NAME: Amy
URL: Jonny Lang Blues Cafe
WHEN: May 31, 1997
WHERE: Peoria, Ill.
HERE'S WHAT I HAVE TO SAY,...

Jonny's Peoria, Illinios show was scheduled for 7:30 PM on May 31st, 1997. My family and I piled into the van at about 7:00 in the morning so we could get there on time, since we're from Cleveland, Ohio. It took us nine hours, but it was worth every single second of boring travel. Before heading over to the Riverfront Festival Park, we dropped our stuff off at the Fairfield Inn. We had some trouble navigating through the streets of Peoria, but finally we heard Jonny and the band doing their sound check. We parked the van and headed over to the gate of the park. There were only a few other people there, since we had arrived about an hour before show time. We were one of the first people in line once the crowd started to gather. My sisters and I were peeking into the back of the park, where Jonny was relaxing in a lawn chair. Some of the band members left the park, walking right past us. Finally, the gates were opened and tons upon tons of screaming girls (EXCLUDING my sisters and I) ran over right infront of the microphone. We were in the first row, leaning right up on the stage. The opening act was pretty good, but it was LONG. I ended up getting bored, so I looked around the crowd. Surprisingly, I wasn't the only one to show up in cowboy boots. There were a few people strolling around in cowboy hats and boots. A few minutes before Jonny came on stage, I pushed my way back to the stage where my sister had held our spot for two hours. We almost got squahed against the stage by a bunch of drunkards when Jonny jumped up on stage. Fearing that we would be squashed, we decided to head under the stage if we got pushed any more. The concert was great, and Jonny was a great preformer. To bad there were about five drunkards behind me lighting their stupid ciggarette's by my legs. One drunk lady kept petting my sister's head and my head, saying 'Such beautiful hair, I love their hair!' I pushed myself closer to the stage after that. When the bassist had a solo during one of the songs, Jonny tried to quiet the crowd by holding his finger up to his lips. That only made the other girls scream their heads off. Jonny held up his other finger, only to get more screams. Finally, he stepped off to the side of the stage, crossed his arms and pouted, refusing to play any more unless the crowd shut up. It was so cute that we we're gonna take a picture, except they had put up a sign earlier saying 'No Camera's Allowed.' Near the end of the concert, he came over to our side of the stage and came right up infront of the speaker where we were standing. The drunk fools behind me almost squashed me against my little sister. After a few more minutes, the last song was played and Jonny left the stage. Everyone was screaming for more. Jonny came back on stage for one last song, only to play so hard that he popped one of his guitar strings! A new guitar was brought out and the concert was finished. I walked away half-deaf, due to the fact that we had been standing right by the amp. It didn't matter. The concert was great and Jonny had put on a wonderful show.

NAME: Jayna
URL: The Bush Zone
WHEN: Sometime in November
WHERE: Atlanta, GA at the Fox Theatre
HERE'S WHAT I HAVE TO SAY,...

OK, I'd say this show kicked ass! Even though he was just and opening act it was awesome! He was opening for Blues Traveler, but he started out with Hit the Ground Running and that just was kick ass! The concert was a while ago so I don't remember the exact order that he played everything. He also played Missing Your Love, Match Box, Lie To Me, Darker Side, Good Mornin' Little Schoolgirl, Still Wonder, Back For A Taste Of Your Love, When I Come To You, and There's Got To Be A Change. I'd say the whole concert kicked ass, even though he wasn't headling.

NAME: Vanessa
WHEN: February 15,1997
WHERE: Winona, MN
HERE'S WHAT I HAVE TO SAY,...

It was the night of our school dance. My date and I left early to go see Jonny. It was the first time I ever heard him sing and I fell in love. When Jonny was finished playing he went downstairs to the basement of the bar and my date followed right behind him. So, there I was standing at the top of the stepps waiting for my friend to come back up and tell me all about his conversation with Jonny.Then Jonny's manager came to the top of the stairs and told me to go downstairs. So, I went to the basement and shook Jonny's hand and got his autograph and talked to him for about 10 minutes. He's a real cool guy and I was glad to get to talk to him. I'll never forget that night.

NAME: Amy
URL: Jonny Lang Blues Cafe
WHEN: Janurary 5, 1998
WHERE: Cleveland, Ohio
HERE'S WHAT I HAVE TO SAY,...

This is going to be one long review, but so much happened!! It was such a great night!!
Me, my mom, and my sisters (12 and 18) left for the Cleveland Warehouse District at 4:30. The Odeon, the small 500 person club where Jonny was going to play, was located in The District, right by the river. The show didn't start until 8:00, but we were first in line! My sisters and I stood by the door, looking in and listening to Jonny do sound check. Awhile later, he walked by the door and looked out at us. I got excited,...it was going to be a great night!! Later, Jonny and his band came out and walked down the street.
When the doors opened and everyone flooded in, me and my sisters were right in the front, in front of the microphone (and the amps, unfortunatly!! I couldn't hear ANYTHING for ten minutes after the show! :). Anyways, my sisters held my spot and I went to get a Jonny Lang t-shirt,...it's white and has a rectangle on it. It say's 'Jonny Lang' really big and 'Lie To Me' over a picture of one of those little women he has on his guitar :) Well, I went back and my little sister went and got a black shirt with all the tour dates on the back. Well, one of the girls that was standing next to me asked me who was opening for Jonny, and I told her Matthew Ryan. He's really quite good, actually, if you're wondering. They're kind of like a mellow rock,...kind of like Nirvana.
Okay, back to the review! :) Jonny's show rocked! They had cool lights and stuff that they didn't have at the other concert of his I was at,...but that was cause it was outside. Well, Jonny played really good and it was awesome being right up close. The only problem was that there was this snotty girl that had pushed her way up next to me that kept pushing to get closer to Jonny. Now it's not like I cared to much that I was right infront (even though it was cool,...) but she pissed me off cause she was pushing like hell. She pushed so hard I pushed back, looked straight ahead, and said "**** you, ****." (I was very mad :( ) Well, she said "This girl has a problem," so I just ignored her and enjoyed the show.
Jonny was really good on stage, and he was feeling good, so he was acting goofy, like jumping across the stage *lol* I absolutely LOVED the last oncore song he played,...Spanish Castle Magic by Jimi Hendrix (he said that was his favorite song, when I was in a chat room with him at the beginning of last year). He carried it out forever, but I loved it!! At the end of the song, he threw a couple picks out into the audience, one coming right at me but I missed :) It fell on the ground near me, and the annoying girl next to me had a spaz, looking all around for it. As it turns out, I was standing on it!! And when I moved, she totally lost it and lunged to the ground to pick it up. I totally decided it wasn't worth the fight, so I left. (and besides, when we went outside, my sister found a pick on the ground. Maybe it was Jonny's, maybe not!)
Me, my sisters, and three girls that had talked to me at the start of the show waited outside for Jonny to come out. We started talking to the girls about the spaz that was next to us. They couldn't stand her, either!! A few other people hung around, too. It was raining, so I take it that's why everyone left :) I didn't care. I was soaked and freezing but one of the girls, Tia, shared her umbrella with me. We waited two hours before Jonny came out, but so what!! In that time, Jonny's mom came out of the bus and we said 'hi' to her. She came over and talked for awhile. Soon after that, I ran up to Billy Thommes when he came back from the bus and got him to autograph my shirt. All of us got a big group picture with him (which I hope to scan on when developed!) and then Tia, Jordan, and Sara (I think that was her name,...if one of you guys ever see this tell me if I'm wrong!! :) had him sign their arms :) Then we caught Paul on his way out and got him to autograph our stuff. He laughed when they asked him to sign their arms,...he said "Isn't this illegal?" *lol* We got a big group picture with him, too. Then, finally, at almost one in the morning, Jonny Lang finally came out!! His tour manager was, like, "No autographs we have to get him out of the rain!" but when we asked Jonny, he said "Sure!" *lol* I got him to autograph my shirt, and we got a quick picture with him (I don't know how well it will turn out,...too many people around!). My little sister gave him a really good, shaded picture she drew of him singing and he was so nice! He said "You drew me a picture? Thank you!" And then he was gone :( But it was such a blast! I stood in the rain for two hours, but it was worth it! I made some new friends, and got Jonny, Paul, and Billy to autograph my shirt! :)

NAME: Brandy
WHEN: November 18, 1997
WHERE: Minneapolis
HERE'S WHAT I HAVE TO SAY,...

The concert was well done. Jonny was opening for Blues Traveler. His very last song was lie to me. Which was also his last song at the Aerosmith concert. The crowd was going wild after he had finished his last song, he didn't do an encore though. I was way up in the 23rd row, so it kinda sucked not being able to have a close up look at Jonny. I wasn't discouraged. I don't have any stories like others, but it was a night I'll never forget. The night I saw my idol sing! What a voice. If he ever reads this, keep up the good work boy. And it is great that he never lets it go to his head. Jonny shops at local thrift stores for his great outfits, despite his large sum of money.

NAME: Laina Swanson
URL: Laina's Home
WHEN: Some time when there was snow on the ground!
WHERE: ah ha =) Minneapolis, Minnesota
HERE'S WHAT I HAVE TO SAY,...

Well, actually I've seen him more than once. Once at Medina Ball room in Medina Minnesota I think, =) and um.I don't know who was the opening band for him but it was some bad that wasn't bad at all but like the other girl said was very long. Um. then over summer a long time ago, or a few years ago I saw him at Mill City Music Festival in Minneapolis and he was good there too, I was tired cause it was the day before when the school year was gonna begin, my mom got rather pissed at me cause I wanted to go in the middle of Soul Asylum. Oh well. We also stopped by this guys recording studio, and tried to see if he was there (not Jonny) But he wasn't we went back later though and he told my mom and I about how when Jonny was there over that summer, and I was like uhh. I wanted to be there. But oh well. Then we saw him at um.. another little summer thing we have like on a yearly basis but I don't remmeber. But I saw him two times at that Festival. and It was cool. The fi! rst time my mom dragged me to be there and I was like uh. I dunno. and I wasn't to enthused about anything that night for some reason. So I wasn't really like ahhh he's so cute or anything yet. But like the second time my mom brought me to see him was like at the Mill City Music Festival when He ws still with The Big Bang. That was good, and I had a lot of fun. I haven't had the chance to meet him like on a talk talk basis but he's a nice guy from what I've heard and he's layed back and doesn't have a "hard head." So thats cool. Um. but Yeah, at my page I have some pictures of him scanned that my mom took when we were at Medina and when we went to Best Buy to get my "Lie to Me" cd Autographed. So if you want you can stop by and check out the hottie. =) Later! Thanks, sorry so long.

NAME: Marge Beard
WHEN: January 13, 1998
WHERE: Orbit Room - Grand Rapids, MI
HERE'S WHAT I HAVE TO SAY,...

I'm probably a bit older than most of the people who have written reviews, but I am just as big of a Jonny Lang fan as anyone....I try not to use the word obsessed...:) The Orbit Room is a fairly small venue but the perfect place to see him for the first time. Saying that he was awesome doesn't even begin to describe the show he put on that night!! I never wantewd it to end. I am so blown away by his talent, and that voice...not to mention that he is certainly nice to look at. Anyway, I would definately give the show a 4 star rating any day. Anyone who has the chance should go and see him. It is worth it, believe me. I have tickets to see him again March 11 in Indianapolis..Needless to say I can hardly wait. I'll check back and give zn update on that one too. Till then....

NAME: Christina
WHEN: January 19th
WHERE: Bogart's Cincy,Ohio
HERE'S WHAT I HAVE TO SAY,...

We got to the show about 1/2 hour before the doors were to open and we had tickets that said we were in the 7th row. It was cold and my mom is a wimp so she made us go into a "coffee shop " thing to get warm. As we and complain as we watch the line grow she finally lets us go when the doors are supposed to open. It's ok we have 7th row tickets..right? WRONG!! It's NO SEATS you stand the whole time unless you go way up by the bar. Whoever gets there first gets closest. I ended up closer than I would have anyway but still..Think how close we could have been. After th e opening band we decide we should get something to drink we walk from the front all the way to the bar to get a drink..how dumb. We struggle up there dont get anything to drink because we look down and see how flippin far away the stage is now and we head back. We fight through a million drunks (the concert was held in a bar) A bunch of perverted men are trying to get us to stand with them. By the time we fight to get were we were before everyone has squashed forward. So we are so jam packed I can't stand up by myself. People all around me are freaking out because I'm pret! ty small and everyone is pushing up against me. I can barely breathe and this lady keeps yellin' "If one more person pushes on her i'm punching them in the face. So..I'm trying to push people off me and that lady thats afraid im gonna die is trying to get me to stand over with her. Yeah like i'm gonna lose my front an center spot. Jonny's band comes out I go insane. Everyone starts laughing at me because I couldn't hold myself up before. I can't remember much of the show. Jonny was amazing I got alot of kewl pictures and 2 guys got in a fight with me stuck in the middle. Jonny sung a long time. He sung songs from "Lie to Me" and his other records. He was awesome and I almost got kicked out. But he definately rocks!

NAME: Kristen
URL: pale blue sapphire
WHEN: Feb. 27, 1998
WHERE: Tampa, Florida
HERE'S WHAT I HAVE TO SAY,...

Jonny Lang is the most amazing performer I have ever seen! He played at the University of South Florida, so we didn't have seats with numbers or anything. It was like, when the doors open you make a mad dash to get up front. So, I ran leaving my sister and my friend Chris behind. Hey, I wanted to be as close to Jonny as I could! :) All of the tables up near the stage were reserved, so we got the closest one we could. I was so excited that I was going to be able to see him so well. There were two bands before Jonny... actually the first guy wasn't a band. It was just him. The next band was Robert Bradley and the Blackwater Surprise... or something close to that. But, they were pretty cool. They didn't compare to Jonny though. Man, was I blown away by his talent. That voice... that hair... that grin. Plus, he's a wicked guitar player. Wicked. The first song he played was Hit the Ground Running. The second song he did was my favorite though. Good Morning Littl! e School Girl. After a couple songs people started going up to the stage. So, I joined them. I had thought that I was close when we were sitting down, but what a sight up close!! And despite the drunk guys in front of me I had a great time. One of the drunk guys kept talking to me. I am pretty small, for being 17, and the guy was like "Oh - can you see alright? Is he (meaning Jonny) your future husband?" :) But, I got a lot of great pictures. I am taking them to get developed today, and pretty soon I will have them up on my page. ~ Jonny played and played and he is so fun to watch. At one point during the show he stopped playing and closed his eyes - the other band members were still playing. And the crowd starts screaming. Jonny held his finger up to his lips and smiled. He wanted us to be able to hear his solo. Another cool part of the show was where Jonny and Paul were facing each other and Paul would play something, then Jonny would, and Jonny started laughing about something. I just lik! e how natural he was on stage. After they did all of their songs we made them come back and do an encore. To my enjoyment they did Rack 'Em Up - my second favorite song. I would've really liked to get his autograph or a picture with him or something! :) I can't wait until I can see him play again. ....... I have nothing left to say, except Jonny is an image that will be burned in my mind for all eternity. ~*~

NAME: Marge
WHEN: March 11, 1998
WHERE: Indianapolis, IN
HERE'S WHAT I HAVE TO SAY,...

OK, it's me again. This was also a general admission show so I stood outside in the freezing cold!for 21/2 hours so I could be the first one in the door and right up front. And I was!!! All I can tell you is he just gets better and better (if that's possible) and more and more beautiful. His hair gets blonder too. He truely is a guitar god, and that voice just makes me swoon. He did the Hendrix tune for his encore and he really knocked em dead. Boy , I just can't get it all out of my mind...nor do I want to! after seeing him, you just want to savor it for a long time. I tried to get tickets to the concert in Pontiac, MI at Clutch Cargos, but it has been sold out for quite awhile. The one I was at was also sold out. I think he sells out everywhere that he plays, as well he should. Well, I'm going to see him again as soon as it's humanly possible. I also tried for tickets at the Chicago House of Blues but it was sold out a while back too. I'll just have to try for the next one that is within a thousand miles. I had to go 250 miles to the one in Indianapolis, but it was so worth it. So till next time....

NAME: Rachel
WHEN: July 3, 1997
WHERE: In Quebec city
HERE'S WHAT I HAVE TO SAY,...

It was a pretty rainy day! I was whit my best girlfriend and we were SO exited to see and ear Jonny. When Jonny came on the stage, I todelly forgot that it was raining and that I was freezing! I tooked a buch of pictures of him. When you see pics of him dressed in a kind of Hawaien shirt, that was when I saw him in Quebec city. I could continue like that for hours, but I'm gonna go take a look at some pics and other stuff on this cool web site! Jonny was really worth beeing waiting out side for him for two hours and beeing frozen because the rain was pretty cold! Bye!

NAME: Scott
WHERE: Chicago, Ill. HOB
HERE'S WHAT I HAVE TO SAY,...

Jonny kicked down the House of Blues last night in Chicago. The place was packed, and the boy did not disappoint. He happily announced that the show was the last of the tour; the band members are eager to return home. So, they got out the last bit of funk to the delight of all. The band clearly was having fun, even more than usual. They launched into an off-beat "Hit the Ground Running" that had my buddy, who had never heard our boy, amazed. This was the second time I had brought a newbie to a Jonny show. I love to see the looks on their faces when he starts booming: there is a wide-eyed smile and then undivided attention. "Schoolgirl" was an extended rythmic tome, even more than the last time I saw the Lang one: its deep "badboy" line pounding away, and Jonny having fun with the vocal as always. There was some fun dueling guitar work later in the set. There seemed to be some new items toward the middle of the set; probably slated for the new album. Jonny said it is going to be special, "So, go out and buy it, because it's gonna knock your socks off." They closed with "Lie to Me," after an hour and a half, and came back for the Hendrix encore. The crowd was really appreciative, and the setting was perfect for the Langster. He looked great, as always, and grinned from ear to ear during the last song, as the back-stage crew ran out and started breaking down the set while the band played. Jonny was barefoot, as usual, and wore a yellow t-shirt with a sun design on it. The sound system was a quality one - the band and the audience deserves nothing less: it was so cool to hear him over the right equipment. At the House of Blues in Chicago, there are two or three floors of private, pricey boxes on either side of the main floor. The hoy poloy that pay to reserve them open these heavy curtains when they are ready to see the show, and when they did I saw that the boxes were filled: there were fancy types amazed at the boy. The band finished up, and Jonny came out cupping his hands, which were filled with picks, which he threw out into the audience. I didn't get one, but came away, as usual, happy with Jonny Lang's blues. I can't wait 'til next time.

NAME: Kirk
WHEN: Feb. 28, 98
WHERE: House of Blues, Orlando
HERE'S WHAT I HAVE TO SAY,...

Sat.28-98 started of early. We heard that Jonny was going to be doing an autograph session at Virgin Records across from the H.O.B. at noon so me and a buddy said what the hell and headed out with guitars in tow. When we got there thru the downpour we were surprised to learn that he was also going to do a 4 song set. Only about 150 people witnessed the event,the word never got out, I guess and it was a quite personal setting. After that Jonny was very nice to all requesting his attention. Yep! got my Gibson Wine Red ES-336 signed and blessed by the new guitar phenom and pictures to prove it! WOW..what a day and its only 2pm. Doors open at the H.O.B. 8pm we are in line early. Lights down at 9:30 for Sweetwater Surprise pretty cool Blues band from up north. They had a Bass guy that could rip! and closed good too!........ 11pm...lights down again...THIS IS IT !!! curtin opens to the band softly kicking around a nice little blues ditty without Jonny! seems like forever but then a Thunderous Scream from a familar Tele-Thinline as Jonny comes strolling in from stage right rippin' into Hit the Ground Runnin'. No warm up for this kid. Great solos all night. Dueling guitars, and a Bass solo that got thr place on its feet. They done a song Rain or about rain that was fantastic,real Blusey and soulful. Don't think I've heard it before. Stage rushing was in fashion also, but it all very harmless fun and nobody got thrown out. Jonny did a 2 song encore and the 10 minute anthem at the end was awsome as Jonny walked the stage left to right stopping only long enough to get up tip toe and hit the notes that only dogs hear. Eyes closed,bare foot and hair everywhere,he blew the house UP! As the curtin was closing Jonnys bowing and throwing us guitar picks. He thanked us for coming out ,but the pleasure was ours for sure. The kid can close a show NO DOUT! The only day that could be better than Feb.28 would have to be Feb.29 But as we all know that only happens once every 4 years......... Tusk.....