He was part of Canned Heat and John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, survived in extremis when he had lost 60 kg thanks to a liver transplant, released last year his 30th album, displays 72 years in the civil status but, as he says himself, 50 less when he is on stage... The Café de la Danse, a small Parisian venue, received Monday, June 5, a legend of blues rock, the American Walter Trout, author last year of a very good album – once again – "Ride". A show given in a torrid atmosphere, and in front of a motivated audience that allowed the event to be sold out.
Surrounded by a classical formation, bass (held by the faithful Johnny Griparic, ex-Slash's Snakepit), drums and keyboards, sometimes supported by his tour manager, Andrew Elt, who defends himself on six-strings and backing vocals (and for good reason, it is the former vocalist of the Dutch metal band Sleeze Beez), the guitarist and singer was playful as ever.
As he himself proclaims after the first track, the furious boogie "I Can Tell", "I'm happy to be in Europe, I'm happy to be in France, I'd be happy to be anywhere!" For someone expansive like him, the confinement must have been harsh, so he spends 200% tonight, sometimes even singing the riff he will play on the guitar before launching a title!
A riot of electricity
After the pure blues juice "Walkin' in the Rain", where he reveals unsuspected crooner skills, Trout moves to unbridled rock, with "want to Dance". And he does not forget to give us many anecdotes, such as his teenage meeting with B. B. King, for him forever the greatest bluesman in history, before the symbolic "Say Goodbye to the Blues", where he draws a guitar solo literally fiery.
It is then time to move on to his latest opus, "Ride", whose excellent eponymous title, with very Allman Brothers Band flavors, evokes his childhood in a lost hole in the United States, from which he only dreamed of escaping. Griparic having broken a string of his bass in the exercise, the keyboardist launches into an improvised blues, joined by Trout, then finally the rest of the group, before the return to the planned repertoire, via another novelty, "Ghosts".
A few others will follow, such as the sweet "Follow You Back Home", as well as "I Worry Too Much", the occasion of a new hilarious anecdote: "Once in California, I made a big mistake. I turned on the TV and watched the news! What inspired him these words where he says he is afraid of everything... More romantic, "Destiny" looks back on his meeting with his wife, Marie, at a concert several decades ago in Denmark, the "quietest" song of his career, as he admits himself.
The artist then launches a vibrant appeal for volunteers for organ donation, recalling himself that it owes its existence to a liver transplant. Then the concert ends in a riot of electricity, thanks to the tonic "Red Sun" then, the encore, via the rabid "Bullfrog Blues", popularized in his time by Rory Gallagher, another great man to whom Trout pays tribute by name. The ending is so intense that friend Walter cannot hold back his tears, moved by the welcome received tonight. A performance that he and the public will remember for a long time!
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