2005 ACL Fest Home > Reports from the ACL Festival > Archives > 2005 > September > 24 > Entry
Our Buddy
One never knows which Buddy Guy is going to show for any given performance — the one who phones it in or the one who means it. Fortunately, Guy decided this ACL Fest crowd was worth cranking it out for — at least part of the time — and so he did.
“I know it’s kinda hot. I’m hot, too.” Guy told the crowd Saturday. “Let’s get it on!”
The intensity of his performance eventually got as hot as the beating midday sun. Though he’s about to reach 70, he had no problem hitting high notes as easily with his voice as he did with his brown Fender Telecaster, which he played before switching to his more familiar polka-dotted Strat.
Guy delivered “I’ve Got Dreams to Remember” and “What Kind of Woman is This” from his new album, “Bring ’Em In,” (out this Tuesday) a collection of classics done as duets with fellow guitar greats, and some others not on the album (a snippet of “Fever,” another of “Feels Like Rain,”) before slipping into his unnecessary renditions of other guitarists, including Muddy Waters and Eric Clapton (he chose the Cream tune, “Strange Brew,” perhaps because those guys are heading stateside for three reunion shows).
He nearly let his sax player steal the show several times, but when Guy decided he still had something to prove, he went for it — taking his also-familiar stroll through the audience (so to speak; he had an empty aisle straight to the soundboard) and wowing the crowd with a few vicious licks. He was playing a song from “Damn Right, I’ve Got the Blues, ” but as he sashayed toward the board, his gold watch, gold rings and gold teeth gleaming, he wore a huge “No-I-don’t-really-have-the-blues-at-all!” grin. By the time he was done, neither did anyone who was listening.
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