Variety Playhouse, Atlanta, GA

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The concert reviews of Johnny Winter's performance at the Variety Playhouse, Atlanta, on 20 September 1997, paint a picture of admiration mixed with concern. Fans, some of whom had been following Johnny for decades, expressed a deep respect for the legendary blues guitarist despite noticeable signs of physical deterioration. Many were struck by Johnny's slow and frail movements, as well as the transformation of his once forceful, growling voice into a softer tone. Yet, his skillful guitar work and enduring passion shone through, reaffirming his status as a blues icon. His setlist included classics like "Boogie Real Low" and "Johnny Guitar," and his band—Mark Epstein on bass and Tom Compton on drums—provided solid support without overshadowing Johnny. Audience members appreciated his occasional smiles and continued mastery of the guitar, despite his health challenges. Ultimately, fans were grateful for the chance to witness a living legend, even if his performance reflected the toll of a life lived to the fullest.

Photo of Johnny Winter - https://vinyl-records.nl/

Saturday, 20 September 1997 - Variety Playhouse, Atlanta, GA

Review by: Sam Voige, Atlanta

I was privileged to see Johnny's September 20th show in Atlanta at the Variety Playhouse. The Variety is a really cool music venue—it's an old neighborhood movie house converted into an urban music pit.

First, the crowd of about 1,000 was treated to an enthralling opening set by locals **Gracie Moon**. When Johnny hit the stage, I was a little bit shocked by his mannerisms and appearance. His gait was very slow and deliberate, and he moved little while playing and singing, just swaying back and forth.

His guitar work nowadays is still as skillful as ever, but not as forceful and pyrotechnic as it once was. His voice is soft and tinny, lacking that raspiness and nasty growl. It's obvious that he is suffering from some sort of illness or just plain physical deterioration, probably due to the years of *el vivir loco*.

His setlist was virtually identical to his last Atlanta gig two years ago (*Boogie Real Low, Johnny Guitar,* etc., etc.).

All in all, it was great to see Johnny again. I've seen him play about 20 times and have been a fan for 25 years. It's kind of like watching Arnold Palmer play golf. You know that Johnny isn't what he once was, but you still dig him for fighting the good fight and still having enough left to get up on stage and kick booty. That's what it's all about.

Johnny has probably forgotten more guitar licks than most contemporary hotshots ever dreamed about having. Johnny Winter is truly an American original, and I hope someday he is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Review by: Carroll Davis

Well hello Jim and all you other J.W. fans out there. What can I say but old J.W. has still got it. The concert hall last night has a capacity of 450, but I guess there must have been about 650 packed like sardines in there.

The opening act didn't have much of a chance with everyone yelling Johnny throughout their set. At 10:30, he took the stage, and the place went crazy. You could see he was very appreciative of his reception; he had a big old smile on his face the whole show.

His setlist was:

  1. - Hideaway
  2. - Mojo Working
  3. - Oh What A Party
  4. - Boogie Real Low
  5. - Sick And Tired
  6. - Blackjack Game
  7. - Teenie Weenie

Then he pulled out a Gibson Firebird and a slide and just jammed like only he can for about 15 minutes (sorry, I didn’t know this song—if it even had a name), but it was pure kick-ass J.W. For his encore, he did Johnny Guitar, then he jammed for about 10 more minutes.

All in all, it was wonderful stuff. Be sure to check THE MAN out if he comes your way. You won’t be disappointed. We went outside to his bus after the show and got to shake his hand and tell him how much we all love him. I told him about this page, and he said he loves you all.

The rest of his band are Mark Epstein on bass and Tom Compton on drums. They are also great players. Folks, the man is moving real slow, and his vision is shot. Even he said he doesn’t know how long he can keep up touring, so go see him if you get the chance.

Sorry I rambled on so long; as you can tell, I love old J.W. He is the best.

Review by: Jerry Hochman

My wife and I saw Johnny last night at the Variety Playhouse, Atlanta. I've seen him about 10 times over the last 25 years and consider him the greatest living blues guitarist.

I had the same reaction many of your reviewers had: surprised and disappointed at his seeming bad health, frailness, slowness, etc. As a guitarist, I appreciated his mastery but missed his presence. He seemed like a robot, with no affect at all.

It's really sad for me to see this happen. He will always be "the man" to me.

Review by: Tim Moore

I just attended the Variety Playhouse show in Atlanta. I have attended Johnny Winter shows many times in his R&R era but hadn't seen Johnny since the early seventies.

I was a little shocked when Johnny appeared to be sight-impaired and almost feeble. I understand that he's just 58. Guess he's had a hard life. Do you know if the albino and boss-eyed situation has an effect on his general health, or is this just due to his problems with mood-altering substances?

The show was opened by Gracie Moon . Worth the price of admission in herself. Check her out if you can.

I really enjoyed the blues format. His guitar playing is much smoother than in the early days. He definitely needs no 'second/rhythm guitarist' or keyboards in his show. He really filled it up.

His voice has really changed. The growl and bite seem to be gone, maybe due to his health condition, but his overall tone replication and range are really better than ever.

He seemed so serious in his R&R heyday, but Saturday night he actually looked out at the audience with a big smile on several occasions.

His bassist and drummer certainly showed their wares but were very respectful of Johnny, and at no time did they step on his licks. The bassist played very tastefully the whole show but really showed what he could do, mirroring Johnny's licks on one song late in the show.

With all due respect to Stevie Ray, Eric, etc., I left the show reaffirmed that Johnny was the best guitarist of all time. He is truly a legendary bluesman.

I will be surprised if anyone sends pictures. Evans Security was pretty adamant about cameras. I was told that the flashes physically irritated Johnny. The show was way too short, but I think everyone understood after seeing Johnny take only small, short steps the whole evening.