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

Topic: RAH trip thank-you

I would like to thank everyone who helped make my trip to London such an enjoyable experience.  I have many great and funny stories to share with my friends over here and to recall fondly until I get to do something like this again (getting home on Sunday and Monday nights are the first that come to mind).

It was such a pleasure to meet so many forum members and put faces to names - it's been said before but I'll say it again - you are all the nicest people I have ever had the pleasure to meet.  Although meeting for the first time can be awkward I felt as if I had known you all for years.  Can't wait to see you all again.

And huge thanks to all the hosts - Duncan and Wooders and Michael - you provided the best icing for the cake.  Wooders gets special thanks from me for a priceless opportunity.

Thank you as well to all who provided advice about where to stay, how to get there, side-trips to make, where to eat, etc.

It was a very special week.  Joe was the centerpiece and the reason for this shindig, but all who shared this week with me made it a beautiful event and provided memories I will treasure forever.

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
  • Geoff
  • Geoff
  • BONAMETAL
  • Offline
  • From: Moreton, Wirral, England
  • Registered: 2006-09-26
  • Posts: 1,603

Re: RAH trip thank-you

Any occasion like this, hyped as much as it was on here, always stands the risk of not matching up to expectations. For me, the months of waiting, since finding out in that line outside the NEC in 2008 that Joe was definately appearing at the RAH on the 4th May. The initial denials by Jim M, insisting we were jumping the gun. The plans for trips by folks from America, many never having been outside the USA before. The enthusiastic Blues / rock fans from Europe baying for their tickets. The advice from Londoners on what to see, where to go, where to stay. The gig at Dingwalls organised by Greenose. The aftershow party organised by the fans for the fans - Would Joe show up for that?

Well didn't it all just fall into place...............................? I had the best weekend I can ever remember. I met friends who I had never met before, who were as nice as you could possibly expect. The Bonamassive get together proved one thing to me........

Friends are the Family you choose for yourself - You are all my brothers and sisters now! Thank you for making it a great weekend, one I will cherish.

Geoff O

Visit my Casino Images website http://www.casino-images.com/

Geoff's Website

  • LynB
  • LynB
  • BONAMETAL
  • Offline
  • From: Poole - UK
  • Registered: 2006-10-02
  • Posts: 1,155

Re: RAH trip thank-you

Now Sandy and Geoff stop it or my eyes will get very teary and my mascara will run.  But joking apart, it was a very special night last Monday, organised by some very special people (Michael, Duncan, Phil and I suspect one or two others behind the scenes) and attended by the most friendliest and kindest people you can imagine.  Hope we can do it again one day!

  • Registered: 2008-02-14
  • Posts: 2,578

Re: RAH trip thank-you

Thanks to everyone, but please don't go overboard on thanking me, all I did was send a couple of emails that lead to a gig gettting moved and Oli attending the party. Hopefully these were added side events to the main show. The big thanks must go to Michael and Phil for all the hard work, they both did a great job! smile

As the others have said, it really was great to meet with some many people that I'd exchanged posts and sometimes emails and texts too. We are all fans of Joe, but it seems we have more in common too, as everyone I met was pleasant and polite.  I am sorry that I did miss out on speaking to a few people, and less importantly noone captured my hand shake with Joe.  As Geoff said everything did go to plan and therefore I'd like to thank all of you for making it such an enjoyable weekend! 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
  • From: The Gates of Delerium
  • Registered: 2008-05-07
  • Posts: 1,412

Re: RAH trip thank-you

Cheers Sandy! See you and Bill (and a whole bunch of other Bonamaniacs) on August 15th! big_smile big_smile big_smile big_smile big_smile

Major Tom to ground control...
  • Icon
  • Icon
  • Titanium
  • Offline
  • From: Stafford, England
  • Registered: 2009-02-03
  • Posts: 852

Re: RAH trip thank-you

Geoff wrote:

Any occasion like this, hyped as much as it was on here, always stands the risk of not matching up to expectations. For me, the months of waiting, since finding out in that line outside the NEC in 2008 that Joe was definately appearing at the RAH on the 4th May. The initial denials by Jim M, insisting we were jumping the gun. The plans for trips by folks from America, many never having been outside the USA before. The enthusiastic Blues / rock fans from Europe baying for their tickets. The advice from Londoners on what to see, where to go, where to stay. The gig at Dingwalls organised by Greenose. The aftershow party organised by the fans for the fans - Would Joe show up for that?

Well didn't it all just fall into place...............................? I had the best weekend I can ever remember. I met friends who I had never met before, who were as nice as you could possibly expect. The Bonamassive get together proved one thing to me........

Friends are the Family you choose for yourself - You are all my brothers and sisters now! Thank you for making it a great weekend, one I will cherish.

Geoff - I just got a shiver down my spine when I read that.
I guess you have managed to so eloquently put into words what I and probably so many of us feel about that special visit to London in May 2009 that will forever be etched in our memories. Thanks brother!

Sandy - so good to meet you and all the other guys that made it over the pond. It's really good to be able to put faces to names, and as you say, it wasn't at all difficult meeting folks for the first time - we all have that common bond. May the fourth was just so with us! cool

Ian

Please be in no doubt that this is the REAL ME! Beware imposters........................
  • Registered: 2009-05-08
  • Posts: 4

Re: RAH trip thank-you

Here is some more icing on the cake

If you wish to watch the whole concert seamlessly and in almost chronological order,then select play all videos.

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p … 6C51D3FAAA

Enjoy

  • From: West Yorkshire, England
  • Registered: 2007-08-02
  • Posts: 1,587

Re: RAH trip thank-you

I feel the same way as you Sandy and Geoff. All my expectations were met and more.
I only wish we could go back and do it all again because I didn't get to talk to everybody.
My head was spinning from trying to process all the information it was receiving!

Thank you everybody who made the trip to London whether you came three miles or three thousand. I look forward to meeting up with some of you in the future.

Tripsy smile

  • From: South East London
  • Registered: 2008-11-14
  • Posts: 351

Re: RAH trip thank-you

Tripsy wrote:

I feel the same way as you Sandy and Geoff. All my expectations were met and more.
I only wish we could go back and do it all again because I didn't get to talk to everybody.
My head was spinning from trying to process all the information it was receiving!

Thank you everybody who made the trip to London whether you came three miles or three thousand. I look forward to meeting up with some of you in the future.

Tripsy smile

And I feel the same way as you Tripsy.  I didn't always find the words but I was so excited to meet so many lovely people who are so passionate about Joe and his music.

Maggie

10 Reply by BluesMan (edited by BluesMan 2009-05-14 19:20:32)

  • From: Wisconsin
  • Registered: 2008-08-15
  • Posts: 7,284

Re: RAH trip thank-you

Geoff wrote:

Friends are the Family you choose for yourself - You are all my brothers and sisters now! Thank you for making it a great weekend, one I will cherish.

I guess you could say we're just one big happy family, hey Geoff? wink

The pleasure of meeting you and everyone else was all mine!

Roy

Joe is the Best!