More than four years after I last saw John Hammond at McCabe's, in October 2005, I said to myself that it was time to reconnect with him. So why the sabbatical in the first place, one may ask. Well, in 2005 I could tell that John's energy level was not what it used to be - now that was a brilliant observation - only an exceedingly sharp observer like me would have noticed that a sixty-three year old guitar virtuoso is not as energetic as he was at age 51, when I first saw him.
This was my thirteenth time to see John live, so I knew exactly what to expect from his solo appearances. John sings mostly classic blues covers, with one or two of his own songs thrown in. He always credits the original performer and oftentimes has a related story to tell. He doesn't talk much, the main emphasis is always the music. He alternates between his acoustic and steel slide guitar. Has a mouth harmonica attached to his neck. Delivers his songs with passion and intensity. Gives it all he has.
Long story short, this concert was perfect, which made me regret the few times I stayed away, so I made a huge mental note that read "Don't you dare staying home again when he's in town".
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