Saw Johnny Winter Last Night- Pics Inside!

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deejaid
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Saw Johnny Winter Last Night- Pics Inside!

Post by deejaid »

Made the 2 hour drive up to Sacramento last night to see Johnny Winter perform. Overall it was a good show but there were some low points. Johnny's vocals were not that strong and he seemed to lose the groove with his bass player who was giving Johnny some looks like "What are you doing?" At other times though, Johnny was tearing it up. I was 3 feet from him and just watched has hands. I'm glad I got to see him live, but it definitely wasn't Johnny in his heyday.

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Blindboy
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Re: Saw Johnny Winter Last Night- Pics Inside!

Post by Blindboy »

Cool! I have seen him a couple of times, years ago. One was kind of mixed (as you describe), one, where he was opening for Robin Trower in a bar, was KILLER! :yikes:
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leftyslim
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Re: Saw Johnny Winter Last Night- Pics Inside!

Post by leftyslim »

He's playing the black Lazer again? I love love love the sound of his white one (and I've tried to copy it many times), but the black one always sounded harsh to me, never quite as nice; but I'm nobody to be telling Johnny what to play!

I saw him a couple years ago, and I think I definitely got to see him on a good night; even though he's past his prime, he can still tear it up! There's a bootleg album (which I probably can't link to here, I guess?) called Barcelona Boogie floating around on the web; it was recorded in... rats, '91 or '92, and it's one of the best guitar albums I've ever heard: pure white-Lazer/Firebird tone!
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tombstone
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Re: Saw Johnny Winter Last Night- Pics Inside!

Post by tombstone »

I'm glad you had an at least semi-positive experience. When he played at Crossroads last year it was a disaster. His timing was way off.
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deejaid
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Re: Saw Johnny Winter Last Night- Pics Inside!

Post by deejaid »

Frank Hannon of Tesla opened the show and played some great slide guitar. I was never a fan of Tesla but he can really play. And the second act (I can't remember their name) were great as well. Johnny was really the worst of the three bands. My wife who is not a blues fan even commented on how much better the other bands were. Like Tombstone said his timing was off a lot. The faces his bassist was making told the story. There were a few flashes of some great playing though.

I actually left before the encore as it was late and we had a 2 hour drive home. I also didn't want to see him butcher Highway 61 like I've seen him do on Youtube. I prefer to think of that song as the way he did it on "Captured Live". I didn't want to be let down. :tears:

But overall I did enjoy seeing him play, as I never saw him live before.
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12bar
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Re: Saw Johnny Winter Last Night- Pics Inside!

Post by 12bar »

Keep in mind that Johnny's health is not getting better, it's already a wonder that he's still alive, and more that he still can play a guitar. :icon_whoknows:
tombstone
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Re: Saw Johnny Winter Last Night- Pics Inside!

Post by tombstone »

I felt the same way about B.B. King when I saw him last February. That said, he can still play, when he wants to, but he never does seem to. With Buddy Guy playing an hour and a half before hand there was just no comparison. Same with Johnny and the rest of Crossroads 2010.

I left before the end both times, Crossroads to beat the traffic, BB and Buddy in Feb because I couldn't take it.
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deejaid
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Re: Saw Johnny Winter Last Night- Pics Inside!

Post by deejaid »

Well I've seen Buddy twice and he surely doesn't disappoint. Last year I saw him he had something wrong with his foot(he had some sort of walking boot on) he still came out into the crowd to play at the end. I am seeing Buddy again in 2 weeks and can't wait!
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DeaconBlues
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Re: Saw Johnny Winter Last Night- Pics Inside!

Post by DeaconBlues »

I was fortunate to see Johnny live in his prime. Late 70's. He was always a very inspiring guitarist.

My avatar is Edgar and Johnny circa 1954. They were competing on the Arthur Godfrey show, I believe.
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deejaid
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Re: Saw Johnny Winter Last Night- Pics Inside!

Post by deejaid »

Yeah Deacon I noticed your avatar pic. I've seen that pic somewhere recently. :think: I am reading Johnny's biography "Raisin Cain" and I believe that picture is in there.
jeremyguitar
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Re: Saw Johnny Winter Last Night- Pics Inside!

Post by jeremyguitar »

I wish I could have seen Johnny in his prime. I've unfortunately had to settle for seeing several artists on the absolute down cycle of their career. I guess the only thing to do is catch as many rising stars as I can right now.
bluesfreek
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Re: Saw Johnny Winter Last Night- Pics Inside!

Post by bluesfreek »

Those are some pretty cool pics. :thumbsup:

I saw Johnny in a club in the late 1980's when he was still standing and could still sing. Once guided to the correct spot on stage, he didn't say much but proceeded to tear into that guitar like a man posessed. I believe he was still using several Music Man amps and had his trusty Firebird with him. He also used the Lazer too which was probably new at the time.

The LP Johnny Winter & Live is still one of my favorite live albums of all time.
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deejaid
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Re: Saw Johnny Winter Last Night- Pics Inside!

Post by deejaid »

Thanks bluesfreek. It was awesome to see him and he is still one of my favorites, even if he can't play like he used to. I have been trying to get pictures at the concerts I have been going to, but didn't take my camera to Buddy Guy as they didn't allow professional dslr cameras at his show.

I was at the Santa Cruz Blues Festival yesterday and saw Johnny Lang, Keb Mo, Kenny Wayne Sheppard, and Steve Vai doing the Experience Hendrix show which was awesome. But it rained most of the day so I didn't take my camera out in the elements.
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