I'm not really a fan of Johnny Winter. I'm a 26-year-old guy from Girona, Catalonia, Spain, and I’ve only heard him a few times because my mother has one (or more?) of his albums. A few days ago, I heard Johnny was going to play in Salt (a city that’s really just part of Girona) at a "Black Music" festival. I mentioned it to my mother, and she asked me to take her there. I thought it could be a good idea because it surely wouldn’t be a bad concert.
The concert was tonight. I’ve just come back from it, and after discovering your webpage, which I found interesting, I thought it might be worth sharing a little review with you.
Before Johnny, an Argentinian band called Pappa's Blues played, and Johnny started his set around ten past midnight on this 3rd-4th May night. He played for about an hour and a half. My first impression was one of shock because I didn’t expect Johnny to look so old. He needed help to walk (using a cane), sat throughout the concert, and his right leg was trembling constantly. Occasionally, his right arm would shake too when he wasn’t playing guitar. He also seemed to have no teeth. Maybe this is something his fans are aware of, but since I’m not familiar with him (nor is my mother), we were both shocked. He didn’t look like someone around 60, but more like 80. Despite his appearance, his music was great. He played the guitar exceptionally well, apart from a few minor missteps, which was another surprising contrast for me. I think the band members did a great job supporting him and ensuring he felt comfortable, and they were all excellent musicians.
Although I enjoyed most of the songs, I didn’t recognise them. My mother said she recognised some but couldn’t recall the titles. If she checks her records and you’re interested, I can send some titles later. The only song I recognised was the last of the two encores: "Highway 61 Revisited," because I’m a big Bob Dylan fan. By the way, Johnny’s version (which I’ve known for some time) is one of the few Dylan covers that’s just as good as the original.
I’m afraid that’s all I can tell you. I’m happy I got to see one of music’s legends in concert and enjoyed it a lot. However, I’m still shocked by how old he looked. Is that normal? Is he ill? Oh, and in the latest photos I saw of him, he had a beard. Not today though.
Apologies if my English isn’t perfect, but I’ve done my best to express my impressions of tonight’s concert. If you need more information, don’t hesitate to ask, and I’ll do my best to answer. Congratulations on your webpage!
