Wolverhampton 23 April 09 (Page 1 of 2)

WOW!!! What a performance Joe!

It was great to see you in Wolverhampton in front of a few more than 14!!

My 3rd gig this year, 4th in total and that was the best yet - I didn't think that Liverpool could be topped - but it was!

The JH songs went down a storm and the crowd were buzzing - I'm hoping you're back to the Midlands on your next trip to the UK.

I'm gutted I can't make RAH (i'll have to settle for EC in May) - but I'm sure there will be plenty more JB shows at the Hall in the future.

Paul

Joe as ever was awesome, the seemed to last just 10 minutes but must have been over 2 hours. We were right up front and that was a whole diffeet experience. You can see the muscles it Joes face twitching in time to the music. He puts every bit of himself into every second.
To me it also seems that the whole band is more involved in the 'experience' too. Or is that just me? The saying is 'well oiled' but these guys are pure silicon (the slickest substance known to man).
I had been thinking Joes was looking tired of late but he looked fresh and raring to go. Although his aim with the pics was well off, even with a dive I could not get one (and folks you don't me landing on your lap, Ian would vouch for that ).

I am having trouble with my ears at the moment, tinitus and headache, so not posting much sorry. Doc says I must wear decibel reducing ear plugs, so off for a set of those tomorrow. Although I have never found Joes concerts too loud, they are always just right.
I got some good pics, some really nice close ups http://www.flickr.com/photos/mbcl/

I can only echo the sentiments already expressed - it was a fantastic gig.  The acoustics at Wolves Civic are better than I remember, and Joe and the boys were superb - the crowd were up for it which the band obviously appreciated.   Highlights for me - Stop!, Just Got Paid and Asking Around For You...

Matt and I interviewed Rick after the soundcheck and also chatted with Carmine, although we didn't record that.  Two absolute gents who really couldn't have been more accommodating.  Huge kudos to both of you!!!  And the photos look great, even though I am probably the least photogenic person in the civilised (and uncivilised) universe...

Rick wasn't giving much away about the RAH that we didn't already know - second drummer - Anton Fig - and horn section being flown in.  And when I mentioned "Jockey Full of Bourbon " he said how much he loved that song and that "we haven't played it...yet".  Maybe I'm reading too much into that???

Matt is currently finishing off the second part of our feature for next Friday - which will now include contributions from both Joe and Rick.  More details nearer the time...

It was a long old drive - we got home to Somerset at 1.30am - but well worth being a zombie at work the next day.  And then there was the close encounter with the male strippers...

Well, here goes...
Sorry, Wolverhampton Civic did not do it for me. Don't get me wrong, Joe put on a great show, but the sound quality was awful. Too much of an echo and Joe's vocals could not be heard and I was in the stalls in the middle. I have seen Joe previously in all his shows at the Robin over the years and the sound quality was far superior.
Joe deserves the sucess, but he would have done much better selling the Robin2 out 4 nights on the trot that one night at the Civic. The Robin also deserves the gigs for helping to put him where he has got to. Thank you Robin2.
I guess it is the end of the close up and personal gigs now, but at least I have experienced them and he has signed my cd's and given me the plectrums in the past. I have superb memories that drowned out the gig at the Civic.

The only time that Joe's vocals were lost was on Just Got Paid - they were fine for the rest of the show

What a daft thing to say.

Mike 787 wrote 'The Robin also deserves the gigs for helping to put him where he has got to'

It's not exactly a daft thing to say but it's only part of the story. Joe's got to where he is because of a) his talent, b)sheer hard work and determination in playing the Robins and Ferries of the world, and c) people like us who, having seen him and the band, have gone out and told those who haven't 'You HAVE to see this guy Bonamassa play!'. Attending a JB gig should be on everybody's list of things to do before they die.

I also miss the intimacy of the early gigs, having first seen him play in The Ferry in Glasgow but it's great to see him getting the recognition he deserves. However, as a consequence of this recognition, sheer logistics dictates that he has to play bigger venues to accommodate an ever growing legion of fans.

Who knows, maybe one day he'll emulate Clapton and play 24 nights at the RAH. Judging by the comments on the threads and those unlucky enough not to get tickets, he could have done with 2-3 night on this occasion to meet the demand.

If that was the road that Joe was to take in the future I'm sorry to say that he would lose me as a fan.   As a fellow Scotsman I'm very surprised you would even suggest such a concept.  We have enough problems with international artists not bothering their axxe to come to Scotland without suggesting Joe plays repeated dates at the RAH! That in my view would be the worst road that Joe could go down. Clapton does not play the RAH continually to give everyone a chance to see him, it's simply a place he believes is "up to his level" and he'd rather not sit in a bus or plane from venue to venue like the hard grafter such as Joe do on a continual basis.  To sum it up, Clapton's approach shows no consideration for his fans.

Joe's approach is completely different.  One of the great things about Joe is that he is willing to play new venues all the time and makes regular visits to the UK.  Since Sloe Gin was released two years ago, Joe toured some dates in around August that year, then did a full tour in February 2008, he then returned to play a festival, Liverpool and some Irish dates in June, the four dates that were scheduled last November and then five dates he is playing this time round.  Later this year he is coming back again and playing different towns and cities.  This is to applauded and does show that Joe is doing his best to get to a venue near to his fans. Yes the venues are getting bigger but they are still well spread about the UK allowing all fans to be abel to travel to one of the venues. I full agree with this approach and long may in continue. 

I will love the event of seeing Joe at the RAH, but I doubt it would ever cross my mind to return to the venue to see him again - residing 500 miles away just does not make it practical or affordable.

It is up to venues like the Robin and the Ferry to find the next Joe rather than look over their shoulder to see where he is now.  Likewise it is up to fans of Joe to remember the venues that first played Joe and check out the bands that are playing there.  That's how live music will survive and new talent will be unearthed.