Gig Review Poole, Mr Kyps - By John Cherry

Hey Guys... we got a bunch of reviews sent to us that we thought we'd share with you. Was great having Joe and the guys back again and we feel extremely lucky to have had Joe visit our venue twice in one week!!
Here's looking forward to the next tour...
Best Wishes,
The Mr Kyps Live Music Venue Team
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What's the best way to spend a weeks holiday ? I know a week down in deepest west Dorset with loads of great walks, beaches and beer plus three Joe Bonamassa gigs in 4 days !!! The first on Tuesday was a last minute but welcome addition to his short UK tour (it just goes to show how much he likes coming to Kyps), I drove up early from Bridport to grab a good spot and managed to secure front row left bang in front of Joe's rig, magic. Bogie is on first hammering out the intro to 'Bridge To Better Days' then Joe, Carmine and Rick enter to take up their positions, Joe shouts 1,2,3,4 and we're off, Blues Rock heaven returns to Kyps. Next up is 'Walk In My Shadows' followed by 'So Many Roads' where just as he hits the solo the whole back line of amps plunges into silence. Joe makes his excuses and leaves the stage while the roadies run about trying to fix the problem, after about five minutes he's back and the band fall into exactly where they left off and he nearly brings the roof down with the intensisty of his playing, stunning.

Next Joe forsakes his trusty Le Paul for his famous Gigalotti which he lost for a couple of months after his last European tour but has now been safely returned and amazes us with 'Mountain Time' one of my favourites. Next we're onto two new songs from his new album the first I don't know the title of but the second is the title track 'Sloe Gin' an instant classic if ever there was one, a slow brooding number which builds to a tremendous intrumental climax. He encourages us to buy it when it's released at the end of August, I know I shall. It's now time to pick up the acoustic and we're treated to a new version of 'High Water Everywhere' from his last album 'You And Me' this is one to get the feet marching and the whole crowd appears to be swaying in time, brilliant. When the amps went off someone shouted 'Miss You Hate You' and he obliges, singing on his own while the band take a well earned rest, this is followed by the crowd pleasing' Woke Up Dreaming' a master class of dexterity and speed my God i think I saw smoke coming off the fret board ! this is followed by 'Django' a Jeff Beck style intrumental played on a Fender Strat with loads of note bending and whammy bar delights, where do we go after that ? It has to be the awsome 'ZZ Topp number 'Just Got Paid' which mutates into the instrumental passage from 'Dazed And Confused' by Led Zeppelin, and if that's not enough we have a powehouse drum solo from Bogie, a flurry of sticks, sweat and pounding tom tom's which brings the set to an end.

After a couple of minutes of the crowd baying for more they come back to encore with 'Asking Around For You' a lovely slow blues on which Joe plays his BB King custom and at times, if you closed your eyes it could well of been BB the tone was that close. The last couple of minutes are taken up with an instrumental passage on his Les Paul and then sad to say it'a all over, one hell of a night draws to a close. So off home with a Joe CD blasting in the car for company, one down two to go.

Thursday and a 80 mile drive down to Tavistock, I know this has nothing to do with Kyps but I thought I would just give you a quick run down of the set list which, in fact is the same as Tuesday except 'Miss You Hate You' is replaced by an acoustic version of 'If Heartaches Were Nickels'. The highlights were 'So Many Roads', blues wailing at it's best and an absolutley stonking drum solo from Bogie, what a drummer. After the show Bogie and Carmine come down and have a chat, what a couple of nice fellers, and later Joe joins them and signs a few CD's.

Oh I almost forgot I was stage centre just behind Mike a rabid Joe fan from Kent who for some obscure reason between the support and Joe taking the stage decided to strip off his clothes and don a Batman outfit !!! For more information go to Joe's website and read Mike's review on the forum, he's a nutter in the nicest possible way of course.

Friday, the last show and first for my 14 year old daughter, 'Does he just play guitar all night ?', 'Will I like it ?' she's not sure if she will like boring old guitar music, boy is she in for a surprise. We arrive at 8.15 and make our way to the front about four deep from the stage centre and settle in for the night, Martin Harley comes on and what a revelation he is, what a cracking start to the evening, a fantastic slide, finger picking style and a good strong voice, look out for his return.

Then onto the main event, a sell out, sweating, hyped up crowd, perfect. The show starts up as before with 'Bridge To Better Days' and 'Walk In My Shadows' then takes a strange twist, the band play the song 'Tea For One' off of You And Me but Joe sings the words to 'Blues De Luxe' and strangley it works like a new song altogether, help Joe's playing with our minds. The show progresses as before and he leaves in 'If Heartaches Were Nickels' as the night before, but then we are in for another treat, I have seen Joe a number of times now but I have never heard such an intense version of 'Woke Up Dreaming', even mad Mike (remember him 'Batman from Tavistock') who has seen more shows than anyone is raving after the show, Joe's on fire. It's obvious the band are enjoying themselves as they all look at each laughing in a number of songs, this is turning into a special night.

''Django' and 'Just Got Paid' follow and then the band leaves the stage as the crowd go wild. They come back to encore 'Asking Around For You', Rick starts on his own as the band amble back on stage and pick up their instruments, in the solo Joe brings the whole band down to a whisper as he sustains a note which is only just audable and Shusshs anyone who dares to make a noise, you could hear a pin drop, another magic moment, this time he also allows Carmine a solo on bass who mugs it up and makes Joe crack up so much that he can hardly finish the song for laughing.

The last surprise for the night is Joe comes back for another song which after the show he admits he hardly ever does, this was a solo acoustic version of 'Miss You Hate You' after which he throws his guitar strap into the crowd and leaves the stage to a wall of cheering and clapping. This was one special hair tingling night, he saved the best to last. If there is a better guitar player out there playing the clubs I have yet to see him, Joe is the king, move over Clapton there is a new God on the scene. By the way my daughter is converted, she got one of Bogie's sticks an autograoh form Joe and a picture with him to hang on her wall, not only is he the best he's the nicest guy you could wish to meet.

Review by: John Cherry