Set List & Thoughts 10/20, 10/21, 10/23 & 10/24

Ballad of John Henry (Spike Driver Blues)
Bridge to Better Days
So Many Roads
Mountain Time (w/India intro)
Another Kind of Love
Sloe Gin
Highwater Everywhere
The Great Flood (NEW SONG)
Your Funeral My Trial
Blues Deluxe
Woke Up Dreaming
Just Got Paid
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One of These Days
Asking Around for You

I am not bold enough to "review" Joe, so here's some brief thoughts on each show in my October, 2008 Bonaventure of 4 shows, 4 states, 5 days.

10/20 Ram's Head Live--Annapolis, MD
Sold Out. Place holds about 300 people, a listening club, and I'm virtually sitting under the Theremin.  My first listen to this set list. New song, The Great Flood, makes me sad and takes the energy out of the room.  Joe does not introduce the new song.  Marianne Keith was very nice opener.

10/21 Baby Grand Theater--Wilmington, DE
Sold Out. Another 300 seater, but as the name would imply, a theater.  I'm second row center, and the one seat between me and the stage was the one empty seat in the theater.  Great acoustics and I seem to have heard a bit more echo on a few songs.  Great energy in the room with some vocal encouragement from the crowd.  I was sitting next to some Bonavirgins.  Needless to say, they left with sore jaws from when theirs hit the floor.  Again, The Great Flood seems to draw the energy out of the room.  It seems some sort of introduction for the new song may be in order.  Opening act was NOT Marianne Keith and, well, if you don't have anything nice to say...

10/23 World Cafe Live--Philly, PA
Sold Out.  Interesting place as there was both seating and standing with mostly standing on the first level.  As per usual, I find myself standing about 5 feet from the stage.  Turned out I was standing w/ Carmine's sisters.  This is the first time I notice other people's faces when Joe plays the Theremin during Ballad of John Henry.  Cool show including the now famous re-starting of Asking Around for You, including my assist to Joe upon the restart of the song.  Joe, due to a go-kart related back injury causing a sudden twinge in his back, got distracted and forgot the line "Before I meet my maker" during Asking Around For You.  He stopped the song, restarted and was having the same problem.  I shouted out the line, which Joe acknowleged and then performed this song as only he can.  After the show, he signs my hat and adds "Thanks for the save."  How awesome is that?  No intro to new song which again silences the room.  Opening act Marianne Keith received nicely by the crowd.

10/24 BB King's--NYC, NY
Sold out.  Seated up front, standing in back,  capacity of about 600. I'm virtually sitting under Joe's mike stand.  Awesome show.  Watching Joe's bus pull up 42nd street and seeing his name on the marquee were really cool.  In a strange twist, another show was scheduled after Joe.  Imagine from Joe Bonamassa to a "Tramps and Vamps" dance.  I couldn't just make that up.  Please Joe, introduce The Great Flood so people other than forum regulars will know what they're listening to.  Opener Marianne Keith was warmly received by the crowd. 

So, for 2008, I took in two shows at Birchmere in June, two in WA in August and these 4.  Now I have to wait nearly 5 months to see Joe live again.   I just can't think of a better way to spend a week than following Joe and the band.  Ok, if I didn't have to drive back home every night and work the next day, maybe that would be good.  But, I really have no idea how Joe and the band and the crew do it.  It's exhausting to me and I'm neither performing nor setting up, nor breaking down, nor moving the whole production.  It really is amazing to watch how much work from the crew goes into one performance.  And while the tour bus doesn't exactly seem to resemble a prison, it's still a bus, and living in it 2/3 of the year doesn't seem all that easy.  Thanks to Joe, Bogie, Carmine and Rick for all being such wonderful musicians and such decent people.  I feel fortunate to be a fan.  Pictures will follow within a few days.

-Rob