I wrote a review of a concert I attended on 17 January 1997 at the Majestic. Johnny’s performance then was terrible. However, I saw Johnny at the same venue this past Friday (27/03/98), and his performance was vastly improved. He seemed much stronger, more fluid in his movements, and his voice was significantly more powerful this time. He played for 1 hour and 20 minutes.
Though he missed a few notes and his timing was occasionally off, his performance was a 100% improvement over the one I saw the year before. The most impressive part of the performance was a slide guitar song where he repeatedly performed a famous riff, originally from Elmore James's Dust My Blues and Johnny’s own Progressive Blues Experiment album ( Black Cat Bone ). He should include more slide guitar in his shows, as his timing is much better during those tunes than when he's picking.
Overall, Johnny was quite conservative in his playing. Occasionally, he would attempt one of his signature flurries but would quickly retreat to a slower and more comfortable pace. Watching him, I had the feeling he was testing the waters, exploring where he stands in his comeback journey. It reminded me of a professional athlete recovering from a disabling injury—testing out what once came easily to see how far he could push himself.
It would be interesting to know how Johnny feels about his overall performance and how much of his former greatness he believes he can recover. If the improvement from January 1997 to March 1998 is any indication, Johnny Winter fans may be in for a pleasant surprise. Reflecting on seeing him ten years ago compared to now, I’d estimate his talent level is at about 40%. I hope his strength and health continue to improve; I’m confident his talent will take care of the rest.
That said, Johnny Winter's performance on 27 March 1998 was also 100% worse than his performance at the same venue in January 1997. His rendition of Hideaway was an embarrassment—played in slow motion with missed notes and moments of stumbling. Sen-Sa-Shun , Mojo , and Boogie Real Low were somewhat better, but Johnny was visibly struggling. He often stuck his tongue out, clearly having a hard time. While his tone was still great, his playing lacked speed and dexterity, and everything was slowed down.
I agree that he sounded great on slide guitar and should focus more on that, but overall, his performance was barely acceptable for a paid concert. At one point, he even grabbed a tissue and spent an uncomfortably long time digging around his nose, all in full view of the crowd. It was quite sad to see him in such poor shape, and unless his health improves, I don't know how long he can continue performing at this level.
