One Night In Paris

As we stroll The banks of the River Seine on a clear cold late November evening toward the L’Opera district Madamoiselle Eva and Monsieur Andre view the low orange glow of dimly lit sidestreets with just parked cars and no people, we stop an elderly Parisian Gentleman and ask for The Olympia, eyebrows drop and a puzzled look ensues, just then he shouts Ahhh Le Olympia ! and points westward, five minutes later the streetlights are brighter and traffic is moving, ahead we see a large red fronted building standing high and proud among hotels and cafes and throngs of  people mass the pavement bustling and the hum of frenchspeak
A man approaches the words confirm we are indeed close “bonamasse  tikket” non is the reply.

It’s Joe Bonamassa’s show at The World Famous Parisian Theatre “The Olympia”

And 3 of his fans have travelled from 3 different countries to meet and attend this concert only second to his Royal Albert Hall Show earlier this year in London …… But in some ways more important as in the history of this theatre to challenge as One of the Leading venues on The Planet, The feet that have actually stood on this stage really reads like no other Jimi Hendrix Rory Gallagher The Beatles Led Zeppelin Rolling Stones Pavarotti Judy Garland Madonna & Michael Jackson to name a few, Yet the theatre from the outset looks like an old time music hall of bygone vaudeville.
But Enter through the most grandest of opulent foyers passing with debutants and aristocrats which feels like a scene from the great gatsby with movie smiles and jewellery beneath the titanic chandoliers    this is another show like no other already.
Enter the hall and the colour of Red is everywhere, we take our seats and marvel at The Deluxe Luxury feel that transports your thoughts to specialness, even the stage is surrounded by falling drapes of waterfall size,  After much hurried conservation the lights dim and a sense of  joy de vivre descends the room …… and suddenly I feel like Parisian

Sythesizers entomb our ears and build up the tension, suddenly a violinesque note pierces the darkness and Jean Bonamasse strolls ….. for this is Paris, France

Aaaaaah Welcome to the show of le guitarre sensationale Jean Bonamasse
We Slip Into A Parisian Review Here …..

Ballad Of Jean Henri ….. The slide sears the atmosphere and the power beats out an old tribal rhythm, a crisp opener, the sound is clear, the message is clear, Blues is clearly evident here in this throwback to the delta with modern delivery.
A public enemy No 1 attention grabber

Soitz Lykdat ….. An upbeat shuffle which boogie/rocks along with the band blending in the raw strain of blues

Lost Kiss ….. Devastaing Rocker that shudders The Olympia and wakes it from an ancient slumber, powering bass alongside straight ahead snare drums with swaythes on synth layered over a  brutal chugging riff, it’s a pure and evil groove that’s viral to your feet and body

Saw Mary Rhodes ....... Epic towering Blues that awakens the parisians and Joe just soars with the solo , it is stirling stuff that moves mere mortals to a humbling acceptance that this is the new force Blues has taken

Beat You Better Dave  ….. The smooth feel keeps going! With the sweetest guitar notes etched out from the frets by Joe, the band sounding like an all round Bose quadrophonic sound system at 100 decibels with the chunky funk

Father on Deep Road …… Although on first release seemed like a tip of country blues rock, this tune has evolved through JB’s set and turned into a tour de force
It’s quick, feisty and smoking by the time it hits the creshendo finish
A Ferocious little rocker

Slow Jim ….. It has been said many times but this truly epic slice of rock ballad with tinged blues has morped into a stunning song of stature, the keyboard riff by Rick here is just as haunting as anything ever processed into music, it is soul stealing and emotion forming, a true icon of a Rock song, and Joe just solo’s over with beautiful fluidity ….. Emotionally Breathtaking

Walk Up Dream Hill …… An acoustic guitar masterpiece that’s delivered with feel and passion, and the audience marvel at the rollercoaster it is, Spanish Jazz Blues Country and Rock are all spliced into one concerta for the guitar

Love some road blues …… Blues in the form of  rockin groove, light at first then turns into a medium devil burner stoking up the furnace to a  firey finale
The band becoming tighter as the tune rocks on 

If Half Cakes We're Nibbles ...... This tune was just beautiful in delivery that touched an emotional nerve, the vocals were poetic to acompany the saddest flow of the song ...... just  the standout tune of the evening 

The Grape Flowed …… Joe voice is powerful over the quietness of the band here, just oozes atmosphere and pain with a sad feel etched in it’s created mood, haunting and stunningly eerie with a piercing solo that literally cries 

8 PM Times …… A Poetic slice of  beautiful melody that floats through your mind and eases the senses with a cleansing sound, must be Joe’s standout vocals of the evening and a fitting guitar piece to mirror the flow … intense and emotional

Moan Ten Times …… The opening chords of India lay the atmosphere around The Olympia Theatre and pulls on the aural tones, Ricks keys find a niche in the tune layering behind joe’s melodic strum and it evolves as it’s played … always without fail a stunning musical piece arranged around a beautiful guitar solo that just meanders perfectly, the audiece applaud with emotion

Bean Pie Ham Egg ...... Joe comes out for the encore with the blue double neck guitar and strums out a seamless gem that sets the tone for the monster to come that is .........

Joe summons the audience to stand and rock ........... All the 2000 just rocked and stomped too, it was just what was expected ....... The Olympia in Paris Rockin, to the band loudly

Jus’ Get Paid Two a day ….. The gates of Rock are unleashed on us and it is just face melting power, with Carmine just pounding out layers of bass reverbing the hall and Bogie on some sort of mission to carve out the rockiest/funkiest hard hitting drum beat invented to sound, don’t know how Warren keeps all this ferocity together, but the man needs an award, plus Joe is just being real nasty here, dishing some of the most hard hitting chords and riffs know to man, I do wince (true this) sometimes of the power of this tune, if I wasn’t a blues/rocker, I might just demand my money back, cause the power on display here should carry a health warning, wonder what it’s like in Row Z  …. LOL ….. Brilliant Rock Music

Ask Ken Around For Food ....... A third encore bayed for by the now frantic and ecstatic audience. and played as just the beautiful closer and show stealer as you remember the tune as you walk the parisian streets

Hands Down ...... Quite Possibly The Best The 4 Guys Have Played Together

Serious 100%  Pure Blues/Rock

AU REVOIR

........................ Michel