Aurora (Page 1 of 3)

This one is for Jon (#1JBFAN) and Penny. They gave Joe the shirt he was wearing in this video. Right in front of me was a group that included Renee, Patty, Bev (Patty's sister), Bill S. and Jane and their friends Deb and Kurt.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRfuHYKKAPo

Under the Hawks jersey, of course. You can ask Rhonda...she asked the same question and saw the evidence!

Massafantastico!!! Love it, love it, love it! Cool fans, hot music, swingin' times!  Does it get any better? I think not-I know not.  Oh wait, tonight, probably a "little" better! And next week, next month, next year... SHARP1JBFAN & Good Penny, nice gesture, where can I get mine? Joe is the best, all there is to it. Dang he knows how to have a good time at work! And oh, look, more guitar picks for Ebay! Oooopsies! Kidding.  Another very excellent, generous, small, kind gesture Joe, proof once again the influence of B. B. King on Joe Bonamassa through & through.  Keep up the touching hands with fans after the show, it is a precious gift of sharing punctuating a wonderful short time of being happy in the moment.  Rick, Carmine, Tal, they are eating you guys up out there, well deserved love and appreciation for showcasing and sharing your talents.  Don't hide, take the E ride (note to youth of today: harkens to the Disneyland "ticketbook" days-when you presented a ticket to ride or see the attractions) with us. WHEEeeee!!!    Thanks a lot Patty, you're extra contagious lately!     
Bill, OK, Keep Just Got Paid medley for now-it HASN'T peaked.   Lost [sic] new fans finding their routes to roll into Our Little Town's train stop. 

Rock ON & Keep the Fatih,
Rocket

Lee, nice work  U B doin' lately!  Thanks a bunch 

"He still doesn't charge for mistakes! "
http://jbonamassa.com/tour-dates/
"Everybody wants ta get inta the act!"
“Now, this isn’t your ordinary party crowd, here.  I mean, there are professionals in here.”

#1JBFAN  Bonamassa Army sweatshirt RULES!!!!!!!  And it was so Joe, too!!!  Great seeing Joe come out decked in one, too!  Would love to have one myself! Great marketing item in my opinion!  The Midwest is a fun place 

So great to finally meet you Jon and your lovely wife Penny!  And the painting was very,very Joe cool!!

Wish I was hitting the Cheesehead country with you.  Have some more fun and we'll look forward to the review 

                                                                                   pattyluvsjoe

"I'm not nice to any guitar!"     
                 Joe Bonamassa 05-03-12

JBLP CHILD #184

Bill it might look good in sweatshirt grey too. I like the design. But that one looks like it would fit me.

OK, I'll chime in.

Tuesday 3/8 in Aurora was my first Joe Show. I was totally blown away. What an incredibly gifted guitar player.  A dynamic musician who plays straight from the heart, and is also a great entertainer. His band was also phenomenal. Carmine Rojas is such a rock.  I kind of got a sense of how important he is holding the band together on the RAH DVD, but hearing them live live I totally get it. He’s the glue that binds the band together.  Tal I feel is still gelling with the band. He brings a certain pounding energy to the band that wasn’t there on the RAH recording. (Although I still love the 2 drummers. Always have since the Allman Brothers, and it’s incredibly hard to do)  Anyway, the only thing that I didn’t think was up the to same level of expertise as the band was the sound.  Not that is was bad, but for me it was just so so. Kind of a C grade while the band was an A. Does anyone else feel this way or am I just picking a nit? Here’s why I say this:

First, some kudos for the FOH mix. Joe’s voice was very clear, present and upfront without ever being harsh or brittle. His acoustic guitar might have been the best “live” acoustic I’ve ever heard. And the overall level was great, running a conservative 90db on my phone’s SPL meter (which is incredibly accurate). This last point I was especially happy about because when I sat down in my 2nd row seat right side seat and looked up, I was staring directly at the subs about 10 feet away. I thought, “uh oh, this could be a dangerous place to sit.” When the mixer really pushed the lead up song just before the show started, I put in my earplugs. However, once the band started I pulled them out, it was fine. Seriously, 90 db most of the night, with plenty of peaks and valleys. I’ve mixed church services louder than 90db, which could have been part of the problem. I think FOH could have filled the (very bright) Paramount Theatre a little more and no one would have complained.

The real downfall for me was Joe’s Guitar. From where I was sitting (2nd row) the guitar was coming 99% from onstage, but from behind the plexiglass, 50 feet away, and from the floor wedges pointing toward the back of the stage and bouncing off the back wall. It was washed out and indistinct and a real contrast to his voice which was so clear and bright. It sounded a lot like all the YouTube videos where he’s explaining his rig and he changes to a different amp, but it’s so washed out you can’t really hear a difference. You know what I’m talking about?  I thought all those little wedge boxes at the edge of the stage that Joe would stand on were for front row fill, but seriously, there was one 10 feet in front of me and I never heard anything from it.  Maybe they weren’t for front fill, but if not, then there needed to be some because the main array didn’t cover the first 15 – 20 rows.

I did get up halfway through the set to listen further back and ran into a friend who was sitting 6 rows behind the console. It was of course much better but still kind of a C+ sound.  Very low on the keys, muddy bass, no toms, but at least better on the guitar. The only time I heard the keys all night was on Sloe Gin and Django. Otherwise nothing. And finally the toms. Every time Tal did a  tom fill the whole bottom dropped out. Of course half his fills were cymbals only, which made me think “how many cymbals does this guy through on a tour”?  I did notice several times Carmine or Joe would hear Tal do a fill and smile or look over at him. It’s always cool when you add a new member and he keeps surprising you with new stuff.  Tal is still not as tight as Anton and Bogie were together, but he brings a certain pounding, crashing,  heavier energy that wasn’t there before.  He’s a bull. I can’t decide if I like one style better or not, it’s just a different flavor. 
    Anyway, if the sound were better it could have been one of the best shows I’ve seen in awhile, but instead it was just good.  Anyone else comments on the sound?

Did think they could have boosted his guitar a litttle too. Sound much better on this show compared to the one in Anaheim a few weeks ago. What a great venue to see Joe B!!! Hope he makes it back to Chicagoland soon.

This isnt the first time people have mentioned that the lead guitar volume needed boosted.  I myself have experienced at a few shows where guitar volumes were less than ideal. 

Let me state this,  in capital letters, so everyone can hear

YOU SHOULD NEVER HAVE TO STRUGGLE TO HEAR THE GREATEST GUITAR PLAYER TO EVER PICK UP A GUITAR PLAY IN CONCERT!!!!  NEVER!!!!

Sacrifice bass, vocals, drums,  whatever. But make sure Joes guitar is loud, clear and upfront!!! 

I know depending on the venue, bass can be hard to control and vocals can get drown out but lead guitar volume IMHO is straight forward.  Just crank up those amps!!

Thats my rant for tonight. Columbus show Friday!!!!

Doug