Majestic Theatre Concert Review

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Majestic Theatre Concert Review by Steven M. Baker

Every time I see Johnny Winter, he looks worse but plays better. That was the case again when he played Detroit's Majestic Theatre on 17 January.

The Majestic is a sleazy old dump with a capacity of about 600. There are usually tables and chairs set up in front of the stage, with standing room and a bar in the back. We arrived early in the frigid weather, hoping to get a table, but when the doors finally opened, we rushed in—only to find no tables! We then knew it would be a wild night...

Rick Derringer opened with a bluesy set that, in addition to his own hits "Hang on Sloopy" and "Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo," included Johnny Winter's "Still Alive and Well" and Stevie Ray Vaughan's "Pride and Joy." He seemed to be having a lot of fun, and the crowd did too.

By the time Johnny took the stage, with Tom Compton on drums and Mark Epstein on bass, the Majestic was packed elbow to elbow. The floor was already ankle-deep with empty beer bottles, and marijuana smoke filled the air—a slice of heaven!

Johnny looked even more corpse-like than the previous three times I had seen him (all since 1991). He moved VERY slowly on stage—except for his fingers. His playing was simply jaw-dropping. He launched into the smoothest, cleanest, fastest, wickedest guitar playing I've ever heard. He is the only musician who has ever caused me to spontaneously yell out "YYYYYYEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!" at the top of my lungs. It is so striking to see this ghost standing completely still and playing this stuff. Any other guitarist would have to contort his whole body into a pretzel to come close to getting those riffs out, yet Johnny makes it look absolutely effortless. Every solo was an encyclopedia of blues and rock riffs.

As for the setlist, Johnny Winter played several songs I couldn't identify. The ones I did recognize were "She Likes to Boogie Real Low" and "Sick and Tired" from the Hey, Where's Your Brother? CD, and "The Sky Is Crying," which Johnny played on the old Firebird while seated on a stool. The Lazer came back out for the last two numbers, followed by an encore of "Johnny Guitar," also from the Hey, Where's Your Brother? CD.

All in all, it was a fantastic performance. I would say that Johnny's playing was smoother and cleaner, though somewhat less vicious and attacking than the other times I'd seen him. I can't wait for the next time!

I've followed Johnny Winter's career for over 25 years now. I’ve seen him live countless times, dating back to a phenomenal concert 20 years ago at the Masonic Temple, where he shared the stage with legends like Muddy Waters and James Cotton. I've been to no fewer than 10 of his shows, and never once have I left disappointed. Johnny has always been, without a doubt, a master of the guitar—blazing fast, precise, soulful. To me, there’s no finer blues musician. You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who can handle a guitar the way Johnny can.

So, it truly pains me to write this. I attended his concert at the Majestic Theater in Detroit on 17 January 1997, and I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. It was a far cry from the Johnny Winter I’ve known and loved. There was no energy—none of that electric presence he usually brought to the stage. His singing? It sounded muffled, almost like he was underwater. Normally, watching Johnny play the guitar is an event in itself, but that night he looked fragile, like an old man struggling to get by. Even his walk was slow and unsteady, a shuffle more than a stride.

And the guitar playing—my God, the guitar playing! There were no signature licks, no fiery riffs that used to come effortlessly. What we got instead were slow, deliberate notes, many of them played poorly. He missed notes along the way, something I had never seen him do before. It was hard to believe that this was the same Johnny Winter I had seen tear up stages time and time again.

I was so taken aback by his performance that I called the Majestic after the show, asking if Johnny was ill. They couldn’t give me any information about his health, but they mentioned hearing rumors about him not showing up for scheduled performances lately, with no explanation. I can't help but wonder if something is seriously wrong.

To say I was distraught watching Johnny play so poorly would be an understatement. If you have any way of finding out what might be going on with him—his physical condition, his health—please let me know. By the way, Rick Derringer opened for him, and he played a solid set, but that just made Johnny’s performance all the more difficult to watch.

Even now, days later, I’m still at a loss for words. This wasn’t the Johnny Winter I’ve known all these years. I hope there’s some explanation for it.

Author: Unknown