Steve Winwood wows as opening act.
July 17th, 2008 by Eric Snider in ReviewsA few years ago, I went to a Steve Winwood concert at Jannus Landing, stayed about 30 minutes, and left feeling like he was some sort of robotic construct, a Stepford musician. So last night I was in no particular hurry to get to the Forum to see him open for Tom Petty.
We arrived just as he kicked into “Higher Love.” Winwood and his band — guitar, saxophone, drums, percussion and Hammond organ — did a far more organic and funky version than the high-gloss recording. The quintet, performing in close quarters as opening acts usually do, really connected and found a cool, rolling groove.
Winwood’s voice sounded as robust and rangy as it did 40 years ago.
He came from behind his organ, picked up a guitar and took center stage. The group kicked into the Traffic classic “Dear Mr. Fantasy,” playing a long version, highlighted by Winwood’s guitar solo (as a keyboardist, he’s a damn fine guitar player). From there, it was an extended, romping “Gimme Some Lovin’.”
The crowd went bonkers. To the best of my recollection, it was most enthusiastic response I’ve ever seen for an opening act in an arena. Winwood and company hung around for a few minutes of bows, basking and bye-byes.
I was pretty knocked out. When I commiserated with fellow critics during the break, Wade Tatangelo and Sean Daly said that Winwood’s set had started out slowly, smooth-jazzy, and that I had picked a perfectly fortuitous time to arrive.
Then again, they watched from the press box, while I caught Winwood from a nice seat just above stage level. Who knows? Maybe Winwood starts out Stepford and becomes steadily more animated as his sets go on.
His show got me thinking about the bigger issue of opening acts. When major bands tour, they usually tap an up-and-coming act, or one of their pet bands, to open. Not long ago, support acts were generally new, stylistically compatible bands that shared a record label with the headliner.
What did this yield? Audiences that were bored and fidgety — if they bothered to take their seats during the 30-40-minute opening set. It often seemed to me that new or obscure bands opening for mega-stars left the stage more demoralized than uplifted.
Petty did it right. This was no co-bill, no classic rock concert with Journey and Heart and whomever. Steve Winwood, rock legend, was a legitimate opening act for Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers. He played more than an hour. The crowd knew him and liked him, was predisposed to sitting down (and then standing up) to watch him. The audience got value.
What a concept. I’d like to see more superstar bands bring along opening acts with legitimate track records and fanbases. Steve Winwood’s show last night sure added to my experience.
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July 17th, 2008 at 3:48 pm
the last time i saw steve winwood, he was with traffic and they were opening for the dead in dc at rfk.
last night’s bill would have surely pleased me, but alas, unless i get those close to stage seats, the ice palace is just a waste of money to my ears.