Tag Archives: blues

Jonny Lang Concert Review – Loveland, Colorado

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August 31, 2012
Thunder Mountain Amphitheater, Loveland, Colorado

Why is it that after I’ve just experienced a live concert that is so kick-ass amazing, I’m left feeling beat up, exhausted, and yet, indescribably invigorated?

Friday night, blues musician Jonny Lang performed at Thunder Mountain Amphitheater in Loveland, Colorado, and the phenomenal Mr. Lang, who never fails to blow his audience away, did it again.

With two local bands, Over the Rail and the Lindsey O’Brien Band opening for him, when Lang took the stage, he quietly picked up his guitar and with his long fingers stretched across the strings, began coaxing it into “Don’t Stop (For Anything).” Joining him onstage were Jim Anton on bass, Barry Alexander on drums, Dwan Hill on keyboards, and Akil Thompson on guitar.

I’ve watched Jonny change and grow over the years, taking the blues and playing them just as well as the old-time greats, (if there is such a thing as reincarnation, Jonny must have been one of the original blues masters–you just can’t manufacture that kind of soul) but he also turns them inside out and upside down and weaves them with different genres, such as gospel, R & B, Christian, soul, funk, and hard rock, as he did Friday night.

     Akil Thompson on guitar

 

 

 

 

 

Jim Anton on bass

 

 

I would be hard-pressed to find anything to criticize about the show, but if I had to name one, it would be that I would have liked to have heard “Still Rainin’” and “The Levee,” but that’s just me.

One cannot deny however, that Lang is a master not only of the guitar, but also of vocal ability. He captures his audience and grips them with each note like talons piercing unsuspecting flesh and we never want those talons to release us. A shining example of this was the intro to “Red Light.” Lang took us on an emotional rollercoaster with just his voice. What a treat. I’d like to ask him what goes through his mind when he’s up there performing because it seems like he’s in his own little world and yet, he gives two hundred and fifty percent every time, getting so deeply into the music that it’s hard to tell where his identity ends and that of the music begins. Maybe it doesn’t.

“Forty Days and Forthy Nights,” an old Muddy Waters tune, showcased Lang’s incredible guitar work–exceedingly impressive–without the use of a pick.

“Lie to Me,” always an audience favorite, began almost as an acoustical tease, then exploded in a metaphorical wall of fire and power until it consumed the entire amphitheater. It doesn’t get much better than this.

“Breakin’ Me” was performed with so much emotion that there was hardly a sound from the audience, and “Turn Around” had a funky R & B feel to it, as well as Stevie Wonder’s “Livin’ for the City.”

 

 

 

Barry Alexander on drums

 

     Dwan Hill on keyboards

The final song was “I Am,” another emotional piece, in which all the band members performed solos. At the end of the show, Lang stepped up to the mic, and with a boyish grin on his face, quipped, “I just don’t want it to end!” and we knew he meant it. I didn’t want it to end either.

Thanks to the fine people at Thunder Mountain Harley-Davidson and Clear Channel Radio (107.9 The Bear), I got to meet Jonny backstage. Again, he did not disappoint. He was warm, down-to-earth and comfortably chatting with his admirers—signing everything they offered, then happily posing for pictures. Someone said to him, “Jonny, you have more talent in your little finger than most people have in their whole body!” Jonny smiled and replied, “It’s practice, just practice.” I beg to differ. I could practice until my fingers fell off and never get close to what comes so effortlessly to him.

       

Backstage with Jonny Lang

Discovering what a gracious person he was only deepened my respect for him and my appreciation of his music.

This man does have more talent in his little finger than most people will ever have, and he’s happy to share it with you; just don’t be fooled by his soft-spoken manner and humble nature—when he opens his mouth to sing and moves his fingers across the strings of his guitar—he will swallow you whole. And you will love every minute of it.

 

Setlist:
Don’t Stop (For Anything)
A Quitter Never Wins
Turn Around
Red Light
Livin’ For the City
That Great Day
Breakin’ Me
Angel of Mercy
Lie To Me
Forty Days and Forty Nights
I Am

Photo Credits: ©Dee Walker

 

 

 

Ch-Ch-Chickenfoot CD Review

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June 7, 2009

Chickenfoot CD

Recently released June 5, 2009! Click on CD cover above to purchase, or go to www.chickenfoot.us/ to download the MP3 version for only $3.99!

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I can see where many have prejudged this album. Based on the short teasers on Chickenfoot’s website, I was initially guilty of the same. Portions of “Soap on a Rope,” “Down the Drain” and “Oh Yeah” were available before the album was released and I have to admit, when I first heard them, I was disappointed. I thought: “I wanna be your hoochie koochie man?” what kind of lyrics are those? Immediately there came visions of Charro… scary.

And the teaser of “Down the Drain,” caused me to think: here we go again, he’s singing “I need love in the morning and I need love first thing in the evening.” Come on, give me some substance…

It was the same with “Soap on a Rope.” When I first heard it, I thought: oh, no, not another song about sex and drinking…

Well, I was wrong. After seeing Chickenfoot live in San Francisco, I was truly wounded. In a good way. In a fantastic way. I don’t know what I was expecting, but it was not the caliper of what I got that night. I wrote a review of the show, so I won’t repeat it here. Check out my post of 5-20-09 if you’re interested.

As for the album itself, I have to say that this is one of the best rock sounds I have ever heard. Yep, right up there with Zeppelin. The surprising changes in these songs are one thing that makes them exciting and memorable. Just when you think this is gonna be a slow song or it’s gonna go this way or that way, it changes and lights up into something completely different. It’s a pleasure to listen to, an  honor, really. The songs showcase each of the musicians to their fullest. They really sing. Each of them, although not always with their voices.

The intro to “Avenida Revolution” slithers like a forbidden snake up your spine. Chad’s drums grab you RIGHT NOW. Sometimes the drums have a Native American feel. This song is an unexpected explosion with a dirty, nasty, dark, heavy rock beat. Sammy’s scream at the end, buries it deep. Satriani, Smith and Anthony all have small solos which highlight their outstanding talents.

The shining moment for me in “Soap on a Rope,” is when Joe’s guitar quakes with riffs reminiscent of SRV (Stevie Ray Vaughan) and is accompanied by a bend uuuuuup that takes you up with it. Also during one of the guitar moments, there’s a point where I can’t tell if the sound is created exclusively by Satch’s guitar or if Sammy is moaning along with it. If it’s just the guitar, I’ve never heard this technique before and it’s brilliant. “Soap on a Rope” bounces with a happy beat. It makes you feel good.

In “Sexy Little Thing,” Sammy will be criticized for his songs about drinking and sex, but it wouldn’t be Sammy without that. Although I was initially guilty of thinking the same, “Sexy Little Thing” is one of those tunes that makes you have to move your ass; you can’t sit still. The guitar starts out sounding a bit like a mandolin and then kicks into gear. It’s a catchy tune and a lot of fun.

“Oh Yeah” has a dark sort of feeling to the middle of it. It tastes a lot like the chord progression in the Beatles song “Because,” which is one of my all-time favorite songs ever. It builds and explodes, then falls back down, rising again with a guitar solo.

“Runnin’ Out” is a political statement about the struggle to hold on to hope. “Long after the mud has settled, you left us with a dirty man…” and “we’re running out of heroes” is a clear message about disenchantment with the Bush administration.

“Get it Up” has a melodic, rolling bassline that really stands out. It’s so full of energy, you can’t escape its impact. I love the repeated references to the word “round.” Even Joe’s guitar seems to convey the feeling of swirling in some places during the song. Chad gets a chance to wail on drums and Mikey can clearly be heard screaming his distinctive backing vocals in this song, giving it all he’s got.

Without doubt, “Down the Drain” captures Chickenfoot’s unique sound from the first note. I love the lyrics “do me when I’m dirty;” that really seems to express the voice of this band. It’s their statement. This is another song I had misjudged based on the small sample on their website. I thought this song lacked substance. I wanted more than what I had initially heard. Well, this song is loaded with substance. Maybe not in the context of the lyrics, but in the music itself. The music here is so phenomenal, it doesn’t lack for anything. Chad and Mikey’s contributions to this band are forefront in “Down the Drain.” And Sam’s scream at the end just seals this song, wraps it up, seals it nice!

My least favorite song on the album is “My Kinda Girl.” It’s not a bad song; it just doesn’t stand out for me.

I already wrote my impression of “Learning to Fall:” “There is something beyond the words here, beyond the melody. It drifts just below the surface and weaves itself with Joe’s guitar and the beautiful flowing harmonies. I don’t think I’ve ever heard Sam’s voice contain so much depth. It reveals something intimate about him that he feels compelled to share and yet wants to guard because maybe it’s just a little too personal to give away—and would they get it even if he did? But it shines through anyhow; he can’t help it, and it glides and caresses like fine cognac slipping down your throat and warming your insides.”

This is by far my favorite on the album. My only criticism is that I wish they would have given me time to recover from “Learning to Fall” when they played it live, before they went into the next song. I missed the first half of “Turnin’ Left” because I was so taken with “Learning to Fall” that I couldn’t tear myself loose from it!

Joe’s remarkable guitar skills are in their glory in “Turnin’ Left.” This is a heavy-hitting, hard-driving rock song that moves fast right from the beginning. Again Sammy and Mikey’s combined screams give this song power, accompanied by the hammering beat and music. Is that a scream combined with the squeal of the guitar or just a perfect blend of musicianship? Great high-energy piece.

“Future in the Past” begins rather funky, then turns the corner and takes on a middle-Eastern flavor. It spins like a belly-dancer’s flowing silk veil, taking you in different directions, then climbs into a hard rock bend. This is another favorite for me. There are a lot of twists here. I think the lyrics contain more meaning than they originally exhibit.

“Bitten by the Wolf” didn’t grab me at first. But when it did, it became another of my favorites on this CD. I heard things in Sammy’s voice I’d not heard before, except perhaps a taste in Van Halen’s “Apolitical Blues.” Sammy can sing the blues. Only a singer with this much depth of soul can pull this off to this height. Some strategically-placed emphasis on certain words like “muddy,” demonstrate his talent beyond doubt. With the gravelly soul sound of a raw blues singer, it goes through me like a jagged shock of lightening.

Sammy said this song was about vampires; I didn’t get that impression–except for the lyrics “we gonna live forever,” which I couldn’t figure out how that had to do with New Orleans.

There is not a bad song here.

Chickenfoot has single-handedly revived rock ‘n’ roll! This album is destined to become a classic.

P.S. Their performance on The Tonight Show with Conan did not adequately convey the authority of Chickenfoot. While they did a good job, something seemed off. Perhaps Joe’s and Mikey’s mics were turned up too loud and it distorted the sound because this was not the raw power of the band I witnessed in San Francisco or the extraordinary talent I hear on the CD!