Murcia, Spain Review

First of all here is the set list :

Slow Train
Last Kiss
Midnight Blues
Dust Bowl
You better watch yourself
Sloe Gin
Ballad of John Henry
Lonesome Road Blues
Happier Times
Steal your heart away
Blues Deluxe
Young Man Blues
Woke Up Dreaming
Mountain Time
Bird on a wire
Just Got Paid

What a fantastic venue, reminded me a bit of the World Theatre in the Hague. Probably holds about 2,000 and I would say it was about 95% full and not a bad seat in the house. I was front row centre balcony right in line with Joe. The stage is deep so the band were a lot further back than usual. The sound was perfect from start to finish. Late show - came on at 9.30pm and finished at 11.52pm and that was the only time that I looked at my watch.

There is a lot of different song arrangements tonight and you will see what I mean when you see the tour. I think Slow Train is the perfect opener with its infectious groove and then a surprise - the return of Last Kiss revved up. Midnight Blues had the audience mesmerised and from then on songs would get more than one applause during their time. I counted 6 for Sloe Gin and 5 for Woke Up Dreaming. There are too many highlights to remember but I loved the ferocious interplay with Joe and Tal at the end of Lonesome Road Blues and then immediately they took it right down for a slooooww version of Happier Times - I felt as though I was in a smokey blues club. And what more can be said about Blues Deluxe? This was probably the best version I have seen live, absolutely stunning!! And then the 12 string comes out and right into Young Man Blues with Joe and AnTalimal doing the "anything you can do I can do better" routine. The audience were spellbound again during this one (Stairway to Heaven got a wee sample).

Bird on a Wire has been redone again and now has a country feel to it. That was the first encore then its the flying V for Just Got Paid and the crowd is on its feet. The applause at the end seemed to go on for ever. Joe said twice that this was his first time here but it definately wouldn't be his last so I know I'm going back to this fantastic venue.

No new song tonight but I guess it will come. And I lost count of the guitar changes (there was a lot). This was my wife's 3rd Joe gig and we had a newbie with us who was astounded to say the least. It was only 4 months since I last saw Joe but it seemed like a lifetime but as soon as the band hits the stage you know you are in for a special evening and this was no exception. A truly awesome (as the Americans say) concert and if I could have managed the Barcelona gig tonight I would have hopped on a plane, divorce or no divorce.

Kenny