duhvoodooman
March 1st, 2009, 09:58 PM
...when returning from the restroom to my seat in the restaurant, I looked down at a table I was passing and there sat Joe Bonamassa.
A friend from work and I were in Syracuse last night to see Smokin' Joe at the old Landmark Theatre in the heart of downtown. We parked the car in a lot a couple of blocks away, walked up past the theatre, and then started looking around for a place to grab a bite to eat before the concert. This was about 6:30, with the show scheduled to start at 8. After passing a couple of bars near the theatre that were absolutely packed, we walked around the block, finding nothing. On the back side of the block, adjacent to the rear of the theatre, I spotted a sign for a pub in the next block, so we walked down there and found it open and not too crowded.
The place was called PJ's Pub & Grill, and had a great selection of beers on tap and a good menu, so we sat down at two empty stools at the bar and each ordered a sandwich and beer. While we waited for the food, I decided to go to the restroom and wash up. On the way back to the bar, I just happened to glance at a long table full of about a dozen people, and one of them who was turned my way talking to the person next to them caught my eye. It was Joe, clear as day.
When I got back to my seat, I told my friend who was sitting just down the way from us. Though I didn't want to bother him before a show, it seemed a shame not to take advantage of this happy coincidence. So I walked over, tapped Joe on the shoulder and mumbled something about enjoying his music immensely and how much I was looking forward to the show. He couldn't have been more gracious, thanking me for the compliment and shaking my outstretched hand. I mentioned that I'd just downloaded The Ballad of John Henry from Amazon the night before, and had listened to it in the car on the way to Syracuse. That brought a smile and a thumbs up sign from Joe. I thanked him for his time and headed back to my seat.
Afterward, I kind of wished I'd had one of his CD's or something similar along with me to ask him to autograph. But as far as I'm concerned, that handshake was better than any autograph could be. It was a real thrill to get to meet my current favorite guitarist.
And the show? Well, that'll have to wait until the next post.... :D
A friend from work and I were in Syracuse last night to see Smokin' Joe at the old Landmark Theatre in the heart of downtown. We parked the car in a lot a couple of blocks away, walked up past the theatre, and then started looking around for a place to grab a bite to eat before the concert. This was about 6:30, with the show scheduled to start at 8. After passing a couple of bars near the theatre that were absolutely packed, we walked around the block, finding nothing. On the back side of the block, adjacent to the rear of the theatre, I spotted a sign for a pub in the next block, so we walked down there and found it open and not too crowded.
The place was called PJ's Pub & Grill, and had a great selection of beers on tap and a good menu, so we sat down at two empty stools at the bar and each ordered a sandwich and beer. While we waited for the food, I decided to go to the restroom and wash up. On the way back to the bar, I just happened to glance at a long table full of about a dozen people, and one of them who was turned my way talking to the person next to them caught my eye. It was Joe, clear as day.
When I got back to my seat, I told my friend who was sitting just down the way from us. Though I didn't want to bother him before a show, it seemed a shame not to take advantage of this happy coincidence. So I walked over, tapped Joe on the shoulder and mumbled something about enjoying his music immensely and how much I was looking forward to the show. He couldn't have been more gracious, thanking me for the compliment and shaking my outstretched hand. I mentioned that I'd just downloaded The Ballad of John Henry from Amazon the night before, and had listened to it in the car on the way to Syracuse. That brought a smile and a thumbs up sign from Joe. I thanked him for his time and headed back to my seat.
Afterward, I kind of wished I'd had one of his CD's or something similar along with me to ask him to autograph. But as far as I'm concerned, that handshake was better than any autograph could be. It was a real thrill to get to meet my current favorite guitarist.
And the show? Well, that'll have to wait until the next post.... :D