johnny. Or was it? Although we were hoping for a different
set of songs (old stuff), he started with Hideaway, as usual. Except for one
minor detail: he could barely play the notes. It sounded exactly like the rendition
of Hideaway which I performed in my bedroom in 1968, six months after I got
my first guitar. It was painful to listen to. The version I knew and loved was
recorded by John Mayall, with Eric Clapton on lead guitar. Smooth and sweet.
This bore little resemblance to that one. Give him time, I thought. He needs
to get warmed up. It was all down hill from there.
When you're sitting three feet from Johnny, you see, feel and hear things
that you just can't when you're 20 or 30 rows back. He looked weak. He looked
aged. No energy to be doing this sort of thing. Barely enough energy to squeeze
the strings against the neck. I know others have talked about him missing notes
here and there. Last night, he missed more notes than I could count. And it
wasn't just me seeing and hearing this. My friends felt the same way. On every
song, Johnny tried to play all of his signature riffs, but he just couldn't
do it. It's the same old story: he stands at the microphone, rocks back and
forth, eyes closed (he never looks at the guitar when he plays any more), hearing
in his mind what he wants to play, but his hands just can't get it done.
Some of the songs seemed to go on interminably, with the same break being
played 3 and 4 times in each song. I can't tell you how often I noticed Epstein
and Compton eyeballing each other as they had to slow down to stay with Johnny.
It was like this all night. One song on the Firebird midway through the set.
Slide work was only fair, with very little playing on different strings. Mostly
up and down on one string. I've heard him set the Firebird on fire in the past.
No more.
The highlight of the night was when he finished the encore (2 songs, the
second was a simple version of Fast Life Rider, one of my favorite songs from
Second Winter). Instead of ambling off stage when the music stopped, both Johnny
and Mark stayed to shake some hands with the folks down front. I managed to
shake both their hands, and Mark even signed one of my fan club pictures.
As
I left the club, I got more and more angry. I had this vision: it's 1998, and
someone decides that Muhammad Ali needs to get back in the ring and fight one
more fight. It must not be allowed to happen. Similarly, I honestly believe
that it's time for Johnny Winter to take his guitars, donate them to the Smithsonian
as national treasures, and hang it up. It hurts me to say this, and I apologize
profusely to anyone who is offended by my utterly worthless opinion. But I have
spent the last 30 years of my life listening to the man I believed was the best
at what he did, and there is no chance at this point that he will ever do it
like that again. If someone like me can see that, why can't Johnny or his people
see it? The reasons why are immaterial. There comes a point when people in the
audience feel sadness and pity for their hero. You've got to know when to call
it a day. Or a career.
I hope I'm not divulging any trade secrets, but I overheard Teddy talking
about the next project for Johnny. A studio album, with guest musicians. Perhaps
one "elder statesman" of blues, along with a young, up-and-coming talent. He
mentioned some names, which I will not. Teddy, if Johnny keeps playing like
he did last night, please don't do it. It's only money.
If any or all of you disagree with my assessment of things, by all means, say so. If you want to throw me off this discussion list, I understand. I'll go quietly. But remember, we only feel this way about people we really care about. While driving to work this morning, I sang to myself, "Last night, I lost the best friend I ever had..."
Wow - I was at this same show on Wednesay night and had a completely different experience. I live in Florida, and couldn't believe my luck at being in NYC on biz at the same time JW was playing. Anyway, I brought an co-worker with me and headed down to the Bottom Line. It WAS pouring, raining cats and dogs. The cover charge was 30 bucks and beers were $5 a pop, so it ended up being a fairly expensive evening, but well worth it.
We got there late, towards the end of the opening act, so we had to sit off to the side of the stage opposite Johnny, so maybe my different perspective accounts for some of it. I agree that Hideaway was kinda weak, he played the same set and looked very frail. But after that it picked up. I thought that while his playing isn't on fire the way it once was, he still plays very competently and put on a good show. I was thinking that it was cool that he is still able to play and please the crowd. I had a great time!
I'm sure Rick knows what he's talking about, but I'd give
my left nut to be able to play as well as Johnny does now. He doesn't move much,
indeed just sways and forth, but still gets the message across (to me, anyway).
I'm going out to buy the new
CD!
Russ
01 May 1998 - Fillmore (San Francisco - Cal)
I just saw Johnny last nite at the filmore. I'm glad I went, it was worth every penny. and the 3 hr. drive. I talked to a guy in line who flew down from Seattle to see him and left his spouse at home cause he could only get one ticket.
Here are my views as honestly as I can and still call myself a loyal, supportive fan.
I was shocked!! Even though I've read all the posts about his condition and I beleived that I was prepared. His feeble side to side sway that he did even when not playing. He still played with the confidence of a master even though he missed notes. He did let out one powerful growl of a "yeah" that put the crowd into a frenzy.
He had fleeting moment of disorientation after Just A Little Bit. When he looked at his watch he moved his wrist up to his face very slowly. With all these things I noticed I still couldn't tell if he seemed happy performing.
Let me be clear. I was not disappointed. I was in the presence of greatness. I left the theater feeling the same way I felt when I left St. Peters Square after seeing the Pope.
Denise and I managed to snag seats when we got in. We met a bubbly albino girl who was sitting in the handicapped seats next to us cause of her eyesight. She lived in the Haight-Ashbury a few blocks away. She was excited about getting up to the stage and getting Johnnys attention, she was trying to coax her friend "she was albino also" into going up there with her. With a little extra coaxing from us the two girls finally headed up there. It was quite heartwarming.
Like I said; I'm glad I went. Anybody who is procrastinating about going to see Johnny because of what you read about him or what Slatus's motives are, just go see him, support him. Hopefully he's enjoying us just as much.
I forgot to voice my appreciation for Mark Epstein. His affection of Johnny really showed. He was almost acting as Johnnys nurse/aide at the same time he was performing. I saw no signs of worry or exasperation in Marks eyes, just caring and support. I didn't notice Slatus so I can't comment on his attitude but the whole group seemed to have an aura of love, not not exploitation.
J. R.
I'm a long time Johnny Winter fan and last night I had the opportunity to go see him at the Fillmore after not having heard a lot about him for many years. The last concert I saw of his was at a"day on the Green" at the Oakland Coliseum. I'm from the Bay Area and during the 70's he played a number of times at Winterland and I saw him there also. This concert at the Coliseum was memorable because Edgar Winter and his band were there also and at one point the two played one of the most incredible sets I can ever remember hearing. In his prime Johnny was incredible to watch and to hear. But ultimately, it was his blues playing style that gave him his roots. I learned much about the blues as a teenager listening to Johnny Winter. I remember how it was with him then.
Last night's concert at the Fillmore was really a shockk in the sense that Johnny shuffled, not bounded out onto the stage. His gait was that of an 80 year old man, his voice nearly gone, his movements sparse and small. He seems to be in the grip of s major health problem and it was very apparent that, whatever it is thaat has gotten a hold of him, will probably not let him go. In spite of this initial shock however, one thing can truly be said: The blues came through as a strong, sure beam of light shining through blackk clouds. His arm movements were sparse, but his playing was steadfast and sure. He sustained notes longer and with a level of straightforward clarity that was unequalled in any performance of ANY type that I've seen by ANYBODY in the last 10 years. I managed to get down right in front of the stage and could watch him play up close. As a a fellow musician myself, I drank in the music. Without the flash, without the rock, without the theatrics, it was just Johnny and the music of his soul. It was wonderful!
The introductory act was Eric Sardinas, personnifying what Johnny would have been like 20 years ago. Eric's band was tight, his lickks flashy;HE was flashy, in many ways a young Johnny Winter prototype, sent out to us for an hour to loosen us up.
The crowd was real supportive and called him out for two encores, which along with the set, had him out on stage for an hour and a half. The few idiots who were too testosterone and alcohol filled to do anything but yell,"let's rock and roll!", were quickly silenced by the onlookers around them, and soon were also giving this great musical legend the respect he deserved. The most poignant moment for me came at the end of the encore, when he suddenly did a little twirl and attempted to give one of his trademark growls. There wasn't a dry eye around. We cheered for a long time!!!!
I don't know what's going on with him now, but as someone who has been down the road of addiction myself, the price we pay for our past actions is often very high. But he still could play that guitar, and in my opinion, better than ever!!!!!
Atfter reading some of the other ones I felt compelled to write, It was an honer and privillage to see him one more time, true he has slowed down a bit, but he will always be one the best Gunslingers I've ever seen!! He did the NYC line-up with a few new wrinkels, He deserves alot better than that idiot he has on bass right now, and they are very protective of him and I see why,he seems very Fraile at this stage in his Life, and that manager doesnt give a shit about the fans or JW hes just lookin for another pay day in my opionon, he directed the whole show from the side lines I've never seen anything like it.In closing the place was sold out of course, and the crowd gave JW the respect he so richly deserves, at one point I actully saw him crack a smile, We love you JW and wish you the very best!!!
I am very sad.
I went tho see my hero (Johnny Winter) last night, and saw a very ill man. He was'nt the Johnny I have seen in the past. He was a very week, slow and fragile man.
I am glad I went; although, I feel I have seen him for the last time.
Please keep this Web sight going. Johnny has been a very big influence on my guitar playing and my music. I will do what I have to do to support this man in his (what looks like and feels like) his final days.
Thanks again.
Frank Giovanni
Bay Area, Ca
Johnny's performance last night at the Fillmore was both fantastic and quite a shock for us diehard Winter fans.
Johnny began his peformance at 10:30 and played to Midnight. The show included all the Live in NYC 97 songs, in order, and Sick & Tired. As many fans have reported, Johnny is terribly emaciated, and appeared disoriented during parts of the gig. In addition one side of the stages vocal amps were out for the last half of the show.
While it was a pleasure to see my favorite musician last night, it was heartbreaking to see him in his current physical condition. Ironically I first saw Johnny 25 years ago (5/26/73), one block from the Fillmore at Winterland. The Winterland show was the "Still Alive & Well" return tour. What a difference the years make.
Anyway, I stongly suggest that any & all Johny Winter fans see him soon, as I strongly doubt his health will permit him to continue. But be prepared for your emotions after seeing him.
Greg Stahl - San Jose CA
Saw Johnny Winter last night at the Fillmore West(May
1,1998) Excellent show. The first Johnny Winter show I saw was also at the Fillmore
West(Feb 26,1970). I was a little sadden about his state of health,he does not
look well. I have not heard of any health problems,but I wish him all the best.His
music moves us all.
Mark
before I left my house last friday evening I spoke to
fellow postee Mr Foster , if by any chance I was able to score a ticket to the
already sold out show I was hoping to meet Steve and his bud Ron. I drove 80
miles up to San francisco , by the time I found a parking spot it was about
8,45pm and headed right for the corner mob ,seemed like there were more people
looking for tickets then scalpers, I started to sweat it but I found 1 ticket
for 50 bucks and went for it , the last time I was at the Filmore had to been
10 years ago John Mayall opened up For Johnny that night , I was prepared for
the worst after reading the latest reviews . The opening act Eric
Sardinas I thought was pretty good and got the crowd moving he looked like
a cross between Slash and Ted Nugent, but played like Johnny did 10 years ago
and slide great Roy Rogers. the guy was full of energy and during the set left
the stage and went thru the crowd, Its was the first JW show I have been to
where the chants of JOHNNY JOHNNY did not occur as they normally do for the
opening act, between sets I went up stairs and looked for a big guy wearing
a ball cap with Johnnys towing on it I figured it was a long shot but tried
anyway, I spotted the hat and met Ron and then a few minutes later met Steve,
it was probably the highlight of the evening, now for the Johnny performance
, I thought I was prepared for the worst after reading past reviews. During
hideaway I almost left , I could not believe this was Johnny playing it was
much worse from what I had read , In the 20 years I have seen Johnny I have
never felt as awkward as I did the other night, I began to feel sorry for the
2 other guys on stage who kept trying to guess when each song might end, I hated
to see my guitar hero struggle just to walk , the crowd cheered loud on occassions
but I believe most people did it out of respect for the man. Johnny is definetly
to sick to keep this up I would not be surprised if this is his last tour, I
think Steve might be right about Teddy, he seems to be holding together a mess
, which I believe will end soon, I just read the post about him playing on HOB
this week if it is televised I will watch it but I think I just went to my last
Johnny show.
Trasher
I saw Johnny play at the Fillmore in SF friday night.
I am only 23 years old and have not had the experience that some other contributors to your web site have had. This was the first live Johnny show I had seen, but I have been listening to his incredible music for years now, and have seen his shows on TV, and I am a big big fan. What I saw last night from the very front was terrible. This was not Johnny, but a mere shadow of him. The fragile man I saw in front of me OBVIOUSLY does not belong on stage. He belongs in a hospital. Many reviews I have read say the same. He looked so out of it, eyes closed - it just wasn't human to let him on stage. I can't express how heartbroken I felt looking at his sad face.
I am writing to you not just to express my feelings but to ask for your help. As a Johnny fan you may feel the same. Is Johnny being led around by others (his manager?) He obviously has got to be helped immediately or he will die. What can we do? Is there anyone out there who can help? Is there anyone to turn to? Can we get in touch with Slatus? How can we raise awareness of Johnny's terrible situation? Friday night I thought this was a one-night thing, that Johnny was just on drugs or something, but after reading peoples' reviews of his other shows this year, I feel certain that he needs help immediately.
HELP!
Uri Golan
I've been a Johnny fan since "Second Winter" came out, and have seen him live many times. This was the best I've seen him. During the first song I realized he had little energy and had lost his ability to "fly" on the guitar. I was quite concerned he was going to make a fool of himself. But from the second song on his music moved me to a joyous spiritual state. At past shows Johnny would play every riff he knew during the first two songs. He would play so many damn notes without stopping I sometimes became quite board. At the Fillmore he used his mind, not his once incredible ability and speed. He listened to the tone of his guitar, chose his notes skillfully and climaxed at the appropriate times. For the first time I've seen him, he wasn't in a hurry. I kept thinking, he is a master. Steve Stover.
03 May 1998 - Ventura Theatre (Cal)
f Johnny does in fact read fan mail, I hope he reads this one. I first saw Johnny in 73' and five times since then. My car carries nothing but Johnny Winter CD's and SRV.
We just got home from seeing Johnny in ( Ventura, Ca 5-3-97 ), and I became so sad about the evening I had to write this. Johnny was so frail that walking seemed to be a problem for him. Ventura Theater is a great indoor club and the temperature was perfect so cold was not a factor. During the performance, Johnny never looked down at his guitar, even once. I think the lights bothered him. He did look at his watch once so he can definitely see. The voice and energy are completely gone. He ended it fast ( about an hour ) and I think his fingers might have been hurting him. There were many blank looks during Winter, maybe because we had just seen a guitar animal ( Eric Sardoni ) Wow. Towards the end Johnny actual did a slow 360 spin and had a big smile on his face, which was great to see.
The sad part is that someone is telling him he's kicking ass, but what they are doing is taking advantage of a sickly Legend and making money from it. If Johnny needs money badly we would be doing him a favor by purchasing his new CD. I feel that he's given the blues to us like no other, and its time for him to start taking care of his health.
When I wake up in the morning I will remember Johnny as I used to, not the way I just saw him last.
04 May 1998 - San Diego
I saw Johnny Winter last night here in San Diego, CA. I was devastated at the
man's condition. He looked and moved like a zombie.
He played the exact set off of the recently released Live In N.Y.C. What a weak
performance. And I have seen almost every appearance by him since the early/mid
'70's.
The opening song (Freddie King's) Hideaway was played as an extended version.
The same song structure and riffs were played 3 times in a row!
There was no fire in him. It was obviously hard work for him to play.
As a guitarist much influenced by him, I am very familiar his playing style
and the scope of his works. The performance was a memorized routine, played
by rote.
I am staring to wonder if he is being lead around as a medicated puppet to make
money for others off his great name. God help Johnny Winter.
Ed Olmos
This was my first Johnny Winter concert, and I was shocked at his poor physical condition. He looked thin and frail -- strungout. There was an audible gasp from the audience of a few hundred as he began the show by trying to adjust the mic stand and needed assistance.
While he's playing was certainly good, it somehow lacked the spark and of his records. He played for about 85 minutes, standing in the same spot, swaying gently, with his eyes closed. He played the Lazer and Gibson Firebird guitars mentioned in the Goldmine article.
The Eric Sardinas band opened with a very energetic set, also recorded.
Steve Covault
07 May 1998 - House Of Blues
I've been reading with horror all the bad reviews about
Johnny's most recent concerts, so I decided to check it out for myself. I've
been a musician for over 30 years, and have been playing bass for over 22 years.
Last night was a disappointment, and would have been a shock had I not read
the reviews on this page. Johnny looks like a 75 year old man that has suffered
through years of heroin abuse and perhaps resultant hepatitis. He also appears
to have the beginnings of what appears to be Parkinson's disease. I'm no doctor,
but I call it like I see it. As he shuffled out on stage I wasn't sure if he
was going to make it or fall. He grabbed his Lazer and started the first song.
It was evident that the band had done some rehearsing and the transition from
the blues 4/4 feel to the swing feel on I think what must have been "Hideaway"
was smooth. The song went on for what seemed like 10 minutes, Johnny just playing
the same licks over and over. His playing was sloppy and behind the beat. Many
times through the first four tunes, both Mark, the bass player, and the drummer
had to cover for Johnny's many rythmic stumbles. I don't envy Mark at all; He's
got one of the toughest Bass jobs I could possibly imagine-holding everything
together with glue and tape, wondering how long it's gonna hold. I went to the
show last night with the two guitarists from the Blues band I'm playing with,
and we were all so ashamed, we left early, after about 5 or 6 songs. I'd say
realistically that Johnny's playing is about 10-15% of what it used to be. His
weight must be down around 90 lbs. or so and unless he gets some medical help/intervention,
I can't see him being with us much longer. He belongs in a hospital bed or rest
home, and Teddy Slatus should be shining shoes or parking cars. I'm glad I saw
Johnny for what will surely be the last time, but I'm, a little angry that I
had to pay so much for tickets, parking, beers and such. For a total of 50 or
so dollars I would expect a first rate show from a performer in top form. What
I got last night was just the opposite.
Rock on,
Pat Harrington
Well, I just finished watching Johnny live on the net! It was not as bad as I feared - his encore pulled it out for him, IMHO.
Johnny seemed to move around OK - and his singing was good. He did a lot from the Live cd and Sick and Tired. He even introduced the songs with the same words he uses on the cd! At one point I wondered if it weren't the cd being played live!
It seemed like a short show - under an hour. His playing in Black Jack seemed off - it seemed like he missed a lot of notes - but I am not a guitar player and may be wrong. I was hoping that he would say Hello to fans on the Internet, but he did not mention it as far as I can tell.
So, I was not disappointed - and it was great to see Johnny live again - even in the poor video quality. He did not look as bad as some recent reviews have described - yet, a whole lot of the man's spirit is gone. But hell, for all the thousands of hours of music pleasure he has given me, I would be willing to pay just to be in the same room with him!
Best, Steve Williamson
Caught Johnny's show last night at the House of Blues. First off, HOB is a beautiful club, a state of the art facility. I was looking forward to seeing Johnny again since he hasn't been through LA since '92 when he played at The Palace which was a fantastic show! I was definitely apprehensive at what I might see after reading all the negative things that people had written about Johnny's health and playing. He came on stage at 10:30 after an opening set by Corey Stevens. As far as his looks go he really didn't look any different than the last time I had seen him but he did move very slowly and cautiously. I turned to my friends during Hideaway and told them I felt Johnny must be going blind, he never looked down at his guitar even once. If he can see it must be very limited. I believe this lack of vision is what some people are mistaking for feebleness. As far as his playing goes he has definitely slowed down, he plays at about 50% of the speed he played with during his glory days. However he still plays with exceptional taste! Johnny is STILL BETTER than 90% of the guitar players playing today. During Hideaway he missed about 10 notes which is 9 more than he missed in the previous 20 times I had seen him since the mid 70's. With every song he became more and more comfortable in his playing. Now for some of the highlights of the show, his version of "Sick & Tired" which was vintage Johnny! Also he treated us to some trademark Winter growls of "Allright & you got it people!" between a few of the songs. The crowd loved it. Believe me, his voice is far from shot. His slide work on "The Sun is Shining" was very good. He encored with "Johnny Guitar" which rocked and had alot of people in the crowd singing along. He finished the show with "Drop the Bomb" which had people dancing! I must mention his bass player Mark Epstein excellent! I couldn't tell if that was Tom Compton on the drums, (he wore a hat) but the drumming was superb. All and all it was great to see Johnny again even though he has slowed down. Hey, we're all getting older. If you get a chance to go see the man I don't think you'll be disappointed.
Aaron , La Verne, CA.
01 Jul 1998 - Orillia, Ontario
From "The Packet & Times", July 3rd, 1998:
".... The fact is, he does not look very healthy. His
eyesight is failing, which doesn't mean that should prevent him from performing
should he choose to. He does look frail. I'm surprised that he played for as
long as he did. He even came back for two encores, playing two tunes in the
latter. There were times in the early going that he drifted from the tempo,
or lost rhythm with his bandmates, but I and the crowd of five hundred were
quite willing to overlook that. Niney percent of the time he was amazing, truly
a master. Listening to him play is to understand where other blues guitarists
get their inspiration from. I don't understand why the arena wasn't more crowded.
His performance was outstanding."
Written by John Swartz
02 Jul 1998 - Ottawa Blues Festival
I just saw J.W. play at the Ottawa Citizen Blues festival. He was the headline act for the evening and was proceeded by Coco Montoya (talented, and humorous!), and Wide Mouth Manson (very young band from mid-west Canada, very talented singer, excellent live group, very energetic). About 10:30 pm they brought J.W. out with a drummer, and bass player (sorry didn't catch the names). I was stunned (to say the least) at how utterly feeble he looked, so skinny, and he walked like someone with Parkinsons/alhiemers (lots of little shuffly steps)... He was wearing a texas style hat, which conveniently covered his perpetually closed eyes. The bass/drums were solid, and I was quite surprised to find J.W. played well enough to hold the crowd (a very large one at that ~1000 people?). His songs tended to last 15 minutes each, very formulated style, lots of repeated playing patterns, with noticable trouble with the finer/faster fingerwork. All in all he played about an hour, and did some singing with some difficulty in clarity. I don't know J.W.'s discography, and didn't get all the names of the songs, but I think he played for about an hour 5-6 songs.
There you have it, a very loose review of his latest performance. I'm glad I got to see him, but it's a shame it wasn't in his prime performance years. I understand he's only in his mid 50's, but he does look about 20/25 years older. I understand Albino's have difficulties in general, but I'm sure this was more a case of lifestyle catching up with him. I hear his brother is of a more sturdy consitution, I wouldn't mind seeing him, if he till tours.
Check out the line up at the Blue's fest (ottawa citizen
blues), it's quite a line up. I'm very happy were able to have the second largest
festival in north-america, right in my own home town!
Elie
July 2nd Ottawa Citizen Bluesfest
I just got back to work today and was able to cancel a couple of meetings, so I have time to do a proper review (I hope). On tap Thursday at Confederation Park in Ottawa were: Trevor Findlay Band, Coco Montoya, Wide Mouth Mason and Johnny Winter. Briefly, the Trevor Findlay band deserves more recognition - hot guitar player, good vocals, tight band. Coco Montoya is a fine guitar player and a great singer - he's improved since I saw him in 1992 with Mayall. He said at the beginning of his set that he was really excited about the Trevor Findaly band and said "I gotta get my ass in gear" - and he did. Great set. Wide Mouth Mason is a young band (everyone's about 20). They did a mixed bag of stuff - some blues, some not (also, Hendrix's Castles in the Sand). Lots of potential. Now on to Johnny.....
I'm 43 and I've been a JW fan since 1968. I've seen him 15 times over the years and have always left being inspired to play better myself. The world has few people I really admire and JW is my one and only hero. I'd go see him no matter what. Having said all this, this is the first time I was ever bored at a JW show.
Johnny came on stage at about 10:15 and played till 11:30pm. He seemed to be walking normally and at a decent speed. Yeah, the guy with the flashlight was there, but he's always there. JW plugged in his own guitar, adjusted his own mike (things I've heard he had trouble doing recently) and then as soon as he started noodling to warm up his fingers, he started to rock from left to right like a wind-up bathtubby toy. He never stopped doing this.
He started out with Hideaway, played at a slow tempo. He missed a lot of notes even at this slow speed. I hoped it was just because he was warming up. He moved on to "Sen-say-shun/Got my mojo working" and seemed to be playing a little better, although it was still a very slow tempo. He seemed tentative. My buddy (also a guitar player) and I were trying to decide if he was off the beat sometimes or Mark Epstein the bass player was at fault. We decided they both were sometimes. Most of the solos JW was playing were almost identical and sounded as if they were memorized. His tone, which has always been trebly, was too abrasive on the bass strings. He could roll back the treble a bit without any arguments from me.
The true test came on "(she likes to) Boogie Real Low" - I was floored. I hadn't heard the familiar growl "yeah!!!" yet and I never did. He basically mumbled his way through the words, talking more than singing and shouting. His vocal timing was off and the tune was at about three quarters the speed of the studio version. He tried to play a signature riff (listen to It ain't your Business beginning) which is repeated twice. He tried it at 3 different times in the tune and couldn't nail it! It also sounded like he forgot what he'd done in this tune, because he sang the whole thing 3 times and didn't seem to know how to end it. He then played "Sick and tired" and again the vocals were painfully weak. He missed a lot of notes and the band spent a lot of time doing these really boring vamps that went nowhere and then they'd all drift back into the song.
Blackjack Game was so boring because of all the vamping going on I almost couldn't stand it. The vocals were sung too high and the tune itself ran on for 15 minutes without really going anywhere - again the vocals were repeated several times. By this time many of the 500 or so people in front of me had left, so I was able to get closer to take some pictures which I'll post when the film's developed.
This was it. He was then cheered back for an encore and did "The Sun is shining" and for the first time that night he sounded almost like the JW I know and love. Great (almost flawless) slide work on his Firebird V, although the vocals were still the same - no growl, no raspiness, no life to them at all. He and the flashlight guy them left the stage to much (deserved) applause.
I have a few more observations for those that are still with me. He seems to be reaching a new audience - there were a lot of kids there who had never heard him that were still blown away, so that's great. And he's still got that great, wide vibrato. Johnny didn't look any different to me than he did in 1992 (or on the Dylan tribute in 93?), but his voice is very weak and his guitar playing has really suffered. There were a couple of flashes of the old Johnny in a couple of the tunes, but he couldn't sustain any speed and his playing was not clean. He still has a remarkable command of blues turnarounds and obviously still loves to play, but he's not the same. He seems to have lost the coordination between his picking hand and his fretting hand. The slide playing is still great, but that's a different type of coordination involved. Physically, he appears to be in a little better shape than others have described, but if he is on the mend, he has a long way to go guitar-wise. I went home the next morning, and put 5 JW cds in the player (JW, Still Alive and Well, White Hot and Blue, 3rd Degree and Let me In) and just lay there and enjoyed what he used to be. Would I go see him again? Until he can't do it anymore, I'll be there. I reread this and it sounds like I'm trashing him - I'm not. I'm trying to give an accurate view of what I heard and saw. I've seen him 15 times, so I do have some perspective on what a JW live show is all about. I have too much love and respect for him to do anything other than give my best attempt at an objective review.
Mike Stefano
07 Jul 1998 - Club Denim, Guelph, Ontario
I saw Johnny last night in Guelph, Ontario. Overall it
was a good show. I normally catch him in Toronto (where he is tonight), but
when I found out he was coming to Guelph, I choose that location because it's
closer. Because Guelph is a small center, I expected the venue to be small dump.
When we got there, to my suprise, the place was a converted movie theatre (called
Club Denim)with a huge, high stage and was packed with 2000 people! We went
up to the second level balony and had a great view, if a little far back. Paul
James, a staple for years on the Toronto scene opened doing a solo acoustic
set of mainly Robert Johnson stuff. He was really good playing bass parts with
his thumb, melody with his fingers, singing, even some harp. After about 4 tunes
it got little boring though. Johnny came on to thunderous applause. His tone
was excellent, ballsy and nice and loud. He played the NYC set in order subing
"Sick & Tired " for "Just A Little Bit". He didn't do "The Sky Is Crying". He
did some very cool leads that I'd never heard before, really nice, as well as
a lot of his signature stuff. His execution was smooth and clean. At times he
was very fast. They did some nice rythm changes, and new parts in some tunes.
Each tune was very long, that's nothing new, and would have been OK except JW
was repeticious. He'd use over and over (4 X in Sen-Sa-Shun) certain theme riffs.
It was a bit like NYC, but when the tune should end, back to the beginning again.
He'd be better to do double the tunes, half the length. His voice was pretty
much like NYC, maybe a little weaker. He made a couple of flubs, but nothing
major, and recovered fast. Tempo was a little slow on some tunes. He was a little
stiff going on & off stage and changing guitars. Most disturbing to me was the
side to side rocking, that he did constantly, even when not playing. I don't
know what causes him to do this, but it's weird. Anyway everyone seemed to love
everything he did, and from conversations I overheard, they were impressed.
Some grumbled that the set was short. He wasn't like 93, but still pretty good.
I think I caught him on an "on" night.
Peter
08 Jul 1998 - Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto
I have been a Johnny Winter fan since I first heard the opening notes of 'Rock Me Baby' on 'Still Alive and Well' at thirteen years of age in 1972. There have been several other players who I have loved to listen to over the years, Jeff Beck, Jimi, Rory Gallagher, Alvin Lee and Eric Clapton being the most notable. When it comes to blues and high energy rock, none of these greats impacted me as much as Johnny. Johnny intoduced me to the blues. I have seen him live 3 times prior this show. I have never seen any one else play with the power and feel that Johnny demonstrated during these shows.
A group of eight of us attended the show at the Phoenix. We were about 30' from the stage in a sold out room. The opening band was okay, a very attractive female singer with a Joplinesque voice doing mostly covers. I never did quite get her name, but they were an adequate opening act.
I have read the other postings on this sight regarding Johnny's health, but felt that perhaps they were overstated, I mean Johnny in his prime always looked more like a white haired 'Olive Oyl' than a Schwarzenegger. I found his appearance to be the same as the previous times that I had seen him, but his mannerisms were nothing like what I remember. It is quite obvious that he is now almost completely blind, which would account for the side to side sway that has been noted in so many other reviews. Can you say Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder? His playing is what was most disturbing to me. The man who I had seen on previous occassions was not there. 'Hideaway' was slow and repetitive. 'Got my Mojo Working' was a little better, but once again lacked the Johnny's trademark energy. It was not until he did the slow 12 bar 'Black Jack' that I got any enjoyment out of the show, although it lacked the blistering leads that Johnny used to play, it did have some very nice progressions and the feel that Johnny has always had was once again evident. He finally pulled out the Gibson Firebird and demonstrated that even though he can't (doesn't?) play like he once did, he is still the finest slide player the world has ever seen. His encores 'Johnny Guitar' and another that I can't remember were okay, and most of the crowd seemed to be into it by then. Johnny's Bass player and drummer were rock solid.
I have very mixed feelings about this show. If I had heard this band in a bar without knowing who they were I probably would have enjoyed it very much. But because I have heard Johnny live and have been electrified on these occassions, I feel that Johnny is past it. One of the guys who attended the show with me and had also seen Johnny in the early seventies agreed that he wasn't the same performer but was very satisfied just to be in the same room as a legend. If you look at it from this viewpoint, Johnny can still be gratifying, but I wish that I had not attended and instead kept the memories of past shows, when he was the greatest live guitarist who I have ever seen.
Steve Latimer
Johnny Winter Oakland 4-Sep-1998
This past Labor day weekend I attended the "Arts, Beats and Eats" festival in Pontiac Michigan, specifically to see Johnny Winter. Following is my review of the show:
Let me start by saying that like many other contributers I have been playing music and listening to Johnny for 20+ years now and have seen Johnny play live seven times previous to this past weekend's show.
The show was held at the Phoenix Plaza which is an outdoor amphitheater located on top of a large parking structure. It was a warm summer night, with the sky clear and the temperature about 75 degrees.
The opening act was Jeff Healy who played very well for about an hour. Johnny took the stage at about 9:30pm. to a thunderous welcome that was obviously apprieciated. I hadn't seen Johnny in about five or six years and he certainly looked older. (Although after reading other reviews I certainly wasn't "shocked" at his appearence.) Johnny played the "Live in N.Y." playlist, except for the deletion of "The Sky is Crying" and the addition of "Sick and Tired". Hideaway started out in a slower swing tempo with a few verses repeated. Johnny obviously uses this tune to get his fingers moving as the tune employes a few licks in almost every neck position and I'm sure there is no "warm-up" time for him. By the end of the tune Johnny was playing the lead licks with the same authority that you hear on the new album. Johnny's playing on "Sen-sa-shun/mojo" and "Boogie Real Low" as well as subsequent songs was smoother. The band's/Johnny's timing did NOT drift as reported in some other reviews and Johnny's voice was clearly audible throughout the show. Johnny's singing was very spirited and he had several loud "YEAH!!!" cheers for the crowd. Eventhough he doesn't bellow it out like he used to, his registers are still very clear (and his lyrics still very cool.)
The only slide number on the firebird was a superb rendition of "The Sun is Shining" wich was greeted to a huge ovation.
The encore was of course "Johnny Guitar" and "Drop the Bomb". Johnny played a commanding version of Johnny Guitar and included riffs of several old songs in Bomb.
All in all I'd say Johnny was having an "ON" night; and from what I hear from others who attended his last show here in Detroit, this one was much better.
Johnny had a big smile on his face many times and was obviously having a good time and appreciating the crowds positive response. He also did one of his patented "spins" in the middle of "Drop the Bomb".
Johnny is also obviously still drinking, but not enough on this night to affect his performance.
After the show a few fans congregated at Johnny's tour bus and I was able to get Johnny's autograph on the pickguard of my Gibson firebird guitar, wich really made the evening special. The best free concert I've ever seen!! Yes Johnny is getting older, but he's still a blues master and guitar genuis
Regards,
Marc Jordano
September 4, 1998, Pontiac Michigan
Johnny Winter is by far my favorite guitar player. I have seen him at least 15 times since the Guitar Slinger tour, although a lot less frequently in recent years. In the 90's I have gotten used to "some" shows that did not have a sustained drive, but at least had high points. Others still were very good. While none the shows I saw with the bass player after Jon Paris, but before this new band were very tight, they had still had high points.
I wish I could say that Johnny didn't play as bad as some of the reviews I have read. But I can't. I am grateful that I was prepared for this show by reading some reviews first. So there is no confusion:
Johnny couldn't play a lick.
There was six or seven seconds on the slide guitar that may have been a lick. The best lead in this flurry would have been worse than the worst lick on highway 61 of Captured Live. It was painful to watch. He had trouble even playing rhythm guitar. The band really covered for him a lot.
Initially I bought into the idea that he wasn't stoned or drunk. While watching I felt bad for Johnny thinking he indeed had some sort of massive aging disease. In hindsight, I think it is more likely that he was stoned out of his mind. I am pretty sure that he has been in this condition for so long that he has worked out a set that he can "play" in this condition. There was no point for him to play a concert like that.
I attended the concert with my uncle, who initially turned me on to Johnny Winter. After the show I got to re-hear the story on the "legendary" show in the 70's with Edgar Winter where Johnny was so stoned that he just stood there swaying back and forth not able to play a note. Every so often a roaddy would catch him from falling down. The next Detroit show was the unofficial "apology" concert where Johnny smoked licks for 20 minutes before even letting the band play a note. I do not think Johnny will have an apology for this concert judging by the other reviews.
The venue was great. It was outdoors as part of a festival with three stages. Johnny Winter was the head liner for that night. Believe it or not, Jeff Healey played before Johnny Winter, at 7:00pm. I saw the last ½ hour of Jeff's show, which was great. I hoped Johnny Winter would be pumped up and play his best. Unfortunately, I think that was the best he has left.
After reading the other review of this concert, I really don't know what to say. In my opinion, there was no "authority" in Johnny Winter's playing. I think the guy must have either been too stoned himself or just trying too hard to find something good in the show. Anyone who has seen a good Johnny Winter show and thinks that they will see that now will be disappointed (or even devastated). To really understand how bad this show was, I do not think Live in NYC ?97 was a good performance. It was a masterpiece compared to this show. The entire show didn't even come close to the intro licks before hideaway from the CD. I would call this the "shouldn't have been tour".
While I explain the show thinking Johnny was too stoned,
my uncle thinks it must be more physical, likely due to years of abuse. I guess
I'm hoping for a come back after he cleans up. My uncle's also had a technical
description of the show. On Live at NYC 97, Johnny kind of plays ta-da-da, ta-da-da,
ta-da- da. For this concert, he plays ta-da-skip, ta-da-skip, ta-da-skip, basically
skipping every third note. The combination of the fact that he played the whole
set very slow, with no licks, skipped every three notes and couldn't play rhythm
lead to an overall disappointing show.
Chris
Johnny Winter HOB Chicago 5-Sep-1998
Johnny played pretty much the same set he has been playing. He came out at 10:30 and played until midnight, including the encore. Nobody helped Johnny to the stage though, he practically ran onto the stage and immediately let out a growl before he even started playing. The place was packed but tickets were still available at the door.
He is not what he used to be, but who is? His performance was NOT depressing and pathetic, it was alright, still some hot licks coming from Johnny. The slide part was the highlight, and I wish he would just play slide for the entire show. The performance was okay and it was worth the whole trip to Chicago just to be in the same room with the blues legend. As long as the fans support Johnny, I believe he will keep touring. The crowd certainly didn't care what Johnny did, he could of just sat there smoking cigarillos -- there was a standing ovation from 10:30 until 12:00. The biggest cheer came during the "spin," which Johnny did during the Firebird slide tune. some notable observations:
1.) girl that was in my party actually saw a fan shoot up while standing next to her when Johnny started playing.
2.) two T-shirt designs and b/w photos for sale.
3.) little Slatus Management cards were handed out: fan club is $35, (doesn't say what you get) $10 hat, $20 poster, $2 guitar pick, "let me in" "brother" CDS for $15, $2 fake tattoo, some other stuff....it says something like: "Be a part of a legend - 1-888-Blues-89
4.) the tone of the concert and the room sounded great
The Rave, Milwaukee 7-Sep-1998
Having seen the greatest guitar player ever at the Rave in Milwaukee, I can only say thanks a million, Johnny. Regardless of whatever ails you, it took a great deal of courage to get up on stage and perform with the skill and perfection you posess. I commend you for providing us with the best playing over the years, and wish you well so that you can continue playing for a long time to come.
It saddens me to read all the critisism in this forum. The only thing that made for a bad concert was the venue. The volume was much too high for the poor acoustical situation. All the distortion and feedback did no justice to the "Pale Master". There were also THREE opening acts that were very difficult to appreciate, and only allowed for Johnny to play six pieces.
I only hope that Johnny can play in LaCrosse and that it will be a better venue. 'Til then, be well and keep rockin', Johnny. Love ya forever,
Omaha, Nebraska 9-Sep-1998
Slick Rick from Omaha here to give y'all a review from front row at Johnny's gig last nite in Omaha, Nebraska.
----The venue-----
I arrived to the venue called the "Shadow" near "Old Market" area of downtown Omaha. The "smallest" club I ever been to to see a concert of a "big name" ...must seated 300-400 max. I was glad...Loved the "intimate setting" atmosphere. After getting a beer or two, I checked out the JW T shirts...they had 2 black T's. I passed. I thought they were pretty bad..The opening band "Tommy Castro Band" came on at 8:30. Never heard of him before..but everyone seemed impressed with the band. Played "good time" bluesy rock n roll" with touch a soul. Very tight, and was appreciative to the audience. Signed posters and CD's at rear after their 90 min set. A good band, that I might look into. From CA i believe.
-------intermission time------
At 10:00..I new I had 30 minutes till JW hit the stage....Had couple brews and talked to some fans. I informed them both about the "reviews' from the web sites. They were like.." is he gonna play Highway 61??"...what about `"Johnny B Goode???`````'....or `'Hoochie Coo???''...."probably not" I replied.....Neither had bought or heard the NYC 97 CD....But I also told them there have been some real "positive" reviews of late in Chicago and Michigan.......
Its SHOWTIME!------
At 10:30pm...the club music stopped and out came the band....(NO..the flashlight man did not lead Johnny to the stage or adjust his mike....Johnny adjusted his mic, gave a growl, and went into "Hideaway"....
The stage area up front was not really full yeat so I got closer...and within about 4 songs I was "dead center" from Johnny..about 3-4 feet. I could almost touch his mic stand!!!....lucky me, I brought my camera..and got some cool, close shots.
For the next 90 minutes JW played the entire "Live in NYC" CD plus "Sick and Tired" --minus "sky is Crying".... The crowd definately got into the show..and lot of couples were dancing. Real highlight was when he brought out the Gibson for "Sun is Shining"....My favorite highlight...Johnny played some mean slide!!
The Live in NYC 97 CD was played exactly...and I loved it..since I playit in car a lot. and I never saw Johnny miss a note!!...After the show..crowd was talking how he sure played some amazing "BLUES"....Everyone seemed to definately enjoy the show. Johnny did his spin on "drop the Bomb...and thanked the audience ...and unfortunately the show was through...
.A night of some great BLUES GUITAR PLAYING...by the living legend himself!!
JOHNNY HAS LEFT THE BUILDING!!------
I them scrambled to my car..and grabbed an few JW LP's and CD covers..and went looking for the tour bus. Behind the backstage door was the bus and already about 6 fans waiting with posters, LP's,etc...First person to come out was the bass player Mark Epstein. I chatted a minute with him, and got him to sign my LIVE in NYC CD cover. At this time I recognized a "grey haired guy (Terry Slatus) ..He was ushering the contest winner from Omaha radio to "visit Johnny" in the bus. The guy brought about 12 of his friends on the bus. About 15 minutes later they came off. Told me they met Johnny, shook hands, and got phoots with him, and autographs. The rest of us finally got our chance. A road crew member said he would take one item each to have Johnny sign. I gave up my "Still Alive and Well" LP Cover....and 10 minutes later it came back with the auograph over the forehead. While their I met the biggest JW fan I ever seen. Said he's seen Johnny 10 times since 74 and was going to his next gig in Olathe , Kansas. Even the road crew and Terry Slatus knew him!!...Kept saying "I LOVE JOHNNY!!"....and has never left a JW show without an autograph or meeting Johnny..cause "JOHNNY LOVES HIS FANS!!!"..."I LOVE JOHNNY!!" He said his gun cabinet at home is "filled with JW autographed posters, tickets, LP's, etc....A real die-hard. Man, he was something!
Vogue Night Club Indianapolis, Indiana, 9 Nov 1998
Headliner: Johnny Winter
Other Acts: The Silvertones;Howard & The White Boys
The doors opened at 7:00 and the Silvertones took the stage at 7:30 for an hour+ followed by Howard and the White Boys(This band cooks). Johnny Winter was introduced at 10:30 and got to his guitar by 10:36 or so. Had a big buzz out of his amp and this required some line switching (buzz never really went away). The show was on.
Hideaway (A rather sedate 10 min. version of the Freddie King classic, a little underdriven, but smooth.)
Got My Mojo Working (A bit lackluster. Howard and the White boys did this number in their set and the place nearly caught fire)
Sick and Tired from the play list. He was warmed up by time this number came along.
Boogie Down Low (Knock Off of Louis Jordan's "Blue Light Boogie") Bass and Drums are all over Johnny's guitar. High spots happened when thet would take it down low and let Johnny crawl.
............................Just warming up I guess.........................
Black Cat (Great number......He's in the groove here on out)
Walk The Dog (He sat on a stool with his firebird and slide and wailed. Crowd pleaser)
Johnny Guitar (Standard. Still rocking)
Instrumental (driving number)
Show Over 01:10:00
I believe that everyone was surprised that it took Johnny so long to walk across the stage and get his guitar strapped on! There was a type of reverential silence as if everyone's longtime hero was walking the last mile. It was understood that he no longer had the same store of energy as he did some years ago. His vocals were not raucous, but I'm certain he was pushing out all the vocals that body could give. It was great to see him play....way short show, but entertaining nonetheless. His slide number was the highlight of the night. He seemed to gain strength and ferocity in his playing when seated. Did I mention the light show? It was good. The shapes looked just like poppies. Peace
T.L.A. Philadelphia, 18 Nov 98
I wish I could report that last night's Johnny Winter Concert was a satisfying, memorable experience. As it is, I can only report that it was memorable for all the wrong reasons. I last saw Johnny in Philly about 4 years ago, and, while he didn't look in tip top shape, I felt he put on a good show, He did some flashy fretboard work and some tasty slide.
The man I saw last night LOOKED like Johnny Winter(only thinner) but played like a shadow of the man. Aside from my shock at his appearance and mannerisms, I could not muster up much enthusiasm for the music he presented. The show kicked off with a tune (I did not make a set list) so middle of the road slow it sounded like a 45 played at 33RPM. About 3 songs into the show it was apparent that Johnny has lost his singing chops also. He mustered a weak YEAH a few times but had no growl to his voice.
I am not a guitarist, but I have heard a lot of blues tunes played by some top guitarists including Johnny. It sounded to me like he was missing and slurring notes right and left. There was very little fire in his playing and the speed was definitely missing on all songs.I'm guessing the Lazer guitar is about all he can lift at present. When he broke out the slide guitar (for 1 song!) he sat and held it in place with his body. He had considerable trouble attaching the strap and amp cord on the larger guitar.
I am 1 year younger than Johnny Winter but he looked old enough to be my father. If you saw him on the street bouncing from foot to foot with his eyes closed as he did onstage, you would think he was a pathetic panhandler. I kept thinking that this might be the last tour of one who was a GREAT rock/blues guitarist not too long ago.
The concert lasted 1 hour almost to the minute, then the band came back and played "Johnny Guitar" and 1 other song before retiring for good. I could not get over how many people clapped and cheered and yelled for Johnny. Apparently these people had no comparison to this show or they would have been as distressed as I was.
I will try to forget this concert and concentrate on the
Johnny Winter I saw play with Rick
Derringer so many years ago. I will dust off my old albums, put them on
and remember a better time. I hope somebody will do something to rehabilitate
Johnny Winter or at least stabilize his condition so he does not deteriorate
any further. The whole night made me feel sad.
A.C.M.
I recently attended the Johnny Winter show on 11/18/98 at the Theater of Living Arts in Philadelphia. I was fully prepared for what transpired only because I have been keeping up with the review section of this site. Still though, I (along with everyone else in the audience) was nearly left in shock at the site of Johnny Winter. His playing has faltered and he looks like he's nearing his own demise. I heard an interesting analogy after the show from someone who had been backstage when Johnny came off after the show. They had said that his management and entourage treated him like "an elderly grandmother." More specifically, it's like when your grandmother comes downstairs in a hideous floral print dress and everyone is required to tell her how beautiful she looks and that she looks as good as she did 30 years ago. Well, apparently, his manager and company spoke to him that way regarding his playing. It was kind of sad...
On a brighter note, I was extremely impressed with the opening act, Killin' Floor, who stole the show. They were young (couldn't have been more than 20 years old) and highly energetic. Kind of like a young Johnny Winter. The crowd was highly enthused by the show that these young gentlemen put on... They played for one hour and the crowd (including myself) was mesmerized by every note. It's good to see a young up and coming blues band that rocks so hard. I picked up one of their flyers and plan on checking these guys out again soon... you should too if you're in the Philadelphia area.
We all payed our respects to the great Johnny Winter...
I can only hope that he does what is best for himself.
Daniel Morrone