• Registered: 2008-02-09
  • Posts: 104

Re: Royal Albert Hall 4/5/9

Hi Bluesman, Icon and Adam

I'm glad that you guys really enjoyed the JB RAH gig and that you thought that it was worth your long journeys, jet lag etc.  smile  It really was a very memorable gig.  big_smile

I'm now having to save up for Joe's appearance at the Guilfest on Saturday, 11th July. smile  I find that I just can't wait to hear him play live again. big_smile     I'm, therefore, very excited to find that he's going to be on fairly local to me.  smile

Catfish Jane

"I guess the music is the reason and the key, for me. It takes the blues, to see!"  Gary Fletcher, of The Blues Band. The Blues Band are Paul Jones, Tom McGuinness, Dave Kelly, Gary Fletcher and Rob Townsend.
  • Registered: 2009-05-08
  • Posts: 2

Re: Royal Albert Hall 4/5/9

Another new review in The Independent in the UK

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-enter … 84435.html


Turning the Royal Albert Hall into the house of the blues is no mean feat, especially if your first gig in London drew 60 people at the Borderline some five years previously. Yes, the rise and rise of Joe Bonamassa has been inexorable, from the first time he showed his 12-year-old guitar-playing chops to B B King, through to opening for the likes of Buddy Guy and Greg Allman. Drawing his influences more from the British blues of Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page – and some of the raw power of Rory Gallagher – his first album came out in 2000. 2007's excellent Sloe Gin, his lucky seventh, made it into the album charts, and he was voted Best Blues Guitarist by the readers of Guitar Player magazine.

This year's epic The Ballad of John Henry brought him wider acclaim, Radio 2 support and a fuse-melting performance on Later... with Jools Holland. "The greatest honour of my life is to play this building," he roars to a sold-out Royal Albert Hall, his working man's plaid shirt and straggly hair exchanged for a short back and sides, black suit and Dr Strangelove sunglasses.

A subdued opening instrumental crashes into an industrial-strength version of "The Ballad of John Henry", and then comes the roadhouse blues of "So, It's Like That". The song sports a structure that sounds as old as the hills, yet Bonamassa adorns it with solos freshly squeezed from the source.

He pauses in his tracks after the thick, slow blues of "Stop!" to introduce Eric Clapton to the stage – knowing, of course, Slow Hand's long tradition of Albert Hall residencies as well as the Hall's iconic blues–rock associations (Cream's farewell gig for starters). Clapton is greeted like a god, and on a thrilling reading of "Further On Up the Road", the two exchange solos, Bonamassa's quicksilver fluidity matched by Clapton's inimitable power-playing.

It's one of a triumphant night's highlights. A fitfully showy acoustic set – recalling the acoustic metal of Rodrigo y Gabriela – is followed by a strong reading of "Sloe Gin", with its hazy guitar redolent of some early-hours joint where the drink's run out and the prescription drugs are kicking in.

By the closing ferocity of "Just Got Paid", after which Bonamassa thanks London for giving him "the best night of my life", you can tell that something has been affirmed tonight; the man has arrived, and there's no turning back.

  • From: The East Coast of Nowhere, UK
  • Registered: 2008-02-11
  • Posts: 2,284

Re: Royal Albert Hall 4/5/9

I’m only catching up with this thread now and I’m really sorry that some of you experienced the renowned variations in sound at the RAH. It’s interesting that completely diverse comments are being made by forum members in almost exactly the same places. Maybe it’s not all down to the acoustics however, as at the recent EC concert I went to the sound was fine from the middle row of block H in the stalls (left of stage when facing it). It wasn’t too loud and the vocals and guitar were distinct at all times. In fact the only time I’ve experienced poor sound at an EC gig at the RAH (I’ve been to quite a few) is when I had the misfortune of sitting in the circle, which is doubly bad if you suffer from vertigo. Maybe there is something to be said for using a sound guy experienced in the RAH’s acoustic idiosyncrasies. It'll be interesting to see (hear) how the other JB (Jeff Beck) copes with the RAH sound on 4th July.

I was also interested to read Dave Schutt’s comments about EC as they concur with mine made on the other artists forum earlier this week. Shame Derek T wasn’t playing at the gig I went to as I’m sure that would have made it more bearable.

Thanks to all who have posted above, it's lightened up an otherwise dull day at the office.

Phil

Ars Longa, Vita Brevis

“The guy who has helped the blues industry the most is Joe Bonamassa and I would say he is more rock than some rock stuff, so to me blues is whatever you want it to be!”
Simon McBride in my interview with him in Blues Matters! Issue #56
  • Registered: 2008-02-09
  • Posts: 104

Re: Royal Albert Hall 4/5/9

Hi Phil

I was at the EC RAH gig on Thursday, 28th May.  I was sitting up in the circle in block P which is obscured vision, right above the stage, so you can only see half the stage.  I could only see EC properly if I leaned forward a lot, so just leaned back and listened a lot.    He started off sounding just the same as Joe did, needing more mic etc.  The sound got better as the show progressed, just like Joe's did.  The acoustic set was stunning, just like Joe's. smile

I had my binoculars with me and had a good view of the sound desks with them.  The sound engineers seemed to be working hard at it. wink

I'm also going to the Jeff Beck gig on 4th July, so will see how that compares.  I think I may actually have a circle seat that enables me to see the whole stage! smile

Catfish Jane

"I guess the music is the reason and the key, for me. It takes the blues, to see!"  Gary Fletcher, of The Blues Band. The Blues Band are Paul Jones, Tom McGuinness, Dave Kelly, Gary Fletcher and Rob Townsend.