Joe Bonamassa Concert

[marnold***]

I just got back from the Joe Bonamassa concert. Very, very cool. I was hoping to get my sock blown off. They actually disintegrated. Highly, highly recommended. I bought his new CD "Sloe Gin" whilst I was there. The tickets were the best $18 I've spent in a long time. I'll give more detail tomorrow. I need to get to bed.

[Robert****]

18 bucks only? Milda Makaroner, that's cheap tickets!

Joe still uses his Silver Jubilee all the time, according to the latest GP interview.

[birv2]

I haven't heard him live, but I've been following his stuff for several years now. If he's not the hottest blues-rock guitarist out there, I don't know who is. He's also quite versatile, can do acoustic delta stuff, heavy Led Zep, whatever.

Not to mention that he seems pretty humble for a guy who started performing at age 12 with BB King.

Let's hear the report on that concert!

Bob

[marnold***]

OK, here's the full report.

He was at the Three Clans Ballroom at the Oneida Casino in Green Bay, WI. Opening for him was Crosby Loggins without his band. Yes, he is the son of Kenny Loggins, although he joked he was the son of David Crosby and Melissa Etheridge. He was the first act signed to Joe's new label. Right before he started playing, someone from the crowd yelled out "Footloose!" He showed some pretty decent acoustic chops. At the end of his set, he said he wanted his dad to come out and play a couple of songs. Sure enough, there was Kenny Loggins. They played "Danny's Song" and an acoustic medley which included bits of "Superstition." I know it probably sounds like there would be enough corn to feed all the cattle in Wisconsin, but it was actually kind of cool. It was very clear how proud Kenny was of his son. He said it was the first time he ever shared his son's stage with him. The crowd gave a standing ovation at the end.

At about nine Joe and his band took the stage. They broke into "Bridge to Better Days." The band was tight. The PA was just the right amount of loudness. It was good. Joe was playing a honeyburst (I think that's what they call it) Les Paul through a Marshall (it was the Silver Jubilee--it had that silver tolex on it). Over the course of the hour and 45 minute set, he also played a semi-hollow Tele with the shiniest finish I've ever seen, a sunburst Strat, a black 335, and six and 12 string acoustics (Taylors, I believe, but it was hard to see for sure). The Les Paul-through-Marshall tone was to die for. He played an extended solo on acoustic which was very cool and downright humbling.

I don't have an exact track list, but they played through the majority of "You and Me," which is my favorite album of his (it's also a good one to start out on if you don't have any of his stuff) as well as a couple from his other albums, including the new "Sloe Gin." He did not slavishly follow his solos from the albums at all. He seemed content just to let 'er rip. He fiddled with his volume and tone knobs more than any guitarist I've ever seen. While the entire concert clearly sounded like him, it was easy to pick out bits and pieces of influences including Eric Johnson, SRV, and B.B. King (especially on the 335). I was especially impressed with the acoustic tone they were getting through the PA. It was big and bright without being boomy in the least.

While I enjoy his CDs and will continue to, you really need to see him live. The energy is incredible. That's hard to translate on to a studio CD. When Joe was playing, it seemed so effortless yet powerful. After the first couple of songs, I leaned over to one of my friends who came with me and said, "I need to practice." It's the first time I've seen one of my guitar heroes play that I haven't just wanted to go home and set fire to all my guitars. I wanted to play. I wanted to improve. It was quite inspiring. The $18 ($15 + assorted fees) I paid seemed too little for what we got. I bought the "Sloe Gin" CD at the concert. Even though it was expensive ($20--more than the ticket!), I know all the cash was going directly to him. Plus I couldn't seem to find it in any of the stores around here.

Long story short: if you get the chance, see him. You won't be disappointed. And whoever posted in the other thread that he was overrated, after seeing him live, I would have to say that you are absolutely, totally, unequivocally, cataclysmically wrong.

[Lev]

Great review marnold!! Would love to have been there. I don't think he's ever going to play in Ireland though

[birv2]

Great review, marnold!

I tried to get tickets when he came to Philly last year and both shows sold out right away.

As for the knob-fiddling, he's a big believer in doing that to change tone. Bit of a demo here.

Wish I could have been there. And I really wouldn't have minded seeing Kenny Loggins!

Bob

[Tone2TheBone]

Excellent review Marnold thank you. Still haven't seen him but would love to.

[duhvoodooman***]

Great concert report, Marnold. Man, I really want to see Joe. He's right at the top of my list of acts I've never seen and DESPERATELY want to.

Silver Jubilee, huh? I know Joe has favored Jubes for a long time, but I wonder if the one he was playing might possibly be
THIS ONE??? That would be just too cool....

[sunvalleylaw]

Man, I wish I would have figured out a way to take off and drive to Oregon, 5 hours away when he came by. Great review, and glad you had a great time!

[marnold***]

In the new Guitar World (January 08 with Jimmy Page on the cover) he lists his amps as: Marshall Silver Jubilee, Category Five, Carol-Ann JB 100, and Two-Rock. The Marshall is always on and the other three are blended in as needed. I'm not familiar with the other three amps.

[duhvoodooman***]

Reviving an old thread, I know, but just had to comment here.

I just picked up a Bonamassa CD I didn't have yet, Had To Cry Today. Have enjoyed the whole thing, but the title tune cover of the Blind Faith classic just blew me away. Joe's abilities as a soloist are well known, but the first solo break in this tune is just jaw-dropping, head-shaking amazing to me. To be able to play like that is impressive enough; to be able to conceive such stuff in your mind is just astonishing to us mere mortals.... :

[birv2]

The guy gets a lot of grief from the blues purists, but he can flat out play.

True, he's more on the rock end of the spectrum, but hey. Again, that's why there's more than one flavor of ice cream, as they say.

Since I grew up listening to Page, Clapton, etc., his stuff sounds good to me.

Bob

[sunvalleylaw]

Didn't SRV get a lot of crap from the blues purists too? Don't matta much to me. Come to think of it, so did Mozart.

[Spudman***]

Joe is authentic. That's all I care about. The boy do play very well. Who cares what genre he gets lumped into? Just as long as he doesn't do a remake of the Barney theme I'm behind him all the way.

[birv2]

Didn't SRV get a lot of crap from the blues purists too? Don't matta much to me. Come to think of it, so did Mozart.

Those damn blues purists, giving Mozart crap too.....


Bob

[sunvalleylaw]

Yeah, old Amadeus played too many notes for those purists! LOL!


I would love to see Joe next time he is anywhere near though!

[duhvoodooman***]

Just as long as he doesn't do a remake of the Barney theme I'm behind him all the way.

BTW, wouldn't "Barney" be a good nickname for that purple guitar of yours, Spuds?

[duhvoodooman***]

Why talk about it when you can watch it?

[Bloozcat]

I just saw in the paper this morning that Joe will be playing South Florida in May...with BB King...:

Now there's one old time blues guy who's never given Joe any crap about his blues style....

Dang blues Nazi's.......

Clapton did Riding With The King with BB...

Joe can do Smokin' With The King....