Grand Rapids Press reviews Grand Rapids Show

I plan to weigh in with my own experience later on today.

Haha. Thanks for the shout out!

Reading the article made the review even more authentic since the writer did not know the correct names of a couple of the songs mentioned. Makes you feel good to know it all translates to even the more casual observer. Every time I see Joe, I feel he reached the pinnacle of what he can do and think how cool it was to have witnessed it. And then I see him the next time and he blows me even further away. Again, stay tuned for more in depth comments regarding this show soon.

The show started early for me since Alexis hooked us up with the meet & greet. Joe was delighted to see my Epi JBLP.  He played it a bit, and then signed it for me. He was also gracious enough to sign my son's JBLP pick guard, and even initial a JB pick for my daughter. Joe is such a genuine person to talk to. I couldn't have been happier with the M&G experience.

The show was at the beautiful DeVos Performance Hall in front of a sold out crowd. As show time neared, the recorded music volume increased noticeably as Iron Maiden's Two Minutes To Midnight announced we were about to begin.

Set list:
Cradle Rock (nice to see this one back again)

So Many Roads (a favorite! should always be in the set list)

When the Fire Hits the Sea (fun riff in this song)

So It’s Like That

If Heartaches Were Nickels (incredible version. started out slow and simply exploded by the middle.)

Slow Train (great song. audience participation with Tal simulates the train steam intro. clever!)

Dust Bowl (love the throwback tone on this song. love the song too)

You Better Watch Yourself

Sloe Gin (stunningly powerful vocal performance. incredible song)

Ballad of John Henry

Lonesome Road Blues

Happier Times (one of my favorite Joe songs period. conviction of vocals is so authentic)

Steal Your Heart Away

The Great Flood (perhaps the most gut wrenching guitar piece Joe has ever written)

Young Man Blues (the vocal call and band response sections to this song makes it a great live song)

Woke Up Dreaming (acoustic shred. a member of the audience told Joe he was super human during a pause and cracked Joe up. always an amazing song to witness live)

Django>Mountain Time (another song that should never leave the set. loved the Django intro that now replaces the previous India intro)

Bird on a Wire (I love how Joe uses the first encore song to mellow things down a bit. it's actually a bit of genius to slot a slow ballad like this here. of course Joe previously featured Asking Around For You in this spot. I never imagined a more heartfelt song could be substituted in this spot . . . and then he just blew us away with Bird On A Wire)

Just Got Paid medley (high energy to close the show. and of course love the Flying V. the guitar effected sound toward the end of the song didn't do it any favors though. it sounded too muddy to me.)

As I mentioned earlier in the thread, I am constantly amazed at the growth Joe shows at every show. The guitar playing is always incredible and definitely gets better each time - be it vibrato, phrasing or tone.  But my God, the vocal passion was simply unbelievable this time around. I can't describe it with mere words. Joe - you are AMAZING.

I know Dust Bowl was just released (and it is possibly Joe's best CD ever), but I cannot wait to see what I just experienced get captured on DVD this Fall.

Any other MI forum members attend the show?  Or maybe more went to the Saginaw show on the east coast.