Energetic Lang Offers Fine Show
Jonny Lang, the 18-year-old blues brush fire, proved youth can teach maturity a thing or two about putting on a blistering show.
Guitar slung low on his hips, his head dipping and tossing, Lang blazed away almost non-stop for 90 minutes Tuesday night at the Spokane Opera House.
The mostly middle-aged crowd, with scattered patches of teenaged girls, returned Lang’s energy throughout the night. They stood to dance — at least to nod and sway — through the final encore number, “Lie to Me.”
Newly tattooed with what is rumored to be a Mayan calendar on his right shoulder, Lang seemed fully at ease on stage. He is 6-foot, muscled, lanky and resembles — in tank top and cargo pants — the kid who mows the lawn.
But thanks to supportive parents who saw his potential, Lang earns his spending money a different way.
He seemed to love his work and his co-workers Tuesday. His expressive face contorted wildly as he played his capable solos. He shared the spotlight just enough with his band mates, who outrank him in seniority, but probably can’t outlast his stamina.
More than his guitar work or stage presence, Lang’s big-bad-wolf voice left a lasting impression. Ache, anguish and obsession scratched through to the surface. He’s either an accomplished actor, has lived past lives, or has packed more heartache into 18 years than he owns up to in interviews.
Lang’s vocal potential apparently is even greater than gravel. Early in the show, he briefly allowed a smoother, more soulful voice to arise in “Quitters Never Win,” but it was an idea he didn’t pursue during the rest of the concert.
Lang opened with three quick tricks: “Still Rainin’,” “Good Morning Little Schoolgirl” and “Quitters Never Win.” An hour later, he was still on a winning streak with the pool-hall tale “Rack ‘Em Up,” during which guitarist Paul Diethelm and keyboardist Bruce McCabe contributed expert solos.
Diethelm and McCabe’s writing abilities and Diethelm’s Dobro guitar work were featured on “Wander This World,” the title cut from Lang’s new CD and the first song of the encore.
Opening for Lang, singer-songwriter Patty Griffin demonstrated an extraordinary range of material. Bluesy one minute and hard-rocking the next, Griffin won over the audience with her passionate and beautiful voice.
Her dark lyrics were often difficult to hear due to band members who seemed more concerned with the volume of their own instruments than with Griffin’s sense of musicality and dynamics.
Griffin worked alone to record her first CD, the 1996 acoustic “Living With Ghosts.” She added a band with her new venture, “Flaming Red,” and apparently needs to exert more leadership with the musicians she’s hired to support her on the road.
Maybe Lang, whose relationship with his band seems one of mutual respect, has some more teaching to do.<
Jonny Lang Tuesday, June 8, Spokane Opera House