Saga, Vesterbrogade 25, Copenhagen, Denmark

-

SHUT UP AND PLAY

Dr. John on piano — he sings as solid as Johnny Winter — sings as thin. Southern music, as big as his body.

PLAY WINTER

Be quiet Johnny Winter. Just play.

And give Dr. John a little more vocal time.

Vocally, Johnny Winter sounds like four used tea bags in a glass of lukewarm tap water.

Dr. John sounds vocally like a man who's had a good time with ten double glasses of booze, served and consumed the right way.

But instrumentally: The old blues rat Johnny Winter is totally on point.

He plays a guitar with so much energy that it almost hurts.

Dr. John sounds wonderfully primitive, honest, and musical — it's a pleasure.

41-year-old Johnny Winter and 46-year-old Dr. John were in Copenhagen last night. At Saga.

A delightful, free-spirited evening, where the air reeked of great music on stage, nostalgia, and thick smoke in the corners.

Three hours of music starting at 8:00 p.m. Precisely on time, with a precise ending for once.

None of the usual rock musician antics. They delivered what was needed for the 1,300 people who swung along to the blues-rock. Delightfully free from any pretense or plastic facade.

Dr. John opened solo. Blew away half the audience.

Then the star, Johnny Winter, came with two men storming onto the stage. And wow, what a drummer and bassist.

No instrumental show-off mentality.

They did what needed to be done when it comes to electric blues music. Simple and straightforward.

There's nothing worse than when bassists and drummers try to show off just because the guitarist is good.

But then Johnny Winter starts singing. Perhaps a bit generous to call it that. But he calls himself a singer too. It was more like a forced attempt at high musical talk.

He doesn’t hide the fact that he’s deeply indebted to his black brothers in the field. But a little self-criticism wouldn’t hurt. He doesn't sing off-key. Of course.

But it's painfully thin, irrelevant, and irritatingly flat.

The club vibe was certainly there in Saga. Rock, roll, and blues served the right way.

BY PETER NORGAARD

PHOTO: OLE STEEN

Source & Full Article: _HERE_

HOLD MUND OG

Dr. John på piano — han synger ligeså fed som Johnny Winter — synger ligeså tynd. Sydstatsmusik, som hans korpus er stort i går.

SPIL WINTER

Ti stille Johnny Winter. Bare spil.

Og så gi' Dr. John noget mere tid vokalt.

Vokalt lyder Johnny Winter som fire brugte teposer i et glas halvlunkent postevand.

Dr. John lyder vokalt som en mand, der har haft det godt med ti dobbelte glas sprut, serveret og indtaget på den rigtige måde.

Men instrumentalt: Der er den gamle bluesrotte Johnny Winter helt på mærkerne.

Han spiller en guitar, der er så meget energi i, at det nærmest gør ondt.

Dr. John lyder så herlig primitiv, ærlig og musikalsk, at det er en fornøjelse.

41-årige Johnny Winter og 46-årige Dr. John var i København i aftes. I Saga.

En herlig flipperaften, hvor der stank af fed musik på scenen, nostalgi og tyk tobak i krogene.

Tre timers musik fra kl. 20.00. Præcis start, præcis slutning for en gangs skyld.

Ingen sædvanlige rockmusiker-manerer. Der var det, der skulle være for de 1300 mennesker, der afslappet svingede med i blues-rocken. Herligt fri for smart plastikfacon.

Dr. John lagde ud solo. Væltede den halve sal.

Så kom stjernen, Johnny Winter med to mand drønende ind på scenen. Og kors for en trommeslager og bassist.

Ingen instrumental blæremantalitet.

Der blev lavet det, der skulle laves, når det drejer sig om elektrisk bluesmusik. Enkelt og ligetil.

Der er nemlig ikke noget værre, end når bassister og trommeslagere skal blære sig, fordi nu guitaristen er god.

Men så er det, at Johnny Winter begynder at synge. Nok et lidt flot ord. Men han kalder sig også sanger. Der var nærmest tale om en gang påtaget, høj musikalsk snak.

Han lægger ikke skjul på, at han står i dyb gæld til sine sorte brødre på området. Men lidt selvkritik er ikke at kimse af. Han bræger ikke falsk. Naturligvis.

Men hvor er det nådesløst, ligegyldigt og irriterende, tyndt og fladt.

Klubstemningen var der i Saga under alle omstændigheder. Rock, rul og blues taget og serveret på den rigtige måde.

AF PETER NORGAARD

FOTO: OLE STEEN