The Johnny Winter Experience Pt. II

I have to say that the Bull Run Restaurant was a great venue to see an old favorite (John Dawson Winter III on 23 February 1944 in Beaumont, Texas). It was completely done up right. Check this out: $35.00 gets you inside, and a seat for a lavish menu. Oh yeah, what better way to set up a Johnny Winter show than Bass Ale and Prime Rib? Dinner conversation and an older crowd made this dining adventure a treat, complete with the late arrivals to our table, dyed in the wool Johnny fans and reliving their youth a little. Elaine gave me an update on Johnny's health status, while Monique, Steve and Bob did a routine about getting on the "crack patch". Good Stuff? No, but, hey, I didn't know that my table came with comedians! Good News, Everyone. . .I can take the night off.

After the meal, the warm up act came along. This would be Lloyd Thayer, of Massachusetts, most recently of The Boston Subway. This was kind of sleepy time for me, although I cannot fault a note the man played. He played some down in the Delta country blues including some Son House and Mississippi Fred MacDowell (A personal favorite). If I would have just heard him I would have loved him, but my predjudices had to come into play. I saw the man with the deep south voice and in my mind he was the Rick Astley of the Blues. Here I was, waiting to the the whitest man alive sing the blues and it was bothering me that this skinny tattooed dude was giving me what I liked: Deep track blues from ages past. I don't know why I like them so, I guess it's because it's like opening an old diary you find in the attic. It's old historical feeling that is there forever and will never change. So in short, at the time I called him the Blues Simulator, but in hindsight, I was being a jackass. My apologies to Lloyd Thayer, for everything I said behind his back, and some of the things I thought.

Now there was a little break between acts, but eventually Johnny Winter came shuffling along, band at his elbows, keeping him steady as they guided him to his chair. Now I know he broke his hip in 2000 on the European tour, and his health was going, but it shook me a little to see one of my idols in this way. But also it added something evil to the performance, because I tell you he was electric the minute the guitar landed in his hands. Oh my God! It was everything and more all at once and a great show to see. I was expecting a clap of thunder when he opened his mouth but to my surprise he announced that they were going to start with a little number called "Hideaway". Fluid and twisting great stuff. Also in that set list were some songs like "Black Jack", "Highway 61", "Start Over Again", "Johnny Guitar", "I'm A Man", "Sugar Coated Love", "When You Got a Good Friend", "Be Careful With a Fool", "Lone Wolf", "She Likes to Boogie Real Low", "Mojo Boogie", but not in that particular order.

I know the man is only 62 years old, but those are about the hardest living 62 years you can do and still be breathing. I think that every single day that he has had since 1973 has been a day he's been lucky to have. And I appreciate them fully. I think that Keith Richards looks at Johnny Winter and says, "Damn boy. You did wot, now?"