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Joe Bonamassa Forum → Show Reviews and Set Lists → Des Moines and the Iowa Trifecta
Guess I'll just have to see you guys at the show, as we won't get up there til 5:30 or so. Hope to spot a couple of you in the lobby or crowd before it starts! I will at least recognize Patty and Natasha from their pics. 
I'm a redhead named Nina and I'll be with a tall guy with glasses, Chris, whom Patty will recognize for sure. Have fun zombieing out!! See y'all soon!
The BonaSpuds have landed. Pretty nice weather considering. Lunch done and we are off for a walk around the town. See ya tomorrow at the show if not before. This hotel is even nicer than we remembered since they've done some upgrading and we love our suite with the capitol building view. 
(Management on checkin said the town is packed with two big concerts in town.)
edit: Des Moines is a very cool place. We took a long walk at sunset on the Riverwalk here after the happy hours in the hotel atrium hosted gathering. We're going to do a long morning walk the other direction after breakfast. Who's up for it?
Rick
What a great show in Sioux City, Iowa!! So much fun being there with Patty, Lee and Renee! Joe looked over and saw us all sitting in the first two rows and had a nice smile. He played so many solos right in front of Patty which was great since she was right in front of me, lol! The sound was fantastic! And Joe's voice was outstanding! Loved seeing the new songs performed. First one uploaded:
Oh Beautiful http://youtu.be/-AqPjcwdApo
Nice review with a twist from the local indie newspaper. http://www.dmcityview.com/the-sound/201 … bonamassa/
Rick
What a show! The band was smoking hot. So hot that one of the amps smoked. Joe remarked during his midset spiel that the audience didn't know how close they came to a mass evacuation, but the amp fire was extinguished. One little variation to the set list. No Midnight Blues, instead an utterly fantastic and rare performance of Blues Deluxe. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gfcMG7 … e=youtu.be
Lots more to come from Front Row Center.
Rick
What a show! The band was smoking hot. So hot that one of the amps smoked. Joe remarked during his midset spiel that the audience didn't know how close they came to a mass evacuation, but the amp fire was extinguished. One little variation to the set list. No Midnight Blues, instead an utterly fantastic and rare performance of Blues Deluxe. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gfcMG7 … e=youtu.be
Lots more to come from Front Row Center.
Rick
I would add that it was great fun for ME to finally meet YOU, good sir! 
I won't post a separate review thread for Des Moines, but will throw in a few tidbits here instead, to wit:
As Rick noted, we got a stunning Blues Deluxe instead of the usual Midnight Blues (which is a legitimate showstopper in its own right). I will neither confirm nor deny reports that I experienced a mild sexual arousal when I heard the first notes of BD...
Instead of the Black Burst, we got either Principal Skinner or one of the CC replicas. Sadly, I was sitting much too far away to tell for sure...
I wasn't hallucinating about the Omaha show; the tobacco sunburst Strat was back tonight, no sign of the blue one he used in Sioux City. Must be alternating...
The only thing I DON'T like about Spot is that she refuses to come to me no matter how many times I call her...
Having completed my own trifecta of three shows in a week (Omaha, Sioux City, Des Moines) I can tell long-time fans that you'll really enjoy some of the new arrangements of old favorites this time around, and that the two new additions will knock your socks off. And although I've been to my last Joe show for who knows how long, I take comfort in imagining all the folks seeing him live for the first time on this tour, and grinning from ear to ear at the thought of how much they're going to enjoy the experience!
I did attend the pre-show Meet & Greet, and Joe of course was charming and funny, as he always is. To answer the question some have asked, I did NOT bring "India" (the guitar shown in my avatar) for a second meeting with him (I spazzed and forgot to ask him to sign her the first time around). This time I asked him to sign the pickguards for two of the other members of my harem. I hope to post that pic soon, but I couldn't resist mentioning that when Joe noticed that the nut on the arm that attaches an LP pickguard to the body was loose, he tightened it just to make sure it didn't fall off as I was carrying the pickguard around. How many other people in the Des Moines Civic Center last night can say that Joe Bonamassa himself personally tightened their nut? 
Can't really say when I will be posting again. The next one needs to be...well, special. I have been working on that post for awhile, but some of what has happened this past week needs to be added. It will be soon. In the meantime, God bless you all, and please travel safely...
Edited to add: Awake on Saturday morning, finally, and now that I've had a sufficient amount of caffeine, I can post a few pics from last night, to wit...
My "fabulous fake" set list showing the substitution of Blues Deluxe: https://www.flickr.com/photos/52889850@N07/13912735381/ (Still pinching myself, SO grateful I was there to hear that one...)
Digital video display outside the Civic Center: https://www.flickr.com/photos/52889850@ … otostream/
Joe and I at the Meet & Greet: https://www.flickr.com/photos/52889850@ … otostream/ (Don't know how my tie got spun around like that, see next photo...)
The necktie I was wearing last night: https://www.flickr.com/photos/52889850@ … otostream/
This time I got the autographs! https://www.flickr.com/photos/52889850@ … otostream/
The view from my seat, just a couple of rows in front of and a few seats to the right of the sound board (thanks, Iowa Public Television): https://www.flickr.com/photos/52889850@ … otostream/
Well, two down and one to go! The Iowa Trifecta is almost complete! There aren't enough words to describe just how good the shows are! All I can say is Joe is really playing with a lot of conviction. Very precise...the sound has been spot on. Joe's vocals are so strong, guitar playing is other worldly......there just isn't any one that can touch Joe right now, he is "The King" And the Huckleberries are such a fun band!!! Great musicians! And The Joe Bonamassa Band....WOW!!!! Carmine, Tal, and Derek so very,very good! My favorite band forever and ever! And it's been so much fun meeting with everyone! Joe fans are the best!
Joe Bonamassa, thank you so much for blessing the great State of Iowa with 3 shows in one week! We love having you here and hope you come back many,many times! My co-workers at the Civic Center thought you were really great!
No Stetson hat needed, just a guitar
pattyluvsjoe
Wow, what a version of Blues Deluxe....hot damn
Loved hearing Lenny on oh beautiful, too.
Nov.20th is going to be one of the greatest days of my life, as far as music goes.
Thanks for posting those videos.
Yeah, the version of "Blues Deluxe" was unfreakin' believable! When it was over, Patty, Renee and I all looked at each other and at the same time exclaimed "HOLY SH*T!!"It rivaled the Borderline one in my opinion. Here is my capture of it:
Blues Deluxe http://youtu.be/yh3wWploSAs
The new song "Love Ain't A Love Song" is so much fun. Tal and Lenny's solo was fantastic and when Joe came back out on stage at the end of it, Tal didn't stop, had this wild look about him, shook his head with his tongue out and played on like a mad man. It was so freakin' cool!
Love Ain't A Love Song http://youtu.be/2WZKys1UI3A
Lol! If anyone ends up downloading Phil's recording of the Des Moines show off of DIME, they are going to end up hearing a ton of "holy sh*t!" being exclaimed at the end of that Blues Deluxe
Wow, great reviews and recordings, guys! I just finished watching BOTH Blues Deluxe videos back-to-back ... and on a Saturday morning to boot! You folks just sealed it for me ... I'm DEFINITELY seeing Joe in Tulsa in the fall.
Jane and Cathy you will be proud of all of us because we took on your roles of "Official Joe Bonamassa Seat Fillers" The front row of the civic center was reserved for the handicapped and there were only a few people sitting there, and of course they were right in front of us. The whole rest was empty. So at the beginning of the electric set, Phil, Lee, Renee, Patty, Rick and I decided to do our duty as "Official Seat Fillers" and move to the front row. Best decision ever. When Joe ended "Django" we all stood up to applaud and then when he started into "Mountain Time" we couldn't help ourselves, and just had to be up at that stage, lol! Joe came over and played the solo in "Mountain Time" right in front of us, 2 feet away. (Phil was tempted to tie Joe's shoelace because it had become untied, lol!) It was incredible! Here is the video of that:
Django/Mountain Time http://youtu.be/c_t-clvOoOQ
Elevator funny. Running down to the atrium for coffee and a young man got on, saw my Tour de Force tee and asked if I had been to the concert last night and I replied, "Yes, it was amazing." "Damn, my girlfriend wanted to see George Strait last night and I am so bummed!" he said. (George played the arena last night on his farewell tour, the town was packed with Stetson hats and cowboy boots.)
A pleasure to meet Coach and all the other fans from the Midwest last night.
Natasha and I must be totally in sync. My second upload is the same, but from the center and elbows on the stage. Even closer than she and Phil were. Django/Mountain Time encore. The Dark Lord was really singing loudly. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RB7moKY … 77IGf5CiJg
We're off in the caravan to Davenport in an hour.
Rick
edit: Looking on through the glass, I watched Joe meet a gent with a guitar. He took it out and there was a pristine Gibson Lester with Bigsby in gleaming black. Joe looks at the headstock and got excited. A '57! The gent had owned it for over 50years. Joe gave him a pedal and strap. (and probably his number in case the man ever wanted to part with it.)
During "Oh Beautiful" last night in Des Moines, Joe was having all kinds of issues with his amp and Mike Hickey was running around the back of the amp with Joe pointing and gesturing very angrily at the amp. Later, he joked that we were lucky we didn't have to be evacuated since his amp had caught on fire. What was amazing, was that Joe kept playing his solo and if you just heard an audio recording of it, you would never know anything was going on. What a professional!!
Oh Beautiful http://youtu.be/so5p83sMa2k
During "Oh Beautiful" last night in Des Moines, Joe was having all kinds of issues with his amp and Mike Hickey was running around the back of the amp with Joe pointing and gesturing very angrily at the amp. Later, he joked that we were lucky we didn't have to be evacuated since his amp had caught on fire. What was amazing, was that Joe kept playing his solo and if you just heard an audio recording of it, you would never know anything was going on. What a professional!!
Oh Beautiful http://youtu.be/so5p83sMa2k
Sooooo, "Oh, Beautiful" has that here comes the blues again, again again, with the gruff, angry, sarcasm of....Hmmmmm! 
Yup, sounds like a L-O-V-E song to me! 
JUST KIDDING (about the first party)!
Rock ON & Keep the Faith,
Rocket
Amp on fire!!! 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noA37hJFqZA (actually you could [not] hear it)
"Yeah, the version of "Blues Deluxe" was unfreakin' believable! When it was over, Patty, Renee and I all looked at each other and at the same time exclaimed "HOLY SH*T!!"It rivaled the Borderline one in my opinion. Here is my capture of it:
Blues Deluxe http://youtu.be/yh3wWploSAs
UHmmmmmmm...,.............................................................................................................................................................................
Uhhh...,............................................................................................................................................................................................
Yeah, those fit. Sorry Lee, I guess I mimiced your comments! One of the best ever fo' shooooooooowwwww
Rock ON, 5 Stars, Joe (NC too) & Keep the Faith,
Rocket
"The Trifecta has ended. So much fun and so many tales. We took a walk down to the Mississippi River and had Lenny Castro join us on the way down with his fishing pole in hand for a bit of recreation before the show. We found a fishing spot, chatted about the sport and life on the road, then Helen and I went on down the river a way and witnessed a mass Easter egg hunt in the ball park. Quite a sight to see hundreds of kids charge a field with prize eggs strewn about. . On the way back to the gig, we followed Lenny, who'd been joined by Mats and Jerry. We waited for a very long coal train to pass so it seems appropriate for theses to be my first uploads from the historic Adler Theater. Slow Train, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XcgwViqi7o
and Who's Been Talking. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cHz6HwIbkU
Night all.
Rick
Joe Bonamassa Forum → Show Reviews and Set Lists → Des Moines and the Iowa Trifecta
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