Johnny Winter took the stage at about 10:25 PM and played, to the best of my recollection, the following setlist:
- - Sensation/Mojo
- - Boogie Real Low
- - Sick and Tired
- - Black Jack Game
- - The Sun is Shining (slide)
- - Going Down (Vito Luizzi on vocals)
- - Johnny Guitar
- - Hideaway
Encore:
- - Drop the Bomb
- - Hideaway
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I’ve listened to many of Johnny Winter’s albums throughout both his highs and lows. Going into this concert, my impression of him as a blues musician was that he was good, but not exceptional. Much of his work seemed to be revamped 50s rock 'n' roll tunes, like Johnny B. Goode. But knowing he was getting on in years, I wanted to see him live at least once before it was too late.
For the concert, his gear consisted of three Music Man 4x10 amps (though only two were on), his white Erlewine Lazer guitar, a 60s Gibson Firebird, and a Boss Chorus pedal that remained on throughout the performance.
Johnny needed help from his bassist to ascend the two or three steps onto the stage. He walked out in small, tentative steps and looked quite old and fragile. At one point, he wanted his chorus pedal moved to a different spot, and his bassist knelt down, asking, "Here? No? Here?" It seemed clear that Johnny likely couldn't bend over if his life depended on it. Throughout the performance, whenever he needed to switch guitars, he would carefully shuffle to the side of the stage, where a roadie would swap the instruments for him.
He opened the concert with the Erlewine Lazer, playing archetypal blues riffs. Nothing too complex, and no solos that didn’t sound like rehearsed licks, but he did well. I was genuinely surprised by how fluid his playing was, even with a few minor slip-ups that only a guitarist would likely notice.
Where he really stood out was during his slide work on the Firebird. The tunes were derivative of Robert Johnson’s songs, but then again, so is much of Muddy Waters’ material. Johnny spent a lot of time playing with Muddy, and the influence is clear. As a slide player myself, I was impressed with the smoothness of his playing. If he released an album composed entirely of slide work, I’d buy it without hesitation.
Having never seen Johnny in his prime, I can’t make a true comparison. However, despite his failing health, he’s still performing admirably.
In conclusion, any opportunity to see a blues legend should be seized—there are very few left. Johnny Winter is no exception.
