Quintessential Jonny Lang
It was cold, gray and a little windy, but at least it didn’t rain! Chesapeake Blues Festival rocked the shores of Sandy Point Park Sunday; oh wait! That was all thanks to Shemekia Copeland and headliner, Jonny Lang, www.jonnylang.com
I’d like to thank Shemekia for her boisterous performance, 30 years young and sounding like an old school pro… I also wanna thank her for the wonderful lyrical content of her songs; “I ain’t gonna drink your dirty water now more, you can serve fiery water from a golden tongue. Ouch! Or “Why would you bring a new love around so soon, why rub salt in my wounds?” Sing it sister! You’re a ghetto child, no doubt (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDjT4sk-Fd0&feature=related). She sang this with no mic, and could still be heard from at least 30 yards back!
Too bad she wasn’t given more time, replacing the whack “Blood Sweat 7 Tears.” The sad excuse for a jam blue band. Basically a watered down variation of Blue Traveler. For some reason they kept doing Neil Diamond-style ballads. I thought I was at a blues concert, not in Caesar’s Palace in Vegas.
Shemekia Copeland
Thank goodness I had something to look forward to, Jonny “too hot to handle” Lang. No introduction, just straight into his set, kicking off with a medley of “On The Otherside Of The Fence,” “Don’t Stop for Anything” off his most recent album “Turn Around (2006)”and “Get What You Give” off his 2003 release “Red Light.”
Looking much older than the last time I saw him live at Tampa Theater, more filled out like man (but still lean), unlike the scrawny Jonny of five years ago… But still has that distinct soulful voice born to a kid who was Grammy-nominated by age 15! I mean, he’s only around 28 now; been in the game for a minute …
Seriously, how does he sound so pained and aching?
Leaving To Stay
Jonny makes a rather seamless transition from “Red Light” to a Bob Marley’s “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright,” making me think I must have heard this rendition before. He shreds like no other on “Anything Is Possible,” with such intensity without loosing himself, although I’m convinced when he goes into this other state, he’s possessed by that guitar.
Mostly blending one song into another, not much talk, except to graciously thank his fans who stayed out in the cold (till dark) of mid-May (?) to see him.
A moving “Leaving To Stay,” that made me wanna float away, “I’ve heard a lot of stories, but my prayers have been ignored … I’ve been waiting in the wings between the ocean and the shore, but this time I’m leaving to stay…” - beautiful.
Eventhough he did an encore, it wasn’t enough… 90 minutes just the beginning when someone so talented is leading a band of funky, bluesy-ness.
Jonny B Oh So Good!
Till next time Jonny, come and get me if it’s the last thing you do.
crowd, bundled and ready and waiting for Jonny... Bay Bridge backdrop
Can’t beat that scenery, if only the sun could have cracked the sky.
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Jonny Be Good! Jonny Lang Be Great!
May 21, 2009 at 12:00 am (artist, commentary, Concert, Live show, reviews) (Blues, Concert, Jonny Lang)
Quintessential Jonny Lang
It was cold, gray and a little windy, but at least it didn’t rain! Chesapeake Blues Festival rocked the shores of Sandy Point Park Sunday; oh wait! That was all thanks to Shemekia Copeland and headliner, Jonny Lang, www.jonnylang.com
I’d like to thank Shemekia for her boisterous performance, 30 years young and sounding like an old school pro… I also wanna thank her for the wonderful lyrical content of her songs; “I ain’t gonna drink your dirty water now more, you can serve fiery water from a golden tongue. Ouch! Or “Why would you bring a new love around so soon, why rub salt in my wounds?” Sing it sister! You’re a ghetto child, no doubt (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDjT4sk-Fd0&feature=related). She sang this with no mic, and could still be heard from at least 30 yards back!
Too bad she wasn’t given more time, replacing the whack “Blood Sweat 7 Tears.” The sad excuse for a jam blue band. Basically a watered down variation of Blue Traveler. For some reason they kept doing Neil Diamond-style ballads. I thought I was at a blues concert, not in Caesar’s Palace in Vegas.
Shemekia Copeland
Thank goodness I had something to look forward to, Jonny “too hot to handle” Lang. No introduction, just straight into his set, kicking off with a medley of “On The Otherside Of The Fence,” “Don’t Stop for Anything” off his most recent album “Turn Around (2006)”and “Get What You Give” off his 2003 release “Red Light.”
Looking much older than the last time I saw him live at Tampa Theater, more filled out like man (but still lean), unlike the scrawny Jonny of five years ago… But still has that distinct soulful voice born to a kid who was Grammy-nominated by age 15! I mean, he’s only around 28 now; been in the game for a minute …
Seriously, how does he sound so pained and aching?
Leaving To Stay
Jonny makes a rather seamless transition from “Red Light” to a Bob Marley’s “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright,” making me think I must have heard this rendition before. He shreds like no other on “Anything Is Possible,” with such intensity without loosing himself, although I’m convinced when he goes into this other state, he’s possessed by that guitar.
Mostly blending one song into another, not much talk, except to graciously thank his fans who stayed out in the cold (till dark) of mid-May (?) to see him.
A moving “Leaving To Stay,” that made me wanna float away, “I’ve heard a lot of stories, but my prayers have been ignored … I’ve been waiting in the wings between the ocean and the shore, but this time I’m leaving to stay…” - beautiful.
Eventhough he did an encore, it wasn’t enough… 90 minutes just the beginning when someone so talented is leading a band of funky, bluesy-ness.
Jonny B Oh So Good!
Till next time Jonny, come and get me if it’s the last thing you do.
crowd, bundled and ready and waiting for Jonny... Bay Bridge backdrop
Can’t beat that scenery, if only the sun could have cracked the sky.
Like this: