D.C. Show was Fantastic (Page 1 of 2)

What a good time. It was wonderful to see old friends and new. SO many Bonavirgins too The Warner Theater is a D.C. landmark and a lovely venue. I have many memories from multiple Little Feat shows, back in the day. The show was a sell out for quit a while. However, the box office had a few tickets as did several folks in front of the venue who had friends bail at the last minute. What a shame.
         http://warnertheatredc.com/venue-information
The highlight of the night was having Tal's family behind me. His 2 children are the sweetest!! They were so excited to see Papa on stage. And if you haven't seen Tal's wife...hubba hubba comes to mind.

The show started at exactly 8..as usual. Now I understand the prior comments regarding the open stage. It did seem very spacious without the monitors and theramin. The lights were also new. I felt badly for anybody taking pics because the light shine towards the audience often. I did enjoy the rays that fell over Tal's drums like a cage. Pretty cool!

  The set list was the same as Rochester. I think adding the acoustic songs at the beginning vs doing an entire tour was a smart idea.
Highlights for me, "Midnight Blues", I like it more every time. It's packed with emotion, both vocally as well as on the guitar. "Wee Wee Hours" was new for me. I really enjoyed it and I think that's when he used the blonde 335 with a Bixby. Stunning guitar and ballsy! Same for "O Carol". "Look Over Yonders Wall" was also killer tonight. At some point he used the Big Red 335 and it's a beauty. "Young Man's Blues" was F-U-N. The interaction between Joe and Tal put a big smile on everybody's face. I know people have expressed not liking the new version of "Sloe Gin", but I found it very pure and soulful. "Just Got Paid" has morphed since my last show. I almost thought we were going to get a touch of "P&S", but alas, it was the signal for the dreaded end. DRAT!

I also noticed the people getting up, often. I had people in front of me who didn't even come in until the 5th song! I'll never understand. But I did think the crowd was enthusiastic and, in general, well behaved.

Now for my only complaint. I know Joe hasn't been well, but he did say he walked to the White House earlier in the day. I was sad for the young folks that waited outside to see Joe. It wasn't a big crowd, and everybody was cordial and patient. But apparently Joe got on the bus right away and left. I hope this isn't to be the norm. Most people I know don't have $1500 to pay for packages that include a M&G. I'm sure Joe's family couldn't have afforded to pay that when he was a young fan seeing his idols. If this does become the way things are to be, then it's a sad day. Joe will have become "one of them" and there's already too many of "them".
So the wait for May begins. Maybe warm weather will coax Joe outside again      Cathy

Don't worry Cathy about the M&G. I have seen Joe doing M&G since the first show I saw in 2004 and the last In mainz acoustic last July.After the Mainz show there were about 200 people at his bus, the bus had to wait leaving till Joe has talked to all.. He always does if possible but there can be reasons you're not able too: sick,interviews, timeschedule etc. From the +50 shows I've seen I can remember only 4 shows he couldn't do a M&G.
I asked Joe a few times if a young Joe fan guitarplayer could do a M&G before the show and he did that all the times I asked and a Blues In The Schools at my school too. Joe cares about his fans and loves that.

I think the 1500 included the 4 UK shows as well

Fantastic show as usual.....very tight band, great interplay between Tal, Joe, and Carmine....Rick excelled on keys as usual.....my thoughts echo Cathy's as far as the performance is concerned. I'm still not sure what to make of Sloe Gin...different...I'll have to dwell on that a bit.

We were upstairs in the balcony with decent seats almost dead center. Sound was excellent except for the first one or two numbers (non-acoustic) where (I think) the soundboard was trying to dial in the mix to optimal. After that all was well.

I agree with Cathy about the crowd. We were getting distracted by constant movement everywhere......gee, do these folks come to watch the show or to buy alcohol at ridiculous prices?? One guy ended up so drunk that he was almost passed out on the street post-show, and his significant other looked real embarrassed by the whole situation.

As far as waiting by the bus...I read another post earlier that Joe had been fighting a sinus infection after one of the MA shows.......I thought something was amiss when Joe left stage quickly after taking a bow. We waited patiently as well, and did have a treat with Tal and his family who stopped by the 'other bus with Tennessee Plates' ( nice touch, Joe )  and did a few autographs and photos....

Well, I've had the good fortune to meet Joe twice......Joe you were right though, last night was blustery and we froze our buns off waiting for you.. ha ha ha.... the Hippo beckons in May, so I'm sure we'll get to meet a bunch of folks and hang by the bus again...no respite this time around Joe...it should be warm enough  .

We had one Bonavirgin with us, she was completely blown away....

Cathy - we need to produce those 'Bona who' buttons for you in mass numbers!!! 'Official distributor' comes to mind

Don, nice meeting you again post-show.....and Jim Clark, nice meeting you at the Elephant and Castle pre-show....

What a great time we had at the show. The other family we brought really liked it and their daughter, who plays the drums, was so excited to get Tal's autograph. Joe's playing was fantastic as always. It is over way too fast. The new little bit before the Whitesnake part of Just got Paid was really cool. Never have heard him do that before. Can't wait till Vegas!

Here is a video of Seagull http://youtu.be/4jKU6rpw0p0

Other videos to follow.

I also was fortunate to  get a "listen in" to Wee Wee Hours as I was working Beauty & The Beast......I stepped into the middle doors that separate the theater from the lobby to listen and giggled to myself,  "This is the real beast and he's playing a beauty"....thanks so much again...really brightened my whole day

                                                                          pattyluvsjoe

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

JBLP CHILD #184

Sorry Joe. You know I think you're all that and a bag of chips. This is the Nanny in me I have such a soft spot for the young fans. 1500 was too much, I agree. The package for the Warner via PBS, that included the M&G was pricey, but I don't remember the exact amt. Of course you have the right to do whatever you want after the show. All you owe us IS the show. And everyone wants you hale and hardy. (Keep using that neti pot!) No arguing, you are still the hardest working artist out there Thanks again for a super show and I hope you get lots of rest today, on your day off       Cathy, the humbled

Well, the great long national nightmare that is/was our Bonamassa famine is over! It had been over a year since we had seen him live, but now we have an afterglow that should last us until next May. We have both now thoroughly thawed out after a bitterly cold November evening in DC and are ready to offer our take on the evening. And Joe, yes, it was f'in cold, and you're based in Malibu now, but then again, you're a veteran of upstate New York, right?

First of all, it was good to see those we've seen many times before (Cathy and Bob), and also to meet others we've only met once or twice (JClark, can1208), and some we have not met before (nmagcorn). It was great to see you all, and given that it had been so long since we'd seen Joe, we hadn't seen many of you either, although some we have at other events in the past year.

As for the show itself, I can simply say that the string remains intact; I've never seen Joe give a bad show. Regarding the comments on recent changes others have commented on, my take is, love the new lighting system! It didn't really impact my photos, either. I also like the new, more open stage, although from our seats on the left we never saw Rick at ALL until the end of the show when he came out and took a bow, and when Joe went over to interact with him, we lost Joe too. But that's not Joe's fault, they obviously need to tear down the Warner and rebuild it with more audience-friendly sightlines.

Regarding the shortened WUD, I've said before that was what really made me a Bonamaniac from the first show so many years ago, but things do change and I'm cool with it, just glad he didn't eliminate it from the set altogether, as he surely could have done after playing it so long and in so many different ways. Starting with the acoustic set was fine with me, really enjoyed "Driving Toward the Daylight." I'm also fine with the new Sloe Gin, doesn't really seem all that different to me from the old version. I actually missed the John Henry theramin (sp?) more than I thought I would, but still not that much. (Jocelyn is glad it's gone, she says Joe doesn't need it, and I have to agree.) Still finding Django/Mountain Time and Just Got Paid to be as sublime as a Caribbean beach.

Our take on the bus situation is that when Joe has always been so gracious about coming out after the shows, it stands to reason that after all these years an appearance from the Man Himself is expected... not that it's demanded, but it's certainly not unreasonable if he (almost) always does it. I also understand he's still fighting off his recent illness so no one faults him for protecting himself from the arctic air. Maybe a good thing to keep in mind for future shows is to send someone out to the waiting fans, giving them his apologies for not being able to come out afterward? That way no one is left hanging or gets the wrong impression.

In defense of Cathy, there are very, very few people who are more stallwart, vocal Bonamaniacs, and no one should ever think anything she says should ever be taken as anything but an attempt to be as supportive and appreciative as possible. She actually broke away from our group early so that she could run over to pass out fliers in the cold for Joe, so we have no doubt that her heart was, is, and will always be, in the right place.

Wanted to add just a few thoughts after sleeping on the experience.

I thought it was very cool how Joe at a couple of junctures thanked the crowd for attending. I know that’s probably standard stuff but his sincerity was unmistakable. Bonus points for using the word “plethora.”

Also, that’s the most times at any concert I’ve jumped to my feet and howled in appreciation. Almost felt like a sporting event in that regard.

I’ve thought a little more about the people coming and going during the show. They have every right to do so, and I know what’s said about opinions but will venture this anyway: It was rude. Regardless of how much anyone paid for a ticket, when the guys on stage are pouring their hearts and souls into a performance, you don’t just drift in and out.

Okay, thanks for letting me get that off my chest.

I hear Baltimore is beautiful in May. Hoping to find out.