Monday, 30 June 2003: Anker, Leipzig, Germany

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Johnny Winter with James Montgomery, Gwyn Ashton at Anker, Leipzig, Germany

Hi everybody,

On Monday evening, I had the pleasure of seeing Johnny Winter in Leipzig at a venue called "Anker." The show was sold out, with around 1,500–2,000 people in attendance.

Here’s how the evening started: Just as we arrived at the hall (we had driven in from Berlin), Johnny also pulled up in a taxi, accompanied by a woman who I believe was his wife, Susan. Interestingly, the crowd outside didn’t recognize him, and Johnny, along with the woman, made their way unnoticed to the waiting tour bus nearby. Johnny has put on some weight compared to three years ago when I last saw him in Barcelona. As many of you know, he now looks much older than he really is, moves very slowly, and needs assistance while walking. Later, someone from the front row mentioned to me that they noticed his arm and leg trembling at times.

An hour later, the opening act began: Gwyn Ashton from Australia. He’s an interesting and talented electric guitar and dobro player, reminiscent of Rory Gallagher. If he ever comes to your town, I highly recommend seeing him!

At 9:15, Johnny and his band took the stage. He remained seated in a chair throughout the performance. They opened with a somewhat slower version of "Hideaway." I didn’t make a complete setlist, but the songs I recognized were: "Black Jack," "Sick & Tired," "Mona," "Got My Mojo Working," "Messin’ With The Kid," "She Likes To Boogie Real Low," "Tore Down" (the Freddie King song, sung by the drummer), and "Johnny Guitar." All of these were played on his Lazer guitar. For the two encores, he switched to his trusty old Gibson Firebird and played slide guitar on "Mojo Boogie" and "Highway 61." There were also a few songs sung by the solid harp player, James Montgomery, though I didn’t recognize them.

Overall, Johnny seemed stronger and more focused than when I saw him a few years ago. While the songs were generally played at a slower pace than what we’re used to from his records or shows from about ten years ago, he was precise and showed improved timing compared to the 2003 gig. His voice also sounded a bit stronger. The absolute highlight of the evening was "Highway 61," with fluent and fine slide guitar work and good vocals, followed by "Mojo Boogie" and "Messin’ With The Kid." I also enjoyed other tunes, though there were a few weaker songs (like "Sick & Tired," "Mona," and "Hideaway"). His slide guitar playing was much more fluid than his regular guitar work.

For me, it was fascinating to witness how Johnny had changed and developed positively since 2003. However, I’m sure many in the audience were quite shocked to see him in this physical condition. Nevertheless, the crowd loved him, chanting "Johnny" repeatedly and demanding more encores.

Best wishes,

Gerd

"R.I.P." is written on the stickers that many have attached to their blues outfits this evening. It stands for the Latin phrase "Requiescat in Pace," but the audience at Anker surely prefers the English translation, "Rest in Peace." This is the final concert at the "Ballhaus zum Goldenen Anker," built in 1876 in the village of Möckern to attract city dwellers on excursions. 127 years later, it seems the city officials no longer see a need for it as a community center.

On this last evening, the blues icon Johnny Winter is the guest. No doubt, the Anker would have sold out for him even without the sad occasion. Winter, born in 1944, is very ill and has to be helped onto the stage, where he performs seated. His guitar technique is unique and unmatched. He plays the strings with his thumb, using what appears to be a metal ring, like the kind used by zither players—only much faster!

No, this evening is not a lesson in intricacy; in the past, he likely played more cleanly. But it's pure, powerhouse blues—a completely white take on what is traditionally Black music—and it grooves like hell. Winter has an excellent backing band. Bassist Scott Spray provides a reliable engine, and James Montgomery is perhaps the best harmonica virtuoso this city has seen in a long time.

The atmosphere heats up quickly. The average age of the audience is probably just under 40. Johnny Winter also senses that this is a special night. A wonderful moment occurs when, overwhelmed by the wave of enthusiasm, he forgets his cane while standing up and manages something like a bow.

Afterwards, the hall empties slowly, with people lingering outside until the rain drives them away. Long lists are filled out (over 800 signatures in a single evening), and defiant postcards are written to the city council. Many people go back inside to the hall for one last deep breath. It’s a farewell to a large part of the wild years.

The Anker crew has not given up. They are searching for alternatives. The pub remains open, and the hall will likely continue to operate—but only for events with a maximum of 99 people. That might be enough for children's carnivals and senior dances, but certainly not enough to preserve the space. The slow decay looms. R.I.P.!

It’s hard to believe, but there was a time when blues was the coolest music around. In the 1940s and 1950s, people in the USA danced to these new, wild sounds, though it remained largely a domain of Black musicians. One of the first white artists to venture into blues in the 1960s was Johnny Winter, a Texan by choice. On Monday, he performed at the Anker in Leipzig.

Hundreds of fans, most dressed in jeans, didn't want to miss the chance to see the string virtuoso. It could very well have been the last time "Johnny Guitar" was on tour. Although the tour was billed as "Still Alive And Well," the 59-year-old isn’t in the best of health. His career was overshadowed by heroin use, and several times he had to retreat from the spotlight. Seeing him carried out of the tour bus before the concert raised serious concerns about his health. That he performed while seated came as no surprise. His singing voice has always been thin and screeching, but with the support of his solid band, a robust blues-rock machine eventually revved up. And Winter has clearly not lost much of his guitar-playing talent.

In blues, authenticity is everything. The most important thing is that you believe the musician's pain, and Winter certainly delivers on that front.

Winter grew up in the southern United States (Mississippi), an extremely sun-sensitive albino—a reason in itself to connect with the blues. And you believe every note played by the whitest of all blues guitarists.

Wearing a captain's hat, Winter delivers one classic after another. Blues thrives on repetition, and so he and his harmonica player, James Montgomery, perform solo after solo over the same harmonies. As he waves goodbye with his walking stick to the appreciative audience, it’s astonishing that his arms—so thin they barely have room for his tattoos—still had the strength to do so.