Topic: Joe Bonamassa, Turner Hall Ballroom-Milwaukee 3/8/09……
Definitions.....
Great: wonderful; first-rate; very good; being such in an extreme or notable degree.
Fabulous: exceptionally good or unusual; marvelous; superb.
Terrific: extraordinarily great or intense.
Mere words that come up short in describing a great clinic and a fabulous show. I’ll explain…..
The day began with Joe’s clinic/performance at Cascio Interstate Music where he was the focus of everyone’s attention. Young and old were there to hear the tales of what many consider the greatest singer/guitarist in the world today. We all were not disappointed. Joe, looking relaxed and confident, took us on a journey of earlier times and the people who had great influence over him. Warm, serious and comedic, Joe was all of those things during the clinic. I for one, would encourage anyone to take in one of Joe’s clinics or Blues In The Schools programs. They are special indeed.
After the clinic, we all headed down to The Turner Hall Ballroom. To my surprise when entering the establishment at about 4:15 PM, there sat Bogie at the bar watching with great intensity, the North Carolina/Duke basketball game. Knowing that Bogie is from North Carolina, I didn’t want to bother him, but we did greet one another. As friends and family showed up I suggested we not bother Bogie too much as it appeared he was ready to go in as North Carolina’s sixth man if need be. Bogie was as cordial as ever and when little Tallan showed up, he introduced himself and then asked Tallan to sit next to him at the bar to watch the game. I took a picture of this “meeting” and yes, I think it’s darn cute!
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3442/335 … 02.jpg?v=0
From there all of us ate dinner in the adjoining restaurant. The group included: Jacque and Ken, Lee and Renee, Michelle, Rev. Paul and Cathy, Carl and Tallan, sisters Lynn and Karen, Greg, Dawn and myself. As we ate to our surprise Joe with some friends came down to grab a bite to eat too. We all said hello to Joe who took a back booth and we all stayed away respecting his privacy. Although I must admit, to get him back for his comment at the clinic, I asked his waitress to go over to Joe’s table with a fake bill and tell Joe that, “Roy said you would pay this for him!” Not sure how that turned out? As we finished up, who do you think shows up and immediately heads up stairs to stand in line at the door? Yes, our own Bill S. and his buddies just HAD to be first in line. So family and friends then decided we too would take our place in line 2 hours before show time. Surprisingly or maybe not, it wasn’t long before the line of people went down all 3 sets of stairs and out the door. Thank goodness they opened the ballroom’s doors an hour before the show as the weather outside was quite awful.
We all sat in either the first or second row of tables and thank goodness, the first row of tables was right close to the stage. That eliminated any possibility of latecomers standing in front of us. We were then joined by my niece Jenni and her husband Kevin for their Bonabaptisms. I had told everyone how great Saturday nights show was in Elgin and knew Joe, Bogie, Carmine and Rick were just going to blow the roof off Turner Hall. The show began and that’s when the words at the top of this review began to have some meaning……
As Joe did the previous night, he starts off the show with the title track of his new CD, “The Ballad Of John Henry”. Man, does that give a good kick in the pants to the attending audience. I was going to review each song played but honestly, my words would fall very far short of just how great every song was! This band having now played almost two years together, are so tight they could play together in their sleep. Hey, maybe they do just that on the bus? The set list was made up of these songs:
Ballad of John Henry
Last Kiss
So Many Roads
Mountain Time
Another Kind of Love
Sloe Gin
Great Flood
Lonesome Road Blues
Happier Times
Your Funeral My Trial
Blues Deluxe
Woke Up Dreaming
Just Got Paid
Encores:
Ball Peen Hammer
Story of a Quarryman
Asking Around For You
Each and every song was a thrill a minute and kept us all sitting on the edge of our seats. You know, when you’re sitting around friends and relatives, it’s fun to glance around to see all of the head bobbing and expressions on faces. At one point during the show, I had a pretty good head bob going myself and when I looked down the first row of tables, there was Bill looking back at me and smiling. I smiled back and then he continued with his own head bob. No words needed to be spoken; we were both in a groove to Joe’s music.
Another item that really is noticeable is Joe’s stage presence. It has gotten better, with each passing show I’ve seen and is right now quite fun just watching him. I think in part that is due to the fact that Joe is now cord free. He’s wearing a remote which allows him to prowl all over the stage and in some cases like Elgin, actually leave the stage. Now mind you, I’m not saying Joe’s going to come off the stage walking on chairs ala Eric Sardinas, but I see a guy who is just having more and more fun playing to the audience. This change in stage presence is quite recent as I was to a show in Cleveland back in October. Glad to see Joe enjoying himself so much!
Joe has another new little bit that he’s been doing with the beginning of Blues Deluxe. He plays his guitar almost making it sound like a hive full of bees. This is followed by tossing a pick out into the audience. He then reaches into his pocket, holds up another pick high in the air and again begins the “bee” sound before tossing the pick. This is just plain and simple fun entertainment for Joe and the audience.
There comes a time in the show after several songs where Joe says, “Hello Wherever!” (“Wherever” in this case being Milwaukee) and then proceeds to tell a little bit about past times in that city. Joe told us that someone from Wisconsin had written him several times to point out the fact that it had been over a year that he had visited Wisconsin. Actually as I recall, it had been 1 year, 4 months and 5 days, but who’s counting? Joe didn’t specifically name the person, but I assume it’s some over the top, obnoxious fan who is so head over heels in love with Joe’s music that they’ll do anything and fly anywhere to see a live Joe show, right Joe? Yes, we do have some pretty sick people in Wisconsin too! 
Anyway, as the show neared its end, I got this feeling of fulfillment after seeing two absolutely great shows on back to back nights and one terrific seminar all within 24 hours of each other. Joe was playing, “Asking Around For You”, when about the time he tells Rick to take over, Joe leaned over and said to me, “Roy, at my signal boost Tallan up on stage.” As I said before, this was totally unplanned, unscripted and unrehearsed and for Joe to do that for Tallan speaks volumes about Joe as a person. Tallan nearly jumped high enough in the air to leap onto the stage and at Joe’s signal, I and Bill’s friend lifted Tallan up. Mind you, Tallan is a little guy, but he’s much more solid that I thought he would be. It’s either that, or I’m really getting too old!
As you all saw on the other thread, it was a fantastic, uplifting way to end a show and proved that even Joe Bonamassa is a good sport while entertaining the masses. Joe cracking up and laughing right after Tallan gave a little left hand tickle on Joe’s guitar to match his singing was one of those memories that none of us will soon forget.
As I stood in line after the show with Carl and Tallan along with the people who wanted Joe to sign something for them, I simply wanted to thank Joe for coming to my State and to my former hometown. Yes, it had been a while since Joe had graced a stage Milwaukee and I sure hope he can find time in his busy schedule to visit us again soon. Joe, You Are The Greatest!!
After the show a few of us went to the bar to say our goodbyes and have one last toast/drink celebrating the night. I called work that night around midnight to tell them that I was simply too exhausted from the weekend and would take a day of vacation on Monday. Many times in the past I had thought to myself, how great it would be to be Joe Boanamssa up on that stage with hundreds and sometimes, thousands of people cheering back at you. But after the Milwaukee show, I could see the wear and tear on Joe’s face and in his eyes. And yet, he greeted each and every person with kindness and a smile. No, I think I’ll leave the being a star thing to Joe. Besides, it’s just too much work for an old guy like me.
The next time I see Joe will be at London’s Royal Albert Hall surrounded by friends. Patty (pattyluvsjoe) and I talked about that not long ago. Who would ever have thought a couple of simple Midwest kids would ever do such a thing? Surely we never did.
Still Pictures:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8384830@N0 … 141468078/
Videos:
"Last Kiss": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bF-8d7_CHqU
"The Great Flood": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AlvzfLmBSY
"Happier Times": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuPIv7Jdw7I
"Blues Deluxe Part 1": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIXwLH9A2MY
"Blues Deluxe Part 2": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cx9FJQ4jiEM
And of course, at the end of the show, Joe invited Tallan up to join him, Bogie, Carmine and Rick for the end of "Asking Around For You":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeTX896ayCI
Roy
P.S. Someday who knows, maybe I’ll be lucky enough to be sitting at that front row table watching the grown up version of Tallan T-Man Latz when he leans down and says to me,”Roy, at my signal boost that little guy up on stage!” Problem is, I’ll be too damn old to do it then.
P.S.S. Thanks goes out to the following people:
Ryan Matteson, Laura Russart and Marc Solheim with the Pabst Group who manage The Riverside and Pabst Theatres along with The Turner Hall Ballroom.
Tom Crawford and Ryan Schleicher with WMSE radio.
And again, Elliott Hill with Cascio Interstate Music.
All of these people pitched in to make both Joe's clinic and show a great success! 
