My 1000th Post (Page 1 of 2)

Hello All

This has been my own personal journey around the music of Joe Bonamassa

From first hearing Joe’s music and buying the cd’s to travelling and seeing live shows and joining the forum plus meeting all the lovely folk who hang here

It’s been a fun filled crazy ride, where do I begin ….. Let’s see

Music …..

My introduction happened in 2004 at the HMV music store in London’s Oxford Street
Advised by the blues section salesman on looking for something with a harder edge
Purchased , bagged and took home 12 cd’s of various artists. On reaching home that evening skipped through the cd’s in the late hours on headphones in the dark , Blues Deluxe was the 11th .. The first 3 tracks literally shocked and stunned me and that was the start right there at that moment, played that cd 3 times that night and within a week had Joe’s whole catologue, It was the sound and spark I had been looking and searching for and much more was to follow that I had no idea where this breathtaking music would take me

The Shows …..

The live Joe Bonamassa show has taken me through 9 different countries across oceans and borders from Texas to Rome and BB Kings in New York to Paris and even one of those 60 or so at the very first London Show, each one holds a memory watching the show develop and evolve and can catergorically say that every one was entertaining “But You Know When Joe Delivers A 10 Show”  it is just so so awesomely powerful , there is nothing like it I swear for that adrenilin rush and jaw dropping wow factor
You know when you’ve been Joe’d

The Forum …..

I joined Joe’s forum in July 2006 and it was something I had never even contemplated before let alone knew about and what to expect here
Within days I felt at home and was posting and receiving e mails welcoming me with the same interests, it was all very friendly and I felt myself being able to express more through Joe’s music from show reviews and also humour and stories and it became addictive fun with my new found friends trading music and info on other artists as well as meetings and correspondence
(don’t post as much now as I used to) But still lurk a lot
Thanks to all my buddy’s that I have met and am in contact with I regard you as true friends and I like it here
This indeed is a very special place

Now …..

8:20 PM , Monday May 4th 2009
Seat 20, Row 1, Block F Arena,The Royal Albert Hall, London, England

The lights go down and the cheers and roars echo around .. and for me I felt honoured and tearfully proud to be in the presence of Joe Bonamassa for he has travelled a long road to that moment and to witness and share that dream with JB was for sure my favourite musical moment ever too, and as the sounds of Django poured through me it was like being taken to heaven for 2 and a half hours …..
The show itself was immense for Joe to take that stage and command it his own , but like the challenge it was he rose and conquered it with stylish tenacity , alright the sound for the first 2 songs was raw but in a kind of throwback to the 60’s & 70’s it was pure and fitting,
But the superslick JB was soon into full attack mode and the sound was Crystal Clear from then on for the RAH, The Vocals and Guitar and Band sound were very clear, but the Horns and Rick were just a touch below in volume but could still be heard in the mix, Bogie and Anton were just phenomenally in sync like 2  precision machines and so powerful too and Carmines bass was this full rich sound around the Hall …. Some of the highlights were “Last Kiss” which really did boogie along “So Many Roads” a very slick clinical version with a towering solo , so glad that’s on the DVD , “Further on up The Road” with a guest appearance by Eric Clapton , just to see Joe duelling with EC onstage at The Albert Hall was a real moment I’ll never forget ever, Joe was having so much fun and then tore out a masterful “Woke Up Dreaming”
Highwater Everywhere with the duel drumming was brilliant and Sloe Gin was just beautiful and maybe along with The Great Flood stole the show for sheer poetry in music and fitting the enviroment , they were 2 very standout tunes of the evening
Plus “Mountain Time” with the india intro was majestic in the spotlight of that stage and as Joe was playing India I thought for a moment of all the great performers that were in that very spot (namely Hendrix Page Beck Clapton) and here was Joe the new Guitarslinger in town and he’s here to steal the crown , I smiled
It was grand in scale and it was history for this performer and artist I have admired to achieve that dream and live it there for that night was emotional for me to and was very proud to have seen his defining moment of his career so far , there will be more I’m sure,  and I’m gonna stick around to see where this journey takes JB and myself hopefully I can witness many more nights like that
It was entertainment of the highest calibre , well done my friend
You Did “Kick It Like Old School” Up There          

Thanks for turning up at Cocoon too , the fans there really appeciated that so much
Sorry I didn’t catch a word at Cocoon I was a most busy host and you had a lot of friends there … maybe see ya next year as that was my only show this year But that won’t be beaten in a hurry anytime soon anyways “I’ll let some of ‘em catch up”
..... And I'd Just Like To Add It Is The Best Music I've Ever Heard Without A Doubt

So there you have it, Joe’s music has inspired me to post here, travel, meet new friends and converse with many via e-mail and lastly I’d like to thank Joe personally (and Len and Debbie Bonamassa who I actually met , that was probably even better than the show, i ain't joking) for this all happening , my life I feel has taken an interesting new route that I would never have thought of 6 years ago and made me a better person because of Joe his awesome music and all the people he has around him and the lovely fans he has attracted to this forum

Cheers Everyone

Plus He F**king Kicked Alberts ****

Hey Nick can I get a BOLD BONAMETAL   

…………………… Michael