Joe Bonamassa – “Live At The Greek Theatre” dvd / blu-ray / cd / lp – Provogue / Mascot Label Group / Rough Trade
Album Review
The Kings of Blues – B.B. King / Albert King & Freddie King are jammin’ in heaven in 2016! But their music is still glorified and magnified live on earth. As Joe Bonamassa had a special relationship to B.B., as he was not only his earliest mentor by the age of 13 it was his honor and devotion to celebrate the songs of “The Three Kings” live by an extended tour in 14 U.S. Cities. For the fans worldwide who could not attend one of his shows personally here it is the immortalization on dvd/ blu-ray/cd and lp from the spectacular grand final at the famous Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, California.
The first intro-film shows young teenie-boy Joe during his school-day, at guitar-exercise and early live-shows. At the end there is his mentor B.B. predicting a grand career to is blues-son.
The second shows the trucks and band on the way and at arrival at the Greek. It is escorted by the lead-chant of Mahalia Barnes of “Riding With The Kings”.
The show starts swingin’-bluesin’ by “See See Baby”. Joe is in utmost celebration mood and let his baby whisper and stroll. He is escorted again by Anton Fig on drums, Michael Rhodes on bass, Reese Wynans on keyboards, Lee Thornburg on trumpet, Paulie Cerra on saxophone and Nick Lane on trombone. Additionally Kirk Fletcher on guitar joined again. Hell of a start. The show continues by “Some Other Day, Some Other Time” with a bossa-nova groove. Mister Bonamassa grants his mates extensive solo-spotlight. So Anton lets his sticks twirl wildly, Kirk proves that he is also a virtuoso solo-guitarist, the horn-section blows your mind away and last not least there is the piano wizard Reese. New and ear- and eye-blowing are the three graces from “Down Under” Australia – Mahalia Barnes / Jade MacRae & Juanita Tippins. They spice up the gumbo immediately from the very first tunes of “Lonesome Whistle Blues” and add a buckshot of soul. “Sittin’ On the Boat Dock” introduces the rhythms of the Crescent City – New Orleans to the show. The Greek is a tollhouse-venue and the fans are goin’ wild. After so much heat it is time for a slow blues by “You’ve Got To Love Her With A Feeling”. JB proves that he is also a maestro of utmost sensitive and gentle solo-play. By “Going Down” Joe could have left over the lead-canto to one of the graces or invite label-mate Walter Trout to sing the lead-suffrage; to kick-ass by a jam and celebrate together consecutively “I’ll Play The Blues For You”. By “Angel Of Mercy” JB plays heavy blues-rock. He lets his Gibson Flying V strut, his canto is by it is ever so powerful to keep the devil away from his heavenly soul. The absolute guitar-highlight of the show. JB changes his beloved babies nearly by all of his songs and by the slow and jazz-bluesy “Hummingbird” he plays a Fender Stratocaster. By so much passion and variety show-time goes by like a night-fly by a demoniac bat and Joe and friends is bidding farewell by “The Thrill Is Gone” in final appraisal to B.B. King. By triumphal end-applause the party could have gone on still “Till Dawn”, but this was the nocturnal end.
There is in extenso, worth to view highlight-bonus-material on DVD 2:
An in depth interview with Joe’s parents about his youth and grow-up
A great video entitled “Riding With The Kings”
A “Behind The Scenes Documentary” @ Greek Theatre
A fat, extensive photo-gallery
The two cd’s contain the whole show in superbe stereo-sound.
Joe Bonamassa is manifesting again, why he is a modern, younger blues-tycoon. “Live At The Greek Theatre” is an absolute must-buy not only for blues purists, but also for lovers of most excellent live-music and off course for guitar-freaks.
A worship to The Three Kings In Heaven – B.B. King / Albert King & Freddie King by Joe Bonamassa!!!
Band:
Anton Fig – drums
Kirk Fletcher – guitar
Michael Rhodes – bass
Reese Wynans – keyboards
Lee Thornburg – trumpet
Paulie Cerra – saxophone
Nick Lane – trombone
Mahalia Barnes / Jade MacRae / Juanita Tippins – background vocals
For a Video “Let The Good Times Roll” pls. click on the photo below:
Tracks:
See See Baby
Some Other Day, Some Other Time
Lonesome Whistle Blues
Sittin’ On The Boat Dock
You’ve Got To Love Her With A Feeling
Going Down
I’ll Play The Blues For You
I Get Evil
Breaking Up Somebody’s Home
Angel Of Mercy
Cadillac Assembly Line
Oh, Pretty Woman
Let The Good Times Roll
Never Make Your Move Too Soon
Ole Time Religion
Nobody Loves Me But My Mother
Boogie Woogie Woman
Hummingbird
Hide Away
Born Under A Bad Sign
The Thrill Is Gone
Riding With The Kings
Tour-Dates 2017:
JOE BONAMASSA – THE GUITAR EVENT OF THE YEAR 2017
05.05. Stuttgart – Porsche-Arena
06.05. Münster – MCC Halle Münsterland
08.05. Baden-Baden – Festspielhaus
10.05. Hamburg – Barclaycard Arena
12.05. Düsseldorf – Mitsubishi Electric Halle
13.05. Bremerhaven – Stadthalle
14.05. Hannover – Swiss Life Hall
16.05. Freiburg – Rothaus Arena
17.05. Ravensburg – OberschwabenHalle
19.05. Leipzig – Arena Leipzig
20.05. München – Olympiahalle
Tickets: