Jonny Lang, Buddy Guy, Big Head Todd @ Fair
Posted on August 25th, 2008 – 12:54 AMBy Jon Bream
Good idea, not the best execution. For one, Guy should have headlined. For two, he and Lang should have gotten equal time onstage and Big Head Todd less time. Or the 4-hour event could have started earlier and/or the between-band breaks could have been shorter (no band had elaborate staging).
Big Head Todd paid tribute to John Lee Hooker, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Johnny Cash and Chuck Berry in the same song, “Folsom Prison Blues” done like a Berry classic. Did anyway miss the fact that Todd didn’t do “Bittersweet”? (By the by, Guy, in a “Mighty Wind” moment, also did Hooker’s “Boom Boom,” and I don’t think these redundant guitar guys were saluting Twins closer Joe Nathan.)
I’m sure more people were upset that Lang didn’t have time for “Breakin’ Me” and “Lie to Me,” his planned encore. Too many long-winded arrangements filled his allotted 75 minutes.
In retrospect, Guy and Lang each should have been given 90 minutes. That would have been a potentially great evening. And if they’d checked their egos at their backstage dressing rooms, the concert would not have needed an opening act.
Here is what Lang played:
1. One Person at a Time 2. Bump in the Road 3. Turn Around 4. A Quitter Never Wins 5. Red Light 6. Don’t Stop (For Anything) 7. Livin for the City 8. Thankful 9. I Am
What did you think of the show? Please post your comments here:
16 Responses to "Jonny Lang, Buddy Guy, Big Head Todd @ Fair"
Jon, sorry but your review was off the mark. Anyone who is a die hard Jonny fan knows what to expect at one of his shows. I have seen him in excess of 20 times since 2001 in venues both West and East coast and Jonny gave his true fans their money’s worth last night.
Anyone who expects to hear Lie to Me or anything from his Jonny Lang and the Big Bang days is mistaken. That is like expecting to Hear “Like a Virgin” or “Holiday” at one of Madonna’s concerts.
Jonny has NEVER been a conversationalist on stage. His music does the talking - similar to the likes of Van Morrison. I respectfully disagree with your assessment. Jonny ROCKED.
The State Fair’s strict 10:30pm Concert curfew for fireworks always hampers these Concerts. Multiple act Concerts like Guy, Lang and Todd need an extended evening; at least to 11:30pm. What’s with the curfew when the Fair is open until Midnight. The also curtail Beer sales early. So after the Concert you can not unwind with a beer! Boo!
I remember buying tickets for Boston in
2003. The opener: Night Ranger played 70 minutes then a half hour break; and Boston was forced to cut 30 minutes off their planned Concert. Just to meet the curfew. Boo again!
Don…
i don’t know what you’re talking about, last night’s show wasn’t over until well past 11…
hell, Johnny didn’t even go on until 9:45 or so
also, Braid Paisley was still going strong at 11:15 on Friday
I thought the night was AWESOME!!! I absolutely think Jonny is excellent. He never has really said a lot at the shows I have seen…but I don’t go to hear the boy talk!!
You wrote “if they’d checked their egos at their backstage dressing rooms, the concert would not have needed an opening act.” I know from speaking to some of the people coordinated the night that Jonny/Buddy had nothing to do with the opening act. I was also told that Jonny is the kind of guy who just ’shows up where they schedule him’. I got the impression he is not that involved in the planning process of things.
Jeff: Brad Paisley definitly played after curfew…(to the comment above)
Last nights show was great but what I don’t understand is why these triple bookings work the way they do. I would have settled just fine for hearing only Buddy and Jonny play. I can understand why Buddy’s set was a bit subdued after hearing of his brother Phil’s death. Buddy and Jonny both did a stellar job with their respective sets thought and both know how to work a crowd and play at their best! Although, I think that when the fair books shows, they either need to start earlier when booking triple bills (6;00 P.M. instead of 7;00 P.M.) or just book two acts in a show instead of three because I know I and the people I was seeing the show with had to book it out of the show early before Jonny’s encore just to catch the last bus out of the fairgrounda.
Just because you enjoy more than Lie to Me does not make you a die hard Jonny Lang fan. This is the song that got him started he should’ve played it instead of his 20+ minutes of a 5 minute song on a CD. I payed to see Jonny Lang sing, not listen to his backup singer for 10 minutes and his keyboardist play for another 10.
Madonna has had at least double the amount of CD’s out from Like a Virgin days than Jonny has from Lie to Me, so I don’t think that is a fair comparison.
I enjoyed the concert, but I would’ve enjoyed it more had I heard more songs (old or new).
So they’ve extended the curfew since 2003. I wasn’t at last nights Concert. In 2007; Fountains of Wayne played their last song at 10:35pm with fireworks drowning out the final notes!Sounds like it still wasn’t a long enough show for Jonny Lang or Buddy Guy fans.
Night Ranger played for 70 min?? I hope they played “Sister Christian” at least 5 times to cover that long of a set….i’m not sure what else they have besides that fantastic hit.
The paper said I could come to here to see the set list, but I can’t find it. Am I missing something?
amy not sure i see your point. because i like more than lie to me does not make me a die hard fan? what does then? a die hard fan will go to see their favorite musician regardless of the set list. truth to be told, i’m pretty sure that jonny has not changed his set list for about the last 6 concerts i have seen. if he sang the Our Father i would be there regardless. THAT my dear makes me a die hard fan!
PS when madonna can pick up a guitar and do with it what JL does, i’ll pay the 350+ per ticket to go see her. until then, i stand firm with the fact that many musicians go forward, not backward. yes, i love Lie to Me but i also know that JL is playing what he wants to play and i respect that….
I really wish he could have performed more after his band had all their solos. I really would have LOVED to see more songs performed by Jonny. He is an amazing artist and I was a little bummed by the song list. I still loved the show though. After his band did all their solos, I thought FOR SURE he would perform at least one last song after that….but he didn’t! That was it! I was really disappointed by that. There are a lot of songs I would have really liked to hear. Lie to me is just one of many. But oh well. that’s it.
FYI: Jonny Lang’s playing the DECC Auditorium in Duluth on Friday; Sept. 12. Perhaps a “road trip” is in order!
All I have to say is that in the world of blues, it’s almost sacrilegious to have jonny lang open for the legend that is Buddy Guy.
I though Jonny Lang did AMAZING, I wish he would’ve been able to play until 3:00 a.m., he’s simply amazing.
don, lets go 
- i have front row tickets for the DECC show and cannot wait. i have never seen him in duluth before and front row to boot. he played in fargo last night and i imagine that was a kick azz show as well.
Yao know teh routine. Jonnhy Lounge paylyd Red Lihgt so thats waht matters. Chase to think immi drikning too much, red lihgt - wonderes if backgruong gospal signers were there.Fargo wases presents as if in town as boy.
Classes concerer buts dont get me sarted on Big Todd Head. Night Ranger set wases bset all tyme at Fair for flairgoers,
