This event at the "St Petersburg National Guard Armory" is reviewed in St Petersburg 16 July 1970
By CAROLYN NOLTE
Too many people were uptight, paranoid about dope and what might happen. There were two worlds at the St. Petersburg National Guard Armory Tuesday night for the Johnny Winter concert. One was up, the other down. One came to dig the hard-hitting sound of blues on a smooth, smooth guitar. The other, too many police for the small crowd, was there watching, creating an atmosphere of tension. NOTHING WAS terribly wrong, but it wasn't really right. But then, Johnny Winter didn't walk onto the stage, he gilded on. He's the perfect spook; an albino floating around in tempo with his music. He darts back to the electronic boxes spitting out amplification, shutting out everything but his own guitar, then spins back front to the microphone.
If you shut your eyes, you found ourself caught in a spiral throbbing sound. Around and around, your whole body responded. Johnny Winter is good. Very good. But when you came crashing back into reality, it was bad. Very bad. The armory isn't airconditioned and no one was allowed to go outside for air and then inside again. THE CROWD SAT on the floor, absorbing the music. The police, in uniform and plainclothes patroled the place. it was hard to relax.
Tampa's Curtis Mixon Auditorium has taken the initiative to book top, rock groups for this area. St. Petersburg should make the effort to catch up, but only if the promoters give their audiences more consideration. It seems unnecessary to create so much tension.
