Albany, NY Palace Theater

It was a great show. Here's a review from the Albany Times Union:

Joe Bonamassa @ Palace Theatre, 05/11/13

Saturday, May 11, 2013 by:mikelisi

BY MICHAEL LISI

Special to the Times Union

He used to go by “Smokin’” Joe Bonamassa back in the day, when the virtuoso blues guitarist was a pre-teen guitar phenom playing Central New York bars, blowing away crowds and outperforming musicians three times his age with three times more experience.

And he’s no stranger to the Capital Region. Bonamassa, who grew up in New Hartford, Oneida County, routinely barnstormed places such as Albany’s Pauly’s Hotel and the former Tiger’s Pub in Clifton Park (which is now the Upstate Concert Hall) in the late `80s and early 1990s.

So Bonamassa’s sellout Saturday night gig at the Palace Theatre was a homecoming of sorts for the guitarist, who Tweeted earlier in the day that it was “Family Day” in Albany.

It was that and lots more.

Bonamassa, who celebrated his 36th birthday Wednesday, made the most of his time on stage during a his two hour, 20-minute show, wowing fans with a hard-hitting performance that was impressive—and at times, downright incendiary.

Wearing a black suit and dark glasses, Bonamassa seemed as excited to be at the Palace as the fortysomethings and fiftysomethings who packed the place. Part of Bonamassa’s excitement might have come from the fact that his parents were in the crowd; he playfully thanked fans for coming out so his mom can stop passing him pamphlets for DeVry Institute at Christmastime.

Bonamassa opened the show with a pleasing 20-minute acoustic set—featuring drummer Tal Bergman and keyboardist Arlan Oscar Schierbaum—offering up solid versions of Bad Company’s “Seagull” and his own “Woke Up Dreaming” before plugging in and cranking up.

That’s where Bonamassa was most in his element, channeling British blues guitar heroes of the late 1960s and early 1970s in songs such as “Slow Train,” “Dust Bowl,” “Dislocated Boy,” and Howlin’ Wolf’s “Who’s Been Talking.”

If Bonamassa’s explosive hot licks wore a bit thin as the show progressed, he made up for it when he slowed things down a bit and let himself explore the space, so to speak. He coaxed warm, fluid, Claptonesque tones from his Les Paul in “Driving Towards The Daylight” and served up a smoldering solo which broke up the bombast in the show-closing “The Ballad of John Henry.”

Bonamassa wasn’t finished; he came back for a series of encores that included an intense reading of Tim Curry’s “Sloe Gin” and ZZ Top’s “Just Got Paid” that were well worth the wait.

While it’s always nice when a band shares the spotlight, Bergman’s drum solo and Schierbaum’s extended solos seemed as if they were crowbarred into the set and were simply not necessary.

But that’s a minor complaint about a solid performance by Bonamassa, and one his fans won’t forget for a while. Bonamassa was smokin’ at the Palace on Saturday night.

Joe Bonamassa

When: 8 p.m. Saturday
Where: The Palace Theatre, 19 Clinton Ave., Albany
Musical highlights: “Driving Towards The Daylight,” “Jelly Roll,” “Who’s Been Talking.”

Length: Two hours, 20 minutes
The crowd: A sellout crowd filled with blues aficionados and guitar hero worshipers in their 40s and 50s out to see Bonamassa rock the house.

No Rick.  Not rare.  More like back to normal.  It's 2 good out of the last 3 in Albany alone.  And out of the many there over the years, no need to dwell on a measly 2 which are already far behind in the cracked rear view mirror, even though, as I was witness to those you are recalling and can bear true witness that objectively, not just subjectively, they were far off the mark. 

I've heard this was a great show from people who would tell me otherwise if they thought not.  It's all good back home!!!

Rock ON & Keep the Faith,
Rocket

"He still doesn't charge for mistakes! "
http://jbonamassa.com/tour-dates/
"Everybody wants ta get inta the act!"
“Now, this isn’t your ordinary party crowd, here.  I mean, there are professionals in here.”

Rocket, I need a tipp: Didn`t find Debra and Len on the picture of Albany, your avatar. Where to find them?

Well I know where they were sitting, but it is hard to make out the faces clearly.  They are on the left nearer the front (from Joe's perspective onstage), but I think Joe is possibly blocking the actual view of them? I don't know. Who resembles Dad to me at first glance?  See the kid by stage monitor 2? A straight line back and toward the wall, about the 3rd person perhaps?  But I don't see anyone resembling Mom,... so I should settle on "I don't know" either.

I'll keep squinting.

I do know the pictures from the wings for the recent Midwest and East shows are cool-looks like packed houses of shiny happy people!

Rock ON & Keep the Faith,
Rocket

"He still doesn't charge for mistakes! "
http://jbonamassa.com/tour-dates/
"Everybody wants ta get inta the act!"
“Now, this isn’t your ordinary party crowd, here.  I mean, there are professionals in here.”

Rocket where are you in this photo?  Heard you were suppose to be there.

Great show for sure! Really enjoyed hearing Athens to Athens in the opening acoustic set.

See ya at the Beacon shows!

Bill

Rocket thanks for making me laugh and smile today.  You are the "bomb" or something( not sure what)