A Blues Player in Need of a Little Aging

Can a 16-year-old kid really play the blues? That question became worth pondering about a half-hour into teenage guitarist Jonny Lang’s nearly two-hour free concert on Saturday at the Hard Rock Cafe in West Hollywood. The Minneapolis wunderkind’s decent chops and fine voice carried him that far, but as the evening wore on, his limitations negated even the good-natured bar-band vibe.

Backed by four guys who were probably all old enough to be his dad, Lang drew from classic blues and his debut album, “Lie to Me,” in a performance that was earthier than the slick recording. The young guitarist’s playing reflected an obvious love of blues great Albert Collins, but his style lacked personality (despite a certain visceral charm), while his soloing became repetitive and was often uninspired.

The good grooves, such as B.B. King’s “Gambler’s Blues,” were scarce, and Lang made some poor choices (Jimi Hendrix’s “Spanish Castle Magic,” for instance, far exceeded his capabilities). The almost total lack of sexual charge in his performance effectively neutered the many songs about yearning and betrayal, not to mention making Sonny Boy Williamson’s lascivious “Good Morning Little School Girl” disconcertingly tame.

Chalk it up to youthful inexperience, but Lang’s treatment of the blues as good clean fun was mighty unsatisfying. The boy has potential, but he’s not quite ready to serve the masters. He’s got to live a little more before he can really play the blues.

* Jonny Lang plays a free show on Tuesday at Hard Rock Cafe, CityWalk, Universal Studios, North Hollywood, 9 p.m. (818) 622-7623