Guitar prodigy Jonny Lang and the Dani Paige Duo sell out Sunset Center.

Not only was Jonny Lang invited to play Eric Clapton’s daylong Crossroads Guitar Festival in Chicago on a bill with Jeff Beck, B.B. King, Steve Winwood, Buddy Guy and dozens of other legendary musicians – at just 23 years old – he was one of the headlining acts.


To see him perform is to know why: His fingers move up and down the guitar neck with Jimmy Page precision.


Also, for a youngster, Lang has a voice that sounds weathered by whisky and hard living. On a recent performance of “Red Light,” his croons echo Stevie Ray Vaughan, from beyond the grave.


Lang, now 30 – who’s playing a sold out show at Sunset Center tonight – has been garnering comparisons to Clapton since he was a teenager. 


The Dani Paige Acoustic Duo, a Dani Paige Band side project that features Jesse DeCarlo on guitar and Paige on vocals, will start things off with some potent, stripped-down soul.


“Audiences respond to our music,” DeCarlo says. “When we opened for Pat Benatar, everyone started dancing.”


The local duo’s acoustic interpretation of its electric material is as high energy as it is with the full band. On “Love That Fire,” DeCarlo provides the rhythm and lead guitar parts as Paige does what she does best: sing the blues with a voice that can move mountains… and asses out of seats.


By now, the Dani Paige Acoustic Duo is used to warming up a crowd for Lang: It will be their fourth time.


“Compared to any of the other blues prodigies he’s an amazing singer,” Decarlo says. “He has a very powerful and skillful voice.” 


JONNY LANG AND THE DANI PAIGE DUO play 8pm Thursday, Feb. 24, at Sunset Center, San Carlos at Ninth, Carmel. Sold out. 620-2040.