By: Lindsey Borders
I have been a listener of Jonny Lang since I was 16 and the man’s talent knows no bounds; it is astounding and incredible to witness in person. I’ve seen many concerts and a lot of talent, but there’s only a handful of exceptional live performances, and Mr. Lang is one of them. His guitar playing skills are the best his generation and, dare I say it, past generations have seen. He really enjoys playing and performing and you can feel his passion for music in his performance. He could play solo and still be extraordinary, however, his band is just as good as he is at performing and playing.
Getting the crowd ready for Jonny was the opening band, Honor By August, who many had not heard of, yet they brought the crowd energy with eclectic performances. When Jonny came on stage, he began playing and the crowd was duly prepped for him. He began with the first single, “Blew Up (The House)” from his newest album in seven years, Fight For My Soul. Not only does Jonny perform his original singles, he also incorporates gospel into his set and did so with “That Great Day,” and covers from those artists who have inspired him, with Stevie Wonder’s “Living for the City,” and Muddy Waters’ “40 Days and 40 Nights.” Altogether he played an astonishing two-hour set with a four-song song encore, including the hit he is mostly known for among music listeners, “Lie To Me,” which began with Jonny performing it acoustically, then having the band come back on stage and join him in closing it out. This performance was bittersweet, as this was the last performance of bassist, Jim Anton, after touring and playing for 11 years.
Jonny is easily one of the best, all-time musicians and concerts I have ever seen. I’m humbled and honored to have had the privilege of seeing him perform. Check out photos of Honor By August and Jonny Lang below:
Jonny Lang & Band:
Honor By August:
