• From: Raleigh, NC
  • Registered: 2013-05-08
  • Posts: 107

Topic: Hello all in JoeLand!

I come to the temple of Joe via a twisted road. (sigh...if only I'd known).  Way back in 2007 or 2008 Joe came to Raleigh, NC to play a small but very cool Lincoln Theater.  My husband, already a member of the temple, got excited about Joe's concert and asked me to go with him.  "WHY would I want to go see someone play guitar?, I sniffed.  He went with a neighbor.

Fast forward to early April 2013.  My husband is on the east coast for a two-week business trip.  So I fly out to meet him in Seattle for the long weekend.  The day before I'm to head to Seattle, I receive this text: 
"Look what I saw while driving north on I-5 today"  It's a photo of Joe's 18-wheeler that reads JOE BONAMASSA  ALWAYS ON THE ROAD.  So I text back COOL!  The next text says:

It's driving north.

Towards Seattle.

Joe's playing the Paramount theather

Friday, April 12.

OMG!!!!!  (I forgot the big part--in the last few weeks I had come across a friend playing Sloe Gin on her stereo.  I was hooked.)  So now I'm all over the place trying to buy tickets from someone, ANYone.  There are none to be had.  I was so bummed. 

I arrive in Seattle on April 12 and my husband and I take off for dinner.  It's cold and raining some (kinda miserable weather).  Throughout dinner Im still trying to find tickets available using my phone.  No luck.  My husband says, "I have a good feeling about this.  Let's just go check at the box office.  Mind you, the box office is AWAY from our hotel, so more time in the cold wind and rain.  I'm embarrassed as my husband asks the guy if there are tickets available and absolutely floored WHEN THE GUY SAID HE HAS 2 LEFT!!!   OMG!!!!!!!!!!!

So I grinned like an idiot for almost 2.5 hours of rip-roaring Joe.  It was incredible.  The venue was amazing and perfectly sized for that show.  I'm still grinning. 

SO I'm 47 and I felt like a youngster there.  That was unexpected but very cool.  Since then, I've been working on listening to everything I can get my hands on.  I could gobble up more, more, more. 

Was hoping to catch him when he comes back after Europe.  Richmond is fairly close but the tickets anywhere up close disappeared quickly.  So I've purchased tickets for the  Fayetteville, NC show. but really would like to do Richmond.  And the Beacon.  Pace yourself, Suzanne.....

I'm addicted.
  • From: East Lancashire, UK
  • Registered: 2011-06-24
  • Posts: 3,019

Re: Hello all in JoeLand!

Welcome to the temple of Joe. mNo looking back now. big_smile

Come on the Blades (sorry Idolbone just had to borrow your line)
  • Registered: 2006-06-30
  • Posts: 2,835

Re: Hello all in JoeLand!

Welcome to the group....enjoy the topics here....:)

And so castles made of sand melts into the sea, eventually.........
  • From: Newark, DE
  • Registered: 2013-01-13
  • Posts: 1,675

Re: Hello all in JoeLand!

Welcome to the forum and I can see you've been bitten by the Joe bug. And if you make it to the Beacon join our gathering of strangers no more!

Alan

5 Reply by sally12333 (edited by sally12333 2013-05-09 09:33:48)

  • From: Moved to Maryland
  • Registered: 2012-07-13
  • Posts: 1,961

Re: Hello all in JoeLand!

Caniac, loved your story!!  Kicking yourself for all that wasted time, right?

You will have a ball catching up with Joe's whole back catalog.  You'll have your hands full!

Nice to have you here among Joe's biggest fans.  You will have a good time!

"To repeat a good thing is to sit still; to take a chance is to grow." - Joe Bonamassa
I need some Joe...NOW.
Joe = Joy

6 Reply by caniac (edited by caniac 2013-05-09 20:51:57)

  • From: Raleigh, NC
  • Registered: 2013-05-08
  • Posts: 107

Re: Hello all in JoeLand!

Thank you for the welcome!!
I should edit that my husband was spending two weeks on the WEST coast-- my mind was on finding tickets in east coast!
@sally--I AM kicking myself for the lost time. I would love to see the Joe of '07 or '08 and compare to his shows of today.
My family thinks I'm obsessed. So much Joe music shaking the house!

I'm addicted.
  • From: Moved to Maryland
  • Registered: 2012-07-13
  • Posts: 1,961

Re: Hello all in JoeLand!

Give the family time...they also will be obsessed before long!

"To repeat a good thing is to sit still; to take a chance is to grow." - Joe Bonamassa
I need some Joe...NOW.
Joe = Joy
  • From: Kansas City, MO USA
  • Registered: 2011-01-03
  • Posts: 1,256

Re: Hello all in JoeLand!

caniac wrote:

Pace yourself, Suzanne.....

Easier said than done, I'm afraid...  wink

Welcome to Bonamassaville, and thanks for the great story!

Terrance Shuman
Kansas City, MO
  • From: Newark, DE
  • Registered: 2013-01-13
  • Posts: 1,675

Re: Hello all in JoeLand!

Coach305 wrote:
caniac wrote:

Pace yourself, Suzanne.....

Easier said than done, I'm afraid...  wink

Welcome to Bonamassaville, and thanks for the great story!

MUCH easier said than done. Tickets, SD pickups, Wah Wah pedal, Fuzz Face.....

Alan

10 Reply by caniac (edited by caniac 2013-05-09 20:56:01)

  • From: Raleigh, NC
  • Registered: 2013-05-08
  • Posts: 107

Re: Hello all in JoeLand!

Catching up on all I've missed will help me pass the time til my next Bonavent
Counting days down, too many to go!


BUT, I did find a gorgeous pic of Joe to use for my avatar.  His beautiful face will also be the face on my phone and my computer monitor!  Hope the fam doesn't mind.

I'm addicted.
  • From: Newark, DE
  • Registered: 2013-01-13
  • Posts: 1,675

Re: Hello all in JoeLand!

caniac wrote:

Catching up on all I've missed will help me pass the time til my next Bonavent
Counting days down, too many to go!


BUT, I did find a gorgeous pic of Joe to use for my avatar.  His beautiful face will also be the face on my phone and my computer monitor!  Hope the fam doesn't mind.

Somehow I doubt it....

Alan
  • From: North Lake Tahoe
  • Registered: 2013-04-20
  • Posts: 187

Re: Hello all in JoeLand!

Welcome!     I am pretty new to Joe myself, and I understand how it takes an immersion to catch up.

Better let go of all that you missed and just focus on the good to come.

"Head Up, Heels Down, There Ain't No Lookin' Back"   Tried and True Cowgirl Motto.

Tahoe Jo

Tahoe Jo
  • Registered: 2012-05-31
  • Posts: 1,308

Re: Hello all in JoeLand!

Suzanne,  love your post, sounds like you have the bonaddiction.   Welcome to the world of Joe.  If you stick around long enough you will hear from the Man himself.  My friends and co workers all think I have lost my mind.  You are obsessed has been muttered in my direction more than once.  Thats okay, they don'tunderstand that Joe changed my life.  Hope you find solace in the fact that you are not alone.

  • Registered: 2006-05-08
  • Posts: 1,996

Re: Hello all in JoeLand!

Great story.  A welcome aboard!

Gibson 60th Anniversary 1959 Les Paul Reissue, Gibson LP Standard Faded CSB, Gibson Gary Moore LP Standard, Epi Joe Bonamassa GT LP, Epi Zakk Wylde LP, Dean Michael Schenker Flying V, Jackson Randy Rhoads V, ESP/LTD George Lynch Kamikaze, EVH Striped Series R/B/W, Fender/Squire John 5 Telecaster, Fender Joe Strummer Relic Telecaster

15 Reply by sally12333 (edited by sally12333 2013-05-10 19:21:25)

  • From: Moved to Maryland
  • Registered: 2012-07-13
  • Posts: 1,961

Re: Hello all in JoeLand!

Caniac, great avatar pic, both of Joe and the guitar!

I also have Joe as my computer wallpaper.  It makes me smile so large every day.

"To repeat a good thing is to sit still; to take a chance is to grow." - Joe Bonamassa
I need some Joe...NOW.
Joe = Joy
  • From: Greater Chicagoland
  • Registered: 2012-04-21
  • Posts: 657

Re: Hello all in JoeLand!

Sometimes we kid here, about there being a "twelve step process", when the bonamania strikes.

I think it's really more like two steps:

1 -- Get bitten by the Joe B. bug, and realize what you've been missing
2 -- Start making up for lost time

With Joe's steady output, you've got a lot of back catalog to explore.

Enjoy.

Play like you've worked at it, and don't worry about sounding like your influences.  You can't cheat on them, or your practice, anyway.  If you've worked hard at your skill, your audience will know it.