3/5/2000

By PHIL LUCIANO Journal Star critic
of the Journal Star
 

PEORIA - Jonny Lang rocked a sold-out house Friday night. Too bad it
was the
wrong house.

Though the 19-year-old guitar maestro wowed the 2,100 fans who packed
the
Peoria Civic Center Theater, you couldn't help wonder how much more
they
would have enjoyed the performance in a less-restrictive atmosphere,
such as
the Madison Theater. Not only is the gritty Madison more of a match to
Lang's
blues-rock than the hoity-toity theater, but the Madison's open floor
space
allows danc ing and movement.

The theater is like a cineplex: no dance floor, all seats, and more
conducive
to sit-in-your-chair rock 'n' roll nostalgia shows or Sesame Street
kiddie
plays - not a boogie-woogie blues show that makes you want to jump up
and
flex your booty. Friday night, a few game audience members tried to
dance,
but there's really no place to move.

And make no mistake, Lang makes you want to shake your rump, blasting
out
hard-driving tunes like "Rack 'Em Up," "Still Rainin'," "Lie to Me" and
-
best of all for the shimmy- shake fans - the funky "I Am." And he
peppered
the revved- up show with a few contemplative ballads - including
"Levee" and
"Wander This World," plus a new song apparently called "It's Only the
Wind" -
giving the crowd an occasional chance to let its heart rate calm down.

The genial Lang (clad simply in a black tank top and dark trousers)
said
little to the crowd besides "Thank you" after frequent applause. But
his
spirit is more contagious than that of performers with eons more
experience.

Like B.B. King, Lang rarely plays his six-string while singing, instead
concentrating on barking an authoritative growl akin to Tom Waits, with
a
hint of Stevie Ray Vaughn. The lanky youth, who needs no
audience-sparking
stage props beyond himself, throws every one of his 150 pounds into
each
note, his eyes slammed shut as he contorts, twists and shakes to
stretch for
just the right pitch.

And when it's time to let his Stratocaster do the talking, he somehow
finds a
higher gear, attacking his chords with an almost machinelike blur,
alternately tossing his head back and swaying his short mane as he
grooves to
his own sounds, or stomping and skipping about the stage to the
rollicking
beat; either way, he seems to genuinely enjoy making music, even
letting his
talented five-piece backup band take turns in the limelight.

Opening for Lang was an inspired blues-rock outfit called The Keller
Brothers
Band, which covered a wide chunk of musical ground, from the
piano-boogie of
Professor Longhair to the soul of James Brown. The group showed
impressive
musicianship, especially lead guitarist and singer Mike Keller;
however,
their haircuts - which looked as if borrowed from the likes of TV's
Greg
Brady and Chip Douglas - need work.