Modell-Pac Lyric Theatre Baltimore Show 11.28.14 (Page 2 of 2)

Nice pics! And yeah I agree about the screaming fans, especially during the quiet parts. I got the sense Joe was frustrated with them when he walked off the stage right before Tal & Lenny's drum duet.

I'm glad I was at the same show as Natasha! I thought it was wonderful and I never saw any sign from Joe that he wasn't having fun He just keeps getting better and better. Hard to imagine, but true. His voice did, indeed, benefit from his recent surgery. More power, more clarity and amplitude. Stunning!
  It was fun to meet up with so many Bonabuds. Baltimore has a longstanding love for Joe, so many familiar faces as well as new friends. Nice to meet Sam and his son. Sam's "This day in Bonahistory" is amazing. Thanks for that, Sam Heading from the bar to the venue we encountered what can only be called a bicycle flash mob! There was about 30? kids on bikes playing music, banging drums and just having a good old time. It really set the mood for the show.
The acoustic set was powerful. I'm amazed Joe didn't break any strings because he was not pampering those guitars! Mats, Gerry and Lenny were in the groove and seasoned the tunes with the perfect flavorings.
  During the segue to electric, Rob (B'more Rob) came and got me because he was second row center and there was empty seat next to him. Of course I went. Then the fun began. The couple in front of me, that's front row center, were hitting on a pot vaporizer and wafting it towards Joe and the band. I laughed watching Lenny and Tal because you could tell when it hit them. I guess Joe is a second hand toker because he gave her his slide! lol The new songs were a joy and the older tunes had a new spin. Watch Tash's Sloe Gin. Off the hook! Loved them all! Skinner, Carmelita (sp?) and the Strat we all Joe needed to once again prove he is the tone master! Yes, the crowd was rowdy, but, like Tash said, quiet during the quiet parts. That's respectful
  I actually got a pick this time. That never happens, so I'm a happy camper. Now, 2 years is too long between shows. If you're reading this J&R, please don't stay away so long !!

A great show indeed … for many reasons!

It was a pleasure meeting up with Natasha and Phil again, (after briefly doing so at the RCFP / Iridium show ... I learned that natasha not only has a talent for video and art ... but can re-wire the electrical components on a squirrel ravaged camper!), finally meeting Jim (after connecting through gear deal year and half ago), and you Cathy!!  (I have a feeling you are going to help make the Keeping the Blues Alive at Sea cruse a real alive time for all.)

Always enjoy seeing Joe's gear as part of the stage show … but I can appreciate how he changes things up with each tour … and those small vintage Fenders were putting it out there!

Enjoyed the venue (and the crowd) … it was a "Joe show!"  (Great videos once again natasha … I will plug them when I get my stuff in gear and update Oct / Nov for '14)  (Thank u Cathy (and all) for the complements about BHistory.  Like I said, it's all made up!! … No …but really … it's the great photos, videos and stories everyone captures and share that give it life!)

And lastly … when I saw that little Principal Skinner pin make it's first appearance on stage … I thought to myself … a part of Jane H IS here in the Baltimore house tonight.  I'll just have to wait a bit longer to get that hug from her I was hoping for.

Safe trip and enjoy to those heading the hour south tonight to Wash DC.  (Ask those sitting up front … "How in the H did you get these seats?!!" … and give my best to Nancy Pelosi and John Boehner sitting in Row 1.

(PS: Cathy … Ty is my nephew … but my sister would say, in many ways, he is my son ( … and brother. )

Those are amazing videos, Natasha! What camera? Are you hand holding? It seems so steady at times.

But as great as those videos are, and I watched them all to reassure myself that it wasn't just me, I don't think I saw one smile and the word "fun" doesn't come to mind when I see them.

To be sure, that rendition of Sloe Gin is the best I've seen or heard to date. His voice is as strong as ever. I guess if I had to describe it in one word, I would say "distracted". It just seemed like he was some place else. Other then the few wailers, the crowd was so great it seemed to pull him back, but them he would drift again.

And while I'm venting about the crowd a little: I was center orchestra row T. I can't believe how many people were still getting in their seats after the show began. I was trying to listen and watch when all of a sudden, a wall of humanity would stand up right in front of me. I saw Les Miz on Broadway recently and the tickets expressly stated NO ONE WILL BE SEATED AFTER 8:00. Great! BTW, no one "WHOOPED" when Ramin nailed Valjean's Soliloquy. You could hear a pin drop. Awesome. Respect.

To make it worse, people were getting up to do whatever in the middle of the acoustic set. Maybe it's the age demographic, but I'm no spring chicken and my bladder made it the whole show. If you can't last 20 minutes without having to pee or get another drink, you've got problems. It wouldn't have been so bad if it was only one person, but everyone in the row had to stand up every time. Frustrating. It was more like being at a ball game than a music performance.

OK, I'm done spewing for now.

Nice! THanks for all your work in posting the pics and the videos. Those are great!

My wife and I enjoyed ourselves very much, as well. Joe has his own style, IMHO not as "rock star" like as many, and I appreciate that if anything he tends (again in my opinion) to understate his stage presence. But he makes up for it with the music, which is FAR more important.

Here are the songs from the acoustic set that I filmed:
Dust Bowl http://youtu.be/23rrvRzIr3M

Different Shades of Blue http://youtu.be/Nh8eJ5CbxSU

Black Lung Heartache http://youtu.be/o1jbL-6HjOo

Happier Times http://youtu.be/-NsQ0q9altY

Dislocated Boy http://youtu.be/myk4bJ_WnHA

Athens to Athens http://youtu.be/PDwtIi3ZMY4

It's been a while since our last post, but that's because it's been a while since we've seen Joe! Longest time since we first "discovered" him back in 2006. The last time we saw him was in May of last year. And that was forever ago in Joe Time. This was a milestone for us... our twentieth time seeing him in concert!

Joe never disappoints live, and we enjoyed his acoustic set even more than his electric one! Not necessarily because it was acoustic, but because it was more imaginative than his electric set. The arrangements were much more creative, and it seemed like he was having more fun. Although, I must say, I was surprised not to see "Woke Up Dreaming." But I guess Joe has moved on.

I've seen Joe do Sloe Gin "better," and I've seen him do John Henry "better," but that's not a knock, just saying I liked other arrangements better. No question he feels the need to mix things up a bit. One thing that doesn't change, though; it's obvious Joe's guitar chops are still there! I even saw a few "tricks" I haven't seen before, like the long single note held steady, seemingly to the point of infinity... I can only imagine the skill it takes to do that.

I agree that the crowd should just shut the f--- up in the quiet parts. If it were a case of truly being overcome by the drama of the music, then I would nod in approval, but this is just a few yahoos trying to get their voices heard in SOMEONE ELSE'S CONCERT, or maybe just trying to get a reaction from Joe. It's juvenile. It comes off as heckling. Stop making Joe's show about you. Rent a concert hall and yell your doofus head off at your OWN concert (and see how many people show up to listen to you). I paid to hear Joe, not some drunk moron in the balcony.

Joe has definitely come a long way since we first saw him in Sellersville, PA with about 300 other people. I realize that his career choices may have kept him from the mass acclaim that might have come if he'd gone the conventional route, but at least what he has built is HIS, and he didn't have to sell his soul to get it, just worked his **** off... and obviously continues to do so. I respect and admire him for that, as well as, obviously, his incredible guitar talent. He has also grown as a singer. And I also have to say how much I like his band, including Carmine, Tal, and now Derek. His acoustic band is crazy talented as well, and it was a real treat to see them for the first time. Jocelyn insisted I get a picture of Lenny and his washboard!

We didn't really see anybody we knew except Cathy -- and not many familiar faces either -- but then, we haven't been here to the forum lately (mainly because Joe hasn't been around here lately either). We were sorry to hear Bob and Jane couldn't make the show. Hopefully next year we'll get another chance! And of course, we'll be at the Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival. Looking forward to that lineup.

Well, that should be a sufficient re-introduction to the forum, right Cathy? I recorded the encore (only one song?) in its entirety, but probably won't post it since I see Natasha already posted one on YouTube in HD... can't compete with that! Will reserve it for our "private" use!