Just made it back from Colorado and here's a quick initial post. Awesome 2 performances at Beaver Creek Saturday and Sunday. I was so pumped after Saturday's show that I decided to extend my stay and go to the Aspen show on Monday, too, and it was well worth it. This lineup rocks like crazy. Just when I think they can't get any better, they turn it up a couple of notches. Unbelievable musicality, energy, chemistry, and passion from Joe, Carmine, Rick, and Bogie.
The Bellyup in Aspen is a small but very cool venue with great sound. Joe made everybody laugh when he said welcome to the secret society of the Joe Bonamassa fanclub. Amazing show.
Great location in Beaver Creek for the 2 day Blues, Brews, and BBQ festival and a nice, big crowd was initiated into the JB fanclub here, too, lol.
Every song was my new favorite until the next one played, but I've got a special mention for "Sloe Gin." This song deserves to be a Top 40 hit. It fits Joe's voice perfectly, the guitar work is awesome, and Rick's keyboards really add a lot to this song in particular. Carmine is a monster on bass, and we already know and love Bogie's work behind the drumkit.
To sum up: 3 amazing shows and 2 gorgeous locales to travel to see Joe (the Park Hyatt in Beaver Creek was awesome -- I'm seeing the country on the Bonamassa plan, but I'm no Michael Lynch, lol). I cannot wait for the new cd. If the new recordings capture anything like the live sound it'll be so hot it will smoke when you remove it from the cd player.
The setlists were changed up a bit each night as follows:
Saturday in Beaver Creek:
Bridge
Walk in my Shadows
Blues Deluxe
Mountain Time
Burning Hell
Another Kind of Love (I think, and man does this rock)
Sloe Gin (a masterpiece of raunchy blues rock)
Highwater Everywhere
Woke Up Dreaming
Django
Just Got Paid/Mule/Dazed&Confused
Asking Around for You
Sunday in Beaver Creek, same as Saturday plus:
Miss You, Hate You
One of These Days
Monday in Aspen, same as Saturday:
plus Carmine had a solo in there somewhere and Rick had several throughout the 3 shows.
Oh, and before the show in Aspen I was eating dinner on the veranda of the Ruth's Chris Steakhouse overlooking the Bellyup and the tour bus, when the waiter asked me what brought me to town in the off season. I told him about Joe and he was a huge guitar and blues rock fan but hadn't heard of him. After I couldn't shut up about him he said he'd come and call a buddy (and I saw him there at the show).
I could go on but this post is already too long. Thank you Joe, Carmine, Rick, Bogie and crew for an amazing and wonderful musical vacation. Hearing Mountain Time in the gorgeous location in the mountains was fantastic. Joe and the boys definitely elevated their game with the altitude.