Johnny played a set very similar to what he has been performing lately. He came on stage at 10:30 p.m. and played until midnight, including the encore. No one had to assist Johnny to the stage; in fact, he practically ran on and let out a growl before even starting to play. The venue was packed, though tickets were still available at the door.
Johnny Winter at House of Blues, Chicago 1998
He's not what he used to be, but who is? His performance wasn’t depressing or pathetic—far from it. There were still some hot licks coming from Johnny, with the slide guitar being the highlight of the night. I honestly wish he’d play slide guitar for the entire show. Overall, the performance was solid, and it was worth the trip to Chicago just to be in the same room as the blues legend. As long as his fans continue to support him, I believe Johnny will keep touring.
The crowd certainly didn’t mind what Johnny did. He could have just sat there smoking cigarillos, and they still would have cheered. There was a standing ovation from the moment he started at 10:30 until the end at 12:00. The loudest cheer came during his famous "spin" move, which he did during a Firebird slide tune.
Some notable observations:
1. A girl in my group actually saw a fan shoot up while standing next to her when Johnny started playing.
2. Two T-shirt designs and black-and-white photos were available for sale.
3. Little Slatus Management cards were being handed out. The fan club costs $35 (though it doesn’t specify what you get), and merchandise included: $10 hats, $20 posters, $2 guitar picks, "Let Me In" and "Brother" CDs for $15, $2 fake tattoos, and more. The card said something like: "Be a part of a legend - 1-888-Blues-89".
4. The sound quality of the concert and the acoustics of the room were fantastic.
