I went to Knoxville last night. By the time I got there, the concert was almost over. I managed to catch the last four songs, which was better than what I experienced last April in Cincinnati.
Last April’s performance was almost pathetic compared to last night. Johnny Winter was mediocre, but even a mediocre Johnny Winter isn’t too bad. He showed flashes of his past greatness. Last time, I thought he wasn’t even a shadow of his former self. He still appears physically weak, but he doesn’t seem ill like he did last year. He smiled and seemed happy at times. This time, I could hear him sing, whereas before I could barely make out any lyrics. The only clear thing I remembered from that performance was when he said, “They call me Johnny Guitar.” This time, I understood more than a third of the lyrics. He even growled a bit between songs, saying “yeah” or “alright,” which was completely absent last year.
However, he seems to be struggling with his fretwork. His right hand (picking and strumming) seems fine, but his left hand doesn’t work as it used to. His expression changes when he’s about to use the frets a lot, as if he wants to go all out but either can’t or is afraid of messing up. It’s like something troubles him when he reaches the parts where he used to really start jamming.
I only heard the last four songs. I have trouble identifying what he’s playing now, aside from “Johnny Guitar.” One song, played on slide guitar, sounded a bit like “Mojo Boogie” or “Black Cat Bone.” Another part of a song reminded me of “Memory Pain” or “Fast Life Rider,” but I believe it was more like “Memory Pain.” A segment even sounded like the beginning of “It’s All Over Now” from Captured Live . He seems to be improvising more, but without the same skill he once had. The parts that sounded like “Memory Pain” and “It’s All Over Now” reminded me of how great he’s been. “Johnny Guitar” wasn’t too bad either.
The band sounded better this time, although Epstein’s (sp?) bass was too loud at times, drowning out the others. I’m still not a fan of his playing, though he did seem better this time. People have mentioned that he’s a really nice guy, and I wouldn’t be surprised, but I just don’t dig his style. I miss Jeff Ganz. He looked a bit strange at times but really loved to play and seemed to connect well with Johnny. Mark (Epstein) seems to enjoy himself too, but he doesn’t jam like Ganz used to.
The volume on the mic was louder this time, so Johnny’s vocals were more audible. Some parts were still hard to understand, but his voice was present. Last April, Tom Compton (the drummer) didn’t seem very enthusiastic, almost like he didn’t want to be there. This time, he seemed more like a person going through the motions of a well-practiced routine. Occasionally, they’d all start jamming really well, although it didn’t last long. It seems they’ve grown more cohesive as a band. At times, Tom would start hammering on the bell, and I got a kick out of that. The first time, I even looked around for a train!
One thing that made me chuckle was seeing Johnny from the side a few times. The brim of his hat is bent in such a way that it looks like he ran into a wall or something. I couldn’t help but laugh internally, thinking, “If he did, he doesn’t give a damn. He can’t see anyway!”
Overall, the performance wasn’t too bad, from what I saw. They all seem happier and sound better than they did 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 high this time, which probably helped, but I’d still say it was a better show than last year.
I’m not entirely sure what songs he played. The first one I heard sounded like something from Hey, Where’s Your Brother? The next song, on the Firebird, sounded kind of like “Mojo Boogie.” Then he played “Johnny Guitar” as an encore and finished with that funky-sounding track they’re playing now. I wish I’d been able to get there on time. I’m kind of surprised I went at all.
I had to ask for directions when I got there because Mark’s directions didn’t reach me before I left. One guy gave me a wrong turn, so I arrived later than I would have otherwise. Mark, I drove from Huntsville too. You must live nearby!
I wish I had gone to New Orleans to see Savoy Brown. I haven’t seen them since 1990, and they blew me away. Kim Simmonds is kind of like Johnny—he loves playing the blues, had some early commercial success, and then enjoyed a long career in relative obscurity.
By the way, who opened for Johnny? I’ve been quite pleased with the previous two openers, Michael Hill’s Blues Mob and Jellyroll.
Sincerely,
Greg
