• From: Massachusetts
  • Registered: 2007-10-23
  • Posts: 1,929

Topic: Lebanon, NH - April 5, 2009

So - last night I realized that I was at Joe's opening show for this American leg of his tour in Northampton, MA and now I am at the last night of this leg of his tour.  Pretty cool.

The last show of Joe's most recent American tour took place in the little town of Lebanon, NH at their lovely little opera house.  The place was packed.  It was amazing, after driving thru miles and miles of woods and mountains, to see so many people there to see Joe.  Just goes to show you how popular he has become.  Doesn't hurt, either, that there is this little school called Dartmouth in the next town over.  There were a lot of people there from Vermont and even a few of us crazies from Massachusetts.

Anyways, the show was great.  Started with John Henry, but the set list had returned to the one used earlier in the tour and included Ball Peen Hammer.  As fuzzy wuzzy was mentioning elsewhere we were treated to lots of backbends and some blistering guitar work.  Watching the expressions on Joe's face when he is playing is amazing - he looks like he is arguing with his guitar trying to get it to do something that is not physically possible -but he does get it to go over the top over and over and over.  Joe managed to get thru another night without falling off the speakers, so I guess we can stop worrying about him breaking a real leg or something and messing up RAH.  Stay off the speakers in Europe, Joe - at least until May 4th.  Joe was also really relaxed and had a great time joking with the audience.  One thing I have noticed that is different - Joe is getting more and more standing ovations at different parts of the show, people don't wait for the end anymore.  Very cool.  He certainly deserves all of them and many more.

Joe was still nice enough to sign autographs after the show.  I got my RAH poster signed, and the pick I acquired the other night.  The freaky thing was as soon as Joe saw it/touched it he knew it was a used one.  His taking the time to do this for us after a long exhausting show and tour is so cool - it means the world to us fans.  Thank you Joe - and the rest of your guys.

So ended my "training for RAH" weekend.  It started Thursday night with Derek Trucks, continued Friday with Joe in Woonsocket, then Saturday I covered the "touristy" part of RAH weekend by going wedding dress shopping with my future daughter-in-law (do you do weddings Joe?) and finished up with a bang on Sunday night with another Joe performance.  I only slept to noon today, so I think I'm ready for the big event.

Bring on London!

Sandy

P.S.  Pictures will be up soon in the Cool Pictures section.

"There's a lot of people that are in so much of a hurry to be, I guess, to be famous or that they don't want to take the time to learn to play and do all that.They'd rather just knock it down off a computer and maybe get on a game show and get famous..That's fine if that's what you want to do.
"We're more old school than that. We like creating the sounds."  - Tom Petty
  • From: Central PA, USA
  • Registered: 2007-11-18
  • Posts: 1,037

Re: Lebanon, NH - April 5, 2009

Thanks for the great review, Sandy!  I just wanted to add a quick note about this venue, the Lebenon Opera House.  I was there last November to see The Machine, and I think I drove my GPS crazy trying to find the place!  I kept driving past where it was supposed to be (not to mention every other possible street in town, lol) and could not find anything that looked like a theatre or music venue.  Turns out it's located INSIDE City Hall!  The crowds gathering on the steps outside finally reminded me I'd read that on their site months before.  Once inside, I found a beautiful old theatre... really a great venue.

--Vik cool

  • Registered: 2009-04-07
  • Posts: 12

Re: Lebanon, NH - April 5, 2009

This was my first Joe Bonamassa show and all I can say is WOW!
I traveled 2 1/2 hours from Maine to see him perform and it was well worth the trip.
I really liked the small, intimate setting of the Lebanon Opera House.
The acoustics were great and the place was full of Bonamassa fans.
It's one thing to listen to his music and not be blown away, but to see and hear his unbelievable, jaw-dropping playing I realized I was seeing something really special.
I've been to many concerts and seen many great guitarist, from Beck to Satriani and I put Joe right up there with the best of them.
This is by far one of the best concerts I've ever been to.
P.S. Sandy, excellent photos!

  • From: Massachusetts
  • Registered: 2007-10-23
  • Posts: 1,929

Re: Lebanon, NH - April 5, 2009

Welcome to the forum, musicfan63!  What part of Maine are you from?  I won't ask how fast you were driving - it took me 2+ hours from Boston.

Glad you enjoyed the show-I'm sure it won't be your last.

Thanks for the compliment on the pics.

Sandy

"There's a lot of people that are in so much of a hurry to be, I guess, to be famous or that they don't want to take the time to learn to play and do all that.They'd rather just knock it down off a computer and maybe get on a game show and get famous..That's fine if that's what you want to do.
"We're more old school than that. We like creating the sounds."  - Tom Petty
  • Registered: 2008-02-14
  • Posts: 2,578

Re: Lebanon, NH - April 5, 2009

Thanks for the review Sandy. Don't worry the time will fly by! big_smile

"The recently formed Edinburgh Blues Club has identified an appetite for the personal communication between musicians and audience that the blues long ago perfected." The Herald Newspaper (Scotland)
http://www.edinburgh-blues.uk
  • Registered: 2009-04-07
  • Posts: 12

Re: Lebanon, NH - April 5, 2009

Thanks, Sandy.
I am from Arundel, it's in southern Maine right next door to Kennebunkport, summer home of our former president.
I'm hoping to catch his show in August at Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom In New Hampshire.

samjp4 wrote:

Welcome to the forum, musicfan63!  What part of Maine are you from?  I won't ask how fast you were driving - it took me 2+ hours from Boston.

Glad you enjoyed the show-I'm sure it won't be your last.

Thanks for the compliment on the pics.

Sandy

  • GD73
  • New member
  • Offline
  • From: Boston MA
  • Registered: 2009-04-13
  • Posts: 1

Re: Lebanon, NH - April 5, 2009

Im tring to put together a set list for this nite if anywon can help...? Do I remember "The River" or am I dreaming? I thought that version of Slow Jin was the best I've seen or herd... and the new guitar is cool, what about the flying V!!! WOW

  • From: Massachusetts
  • Registered: 2007-10-23
  • Posts: 1,929

Re: Lebanon, NH - April 5, 2009

GD73 wrote:

Im tring to put together a set list for this nite if anywon can help...? Do I remember "The River" or am I dreaming? I thought that version of Slow Jin was the best I've seen or herd... and the new guitar is cool, what about the flying V!!! WOW

  Check the set list for South Orange, NJ - it was pretty much the same.

Sandy

"There's a lot of people that are in so much of a hurry to be, I guess, to be famous or that they don't want to take the time to learn to play and do all that.They'd rather just knock it down off a computer and maybe get on a game show and get famous..That's fine if that's what you want to do.
"We're more old school than that. We like creating the sounds."  - Tom Petty