WINTERS-DERRINGER

I reviewed my first show since losing Kathy: Johnny Winter/Edgar Winter/Rick Derringer Friday at the Basie. It had taken me all this time -- 10 days shy of 19 months -- to re-enter that arena. Of course, this historic triple-bill was nigh impossible for an old concert hound like myself to resist (notwithstanding my duty to my readers).

It was really funny watching Red Bank fill up with old rockers (myself included) from about 6 p.m. on. It was so obvious why they were walking the streets here. I was standing with a few at the corner of Monmouth and Pearl waiting for the light to change, and thought I'd have a little fun. I said to an old long-hair: "Jeez, I keep seein' all these '60s/'70s people walking around. You'd think there was a Johnny Winter concert in town." But he didn't get my humor. "There is," he deadpanned. "We're going to it."

While I was in the lobby waiting to spot Brinie and Sister-in-Law (who were driving up from South Jersey), I swapped concert stories with a very interesting couple. I said to them, "You two haven't changed a bit in 30 years." Of course, I'd never met them before, but they just had that late '60s/early '70s look: denim, boots, feathered hair and lined faces. They were adorable together. The fella told me he'd seen the Allman Brothers Band with Duane Allman many times. He'd also seen Jimi Hendrix (including the Band of Gypsies concert on New Year's Eve 1969) and Janis Joplin. They laughed when I said, "I've never even MET anyone who's seen the Allmans with Duane!"

The concert was really amazing. (Read my review by clicking here.) There was one credentialed photographer, and an annoying abundance of audience members running up to the stage with cell phones to take closeups. It was like the Wild West all night. Of course, I kept picturing the kind of photos Kathy would have brought back from the show. I could just see them so clearly in my mind.