Oakland County Fest, Pontiac, MI

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Johnny Winter is by far my favorite guitar player. I have seen him at least 15 times since the Guitar Slinger tour, although far less frequently in recent years. In the '90s, I became accustomed to shows that, while they may not have had sustained drive, at least had their high points. Some were still very good. Although none of the shows I attended with the bass player after Jon Paris — before this new band—were very tight, they still had their moments.

I wish I could say Johnny didn’t play as badly as some of the reviews I’ve read. But I can’t. I am grateful that I was prepared for this show by reading reviews beforehand. So, there is no confusion:

Johnny couldn’t play a lick.

There were six or seven seconds on the slide guitar that might have resembled a lick. But even the best lead in this brief flurry was worse than the worst lick on Highway 61 or Captured Live. It was painful to watch. He struggled even with rhythm guitar, and the band really covered for him throughout the performance.

Initially, I bought into the idea that he wasn’t stoned or drunk. While watching, I felt bad for Johnny, thinking he might have been suffering from some sort of severe aging disease. In hindsight, I believe it’s more likely that he was completely stoned. I am pretty sure he’s been in this condition for so long that he has worked out a set he can "play" while in such a state. But there was no reason for him to perform like that.

I attended the concert with my uncle, who originally introduced me to Johnny Winter’s music. After the show, I got to hear once again the story of the "legendary" show in the '70s with Edgar Winter, where Johnny was so stoned he just stood there swaying, unable to play a note. Every so often, a roadie would catch him before he fell. The next Detroit show was the unofficial "apology" concert, where Johnny shredded licks for 20 minutes before even letting the band play a note. I don’t think Johnny will be offering an apology for this concert, judging by the other reviews.

The venue itself was great. It was outdoors as part of a festival with three stages. Johnny Winter was the headliner that night. Believe it or not, Jeff Healey played before Johnny, starting at 7:00 p.m. I caught the last half-hour of Jeff’s show, and it was fantastic. I had hoped Johnny Winter would be energized and deliver his best performance. Sadly, I think that’s behind him now.

After reading other reviews of this concert, I’m not sure what else to say. In my opinion, there was no "authority" in Johnny Winter’s playing. Perhaps some reviewers were too stoned themselves or trying too hard to find something good in the show. Anyone who has seen a strong Johnny Winter performance and expects that level now will be disappointed—maybe even devastated. To grasp just how bad this show was, consider that I didn’t think Live in NYC ’97 was a great performance, yet it was a masterpiece compared to this. The entire show didn’t even come close to the intro licks before "Hideaway" from that CD. I would call this the “shouldn’t-have-been” tour.

While I think Johnny was too stoned to perform well, my uncle suspects it might be more of a physical issue, likely from years of abuse. I’m still hoping for a comeback after he cleans up. My uncle had a technical explanation of the show. On Live in NYC ’97, Johnny played a rhythm like “ta-da-da, ta-da-da, ta-da-da.” At this concert, it was more like “ta-da-skip, ta-da-skip, ta-da-skip,” skipping every third note. Coupled with the fact that he played the whole set very slowly, with no licks, and couldn’t maintain rhythm, the result was an overall disappointing show.

—Chris

This past Labor Day weekend, I attended the "Arts, Beats and Eats" festival in Pontiac, Michigan, specifically to see Johnny Winter. Here's my review of the show:

Let me start by saying that, like many other contributors, I have been playing music and listening to Johnny for over 20 years, and I’ve seen him live seven times before this past weekend’s show.

The concert was held at the Phoenix Plaza, an outdoor amphitheater located atop a large parking structure. It was a warm summer night, with clear skies and a pleasant 75-degree temperature.

The opening act was Jeff Healey, who played very well for about an hour. Johnny took the stage at around 9:30 p.m. to a thunderous welcome, which he clearly appreciated. I hadn’t seen Johnny in five or six years, and he certainly looked older. (However, after reading other reviews, I wasn’t "shocked" by his appearance.) Johnny played the Live in NYC setlist, with "The Sky is Crying" removed and "Sick and Tired" added.

"Hideaway" started off in a slower swing tempo with a few verses repeated. Johnny clearly uses this tune to get his fingers moving, as it employs a few licks in almost every neck position, and I’m sure there’s no "warm-up" time for him. By the end of the song, Johnny was playing the lead licks with the same authority you hear on the new album. His playing on "Sen-sa-shun/Mojo" and "Boogie Real Low," as well as the subsequent songs, was much smoother. Contrary to some other reviews, neither Johnny’s nor the band’s timing drifted, and Johnny’s voice was clearly audible throughout the show. His singing was very spirited, and he elicited several loud "YEAH!!!" cheers from the crowd. While he doesn’t belt it out like he used to, his voice remains clear, and his lyrics are still very cool.

The only slide number on the Firebird was a superb rendition of "The Sun is Shining," which was met with a huge ovation.

The encore was, of course, "Johnny Guitar" and "Drop the Bomb." Johnny delivered a commanding version of "Johnny Guitar" and even included riffs from several old songs during "Drop the Bomb."

All in all, I’d say Johnny was having an "ON" night. From what I’ve heard from others who attended his last show in Detroit, this performance was much better. Johnny smiled often, clearly enjoying himself and appreciating the crowd’s positive response. He even did one of his patented "spins" in the middle of "Drop the Bomb."

Johnny is still drinking, but on this night, it didn’t seem to affect his performance.

After the show, a few fans gathered by Johnny’s tour bus, and I managed to get his autograph on the pickguard of my Gibson Firebird guitar, which made the evening extra special. It was the best free concert I’ve ever attended! Yes, Johnny is getting older, but he’s still a blues master and a guitar genius.

Regards,

Marc Jordano