Kip Winger (May 18, 2001)
The Odeon - Cleveland, OH

It is not often that a musician is so talented that they can forgo the image, the fanfare, and the support that is behind full-scale tours and still be a success. Just ask any musician who struggles to fill their vehicle with gas and put food in their mouth while on the road regardless of their talent….When it comes to Kip Winger, an artist whose great talents had been lost in the shuffle at the height of his band's success, the simplicity of his approach only proves how wrong his critics had been. So as Winger hit the road on a solo tour somewhat in support of his latest release, Songs From the Ocean Floor (he'd concluded a longtime prior to the album's release, that it isn't feasible to pull off the material live as a one man act…), he introduced the album by performing a melodic instrumental entitled "Free," and left the rest of his set to requested favorites ranging from the debut Winger album to his solo material.

There is no question that Winger has long since paid his dues as a musician and as a man, and despite the tragedy life has dealt, he has continued to poor out his soul through his songs, with intelligent lyrics, unbelievable versatility, and remarkable strength. And as he approaches the stage with a twelve-string, a guitar pick (which he seldom uses), and a microphone, he shows how a man and a guitar can bring the stage to life.

The set was composed mostly of requests from the intimate crowd, and covered almost everything that any fan could have asked for. The only exception was the absence of "Seventeen," which Winger claims doesn't make much sense to play any more considering "she's about thirty now…"

From rockers like "Down Incognito," "Easy Come Easy Go," and "Hungry" to ballads like "Miles Away" and "Spell I'm Under," emotions ran high. It is difficult to decide which songs stood out from the lengthy coverage of this man's career, but songs that kept playing long after the show commenced included "Blind Revolution Mad," "Who's the One," and "Rainbow in the Rose."

With news of an upcoming Greatest Hits album for the band WINGER, and a reunion for the addition of one new track for the album, fans can only hope for a full-scale reunion sometime in the future. For the latest news checkout Winger's official Web site http://www.kipwinger.com. 

Reviewed by Kara Uhrlen

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