two shows

Reviewer Jim Gillespie’s headline gives away his impression: “Too Much Canned Heat.” John Lee Hooker opened the show with a short set on electric guitar, with songs such as “It Serves Me Right to Suffer” and a short version of “Boogie Chillun.” Gillespie had the impression that Hooker’s set was cut short to let Canned Heat take the stage. By this time, co-founding member Alan Wilson had died, and Gillespie found the music to have a sameness that became boring. Hooker came back to join the group for the last number, “On the Road Again,” but did not stay, and Canned Heat closed the show. Reviewer Michael Anthony agreed that Hooker’s set was too short (25 minutes at the most), saying “Hooker was a little subdued for an audience that came to stomp and shout.” He also mourned the passing of the group’s original lead singer, Alan Wilson.

The caption to the sketch above read:

The Depot, under the direction of Allan Fingerhut, has pulled off another booking coup, scheduling a combined appearance tonight tonight by Delta blues singer John Lee Hooker and Canned Heat, one of the best of the young, white blues bands. Their new album, “Hooker ‘n Heat,” shows that Canned Heat, as are a lot of other white young blues groups, is moving closer to the “source” with the help of veterans like Hooker.