Joe Bonamassa, Springfield MA - 11/11/10

[duhvoodooman]

Saw JB at the Symphony Hall in downtown Springfield MA last night, my third Bonamassa show. Just as amazing as the first two, and this time I had the good fortune of sitting in the first row of the center orchestra section! Though the sound quality that close wasn't quite as good as the previous shows I attended, it gave me an incredible opportunity to see this 6-string wizard work his magic up close. I didn't make my own set list, but will post one if I can find one on the JB website later. He had added a few of the newer tunes off the Black Rock CD since the last show I'd seen and dropped a couple of the Ballad of John Henry CD selections, but still included many of his staples. The opening number was the Rory Gallagher classic, Cradle Rock, which surprised me! And he closed his encore with the Just Got Paid/Dazed & Confused tour de force that he's been using for quite a while now, played on a vintage Flying V.

Being that close also gave me a chance to see an array of gorgeous instruments--mostly Les Pauls, but several others. New in his arsenal was a beautiful fully bound tobacco-burst signature LP and a bright yellow, pinstriped custom Fender Esquire that he used for Bird on a Wire in his encore. Here's a link to a photo of it taken at last night's concert:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/24057301@N05/5168351707/in/photostream/

He's also no longer using the Music Man Petrucci baritone for Ballad of John Henry, opting instead for his dark blue signature model LP. He's also added a violin bow for a portion of the song's solo, followed by some slide work. Here's a brief YouTube clip of a portion of the tune recorded at last night's concert. Good video quality, though the audio isn't that great. You may notice that Joe is getting rather "follicly challenged" these days! BTW, you can't see me in the dark, but I was sitting right in front of that theremin. Here's the clip:

1s1lQiYL-Ms

[warren0728]

very cool....i can't wait to see him in december!

[Spudman]

Sweet! (grumbling from out in the concert nether lands) :mad We never get no boddy gud out hear.

[poodlesrule]

Sweet! (grumbling from out in the concert nether lands) :mad We never get no boddy gud out hear.

Find a few like-minded people, and book a hall.
Get a grant from local chamber of of commerce, tourism promo office, or state arts funds?
(just wondering) Is that difficult?

[duhvoodooman]

Set list posted by a fan on the JB site:

MAIN SET:

Cradle Rock
So Many Roads
When the Fire Hits the Sea
So It’s Like That
If Heartaches Were Nickels
Slow Train
Steal Your Heart Away
Sloe Gin
Ballad of John Henry
Happier Times
Never Make Your Move Too Soon
Great Flood
Young Man’s Blues
Woke Up Dreaming
Django/Mountain Time

ENCORE:

Bird on a Wire
Just Got Paid

[Spudman]

Find a few like-minded people, and book a hall.
Get a grant from local chamber of of commerce, tourism promo office, or state arts funds?
(just wondering) Is that difficult?

Local folks (even in a university town) don't support live music. It's really sad. Big LDS community that just doesn't go out much. Otherwise, I'd surely start promoting because nobody is doing it. A friend of mine was a regional promoter that lived here and he brought in: Kenny Wayne Shepherd (300 maybe), Night Ranger and Edgar Winter (350 maybe), Sevendust (300 maybe), Incubus (300 maybe). Really sad because you can't sell enough tickets to pay the act.

So I'm totally envious of you guys that can see great acts locally.

[marnold]

You mean he finally took "Asking Around for You" out of the set list? Whew. Love that album, can't stand the track. I'm looking forward to him coming back to Green Bay at some point, maybe with BCC?

[60's guy]

Saw JB at the Symphony Hall in downtown Springfield MA last night.......

It’s a Small World Afterall, duhvoodooman.

I was also there at the Joe Bonamassa concert at Symphony Hall

Joe Bonamassa put on one helluva performance. And I agree with you that the sound wasn't as good as it possibly could have been from where I sat - Orch R Row L Seat 34, beneath a balcony, trapping all those bass freqs - but, I digress.

It was an outstanding concert!

JB doesn’t just simply stand there motionless (like Clapton and far many to mention for example) and play lightning fast licks for two hours.

JB throws his entire body, face to feet, and every fiber of his being into his playing and performance.

JB is somewhat reminiscent of SRV in the sense that when his fingers meet the fret board it is with a sense of command, purpose, and design.

It was high energy rock blues at its best and very very very LOUD. Again, I sat 40 feet (Orch R Row L Seat 34) from the stage and I could feel every bass note and bass drum kick me in the chest.

Here’s a few pictures I took Thursday night 11/11/10

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v359/60sguy/Joe%20Bonamassa/JB001.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v359/60sguy/Joe%20Bonamassa/JB002.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v359/60sguy/Joe%20Bonamassa/JB003.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v359/60sguy/Joe%20Bonamassa/JB004.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v359/60sguy/Joe%20Bonamassa/JB005.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v359/60sguy/Joe%20Bonamassa/JB006.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v359/60sguy/Joe%20Bonamassa/JB007.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v359/60sguy/Joe%20Bonamassa/JB008.jpg

Voodman,

Next time you're going to go to a show in Springfield or at the Calvin Theater - shoot me a PM to see if I'm going to the same show. We could grab a brew and :hungry together.

[duhvoodooman]

Hey, great photos there! If I'm headed over that way for another show sometime, I'll check you out first. I still want to catch a Johnny A show in the Boston area some time....

[poodlesrule]

I still want to catch a Johnny A show in the Boston area some time....

Yes, we know you do!

You know I saw the man, in the audience (10 rows behind us?) at the Hendrix' inspired show in Boston, 10 days ago! Big fan of J.H. he is (IMO, should have been on stage doing his rendition of Wind Cry Mary...!).

[Blaze]

Great picks you guys but tell me about the canadian flag ??

Did Joe went in Jimmy Page territory with that bow ??

[duhvoodooman]

Great picks you guys but tell me about the canadian flag ??Apparently, Rick Melick, the keyboardist, is Canadian by birth. They hung that flag on his organ (behave yourselves!) just before the encore. Why then, I couldn't tell you.


Did Joe went in Jimmy Page territory with that bow ??
Yeah, but not on the Dazed & Confused portion of the Just Got Paid show-closer. He only used it on The Ballad of John Henry.

[Eric]

Every time I see a picture of Bonamassa these days, I think he should get a haircut and just be done with the whole see-I-still-have-hair thing.

When I saw him earlier this year, he did put on a good show, to the point where my wife (who had never heard any of his music) liked the show.

[kidsmoke]

60's guy, those are some excellent photos.

I wonder what the variations are in the LP's he selects, or if he just switches rather than re-tune, and sell a few more variations for his sponsor.

I've seen JB one time, at Crossroads this summer. hope to catch him in a smaller venue when he's got the whole night to himself.

Thanks for sharing!

[Commodore 64]

He does put on a great show. I have the DVD from Royal Albert Hall. One of my coworkers (from our NH Office) saw him this past Saturday, I think He does have a pretty heavy duty combover vibe going, although it kinda reminds me of George McFLy, so that's cool at least..

[marnold]

He only used it on The Ballad of John Henry.
In lieu of the theremin?

[Ch0jin]

...... He does have a pretty heavy duty combover vibe going, although it kinda reminds me of George McFLy, so that's cool at least..

No It Isn't. :)

Cool Photo's tho 60's guy! Sweet selection of amps and guitars for sure!

[Guitar50]

Hey, great photos there! If I'm headed over that way for another show sometime, I'll check you out first. I still want to catch a Johnny A show in the Boston area some time....

FYI...Johnny A is playing at the Iron Horse in Northampton on 1/29/2011

Hope to see you there!

[duhvoodooman]

In lieu of the theremin?
No, in addition to. He still uses the theremin a bit--in BoJH and one other tune, don't remember which offhand. Doesn't overdo it, though, which is easy with one of those things.

BTW, I don't miss Asking Around for You one bit, either, Rev....

[warren0728]

gonna catch joe tomorrow night (saturday) at a converted movie theater that seats 800 or so....i'm pretty sure we have 4th row tickets! :pancake

[Spudman]

Don't forget the ear plugs...just in case.

[warren0728]

Don't forget the ear plugs...just in case.

spud the sound was perfect....we were 15 feet from the stage and the mix was clean and it was not too loud....

link to my mini review....
http://www.thefret.net/showthread.php?t=17115

[Spudman]

That is good. These days so many FOH engineers are so deaf that they often ruin shows. I'm really glad that you got a good mix.

[warren0728]

That is good. These days so many FOH engineers are so deaf that they often ruin shows. I'm really glad that you got a good mix.
yeah i was pleasantly surprised....it is a very small venue so a lot of volume isn't needed....

http://www.thefret.net/imagehosting/354cfbea6b67aae.jpg