• Registered: 2011-01-01
  • Posts: 14

Topic: First time you saw Joe? (and other memories!)

The first time I saw Joe was at a place called the Rathskellar in Indianapolis. It must have been back in 2000 or so.

The Rathskellar has a Biergarten in the back with a little covered stage. I had heard 'Miss You Hate You' on the radio, and love rock guitar, so I told my wife we need to go see this kid.

The show was free! There may have been about 40 people there at most. This long-haired cat is on the stage doing mic checks, etc. They he picks up a Strat and plays a run. I turned to my wife and say, 'Well Bonamassa must be good, because the roadie ain't bad!'

Turns out Joe was the roadie as well as the star. Watched the whole show from right up against the stage. Was blown away by the talent.

The list of guitar players I have seen live is the Who's Who. Rory Gallagher, Roy Buchanan, SRV, Clapton, Jimmy Page, Mick Ronson, Joe Walsh, Chuck Berry, Peter Frampton, David Gilmour, Pete Townsend, Steve Howe, (I could go on!)

Joe is the best I've ever seen. I never saw Hendrix, but my buddy Steve saw him back in the day. I told him Joe was better than Hendrix, and he said 'no way!' Then I took him to see Joe at that House of Blues show. Once again right up against the stage. Midway thru, he turned to me and said 'He's better than Hendrix!'

I've seen him every time he has been to Indy since that day, as well as the House of Blues in Chicago, the Crossroads Festival in 2009, Fort Wayne, IN (at a rib fest!), Cleveland State Theatre twice (the Home of Rock and Roll)

Got to see him twice in one day back in 2002 or so when he played the Broad Ripple Blues Fest in the afternoon and the Patio in Broad Ripple (Indy) in the evening. Spoke with him after the Blues Fest in the park (later saw him driving the van pulling the trailer when he left, way before he needed a semi!)

Glad to see him go back to the Power Trio format with the new line-up. Hope he makes it to Indy next year, so far only Merillville and South Bend in Indiana...

That's me out for now!

“If I remember how this worked, you’d put a side on, and then you’d go and have something to eat, and then you’d put another side on.” … Mick Jagger
  • From: Clearwater, Fl
  • Registered: 2013-11-02
  • Posts: 347

Re: First time you saw Joe? (and other memories!)

Have to agree with you.  My list is very similar to yours and I have said all along, Joe's the best I've ever seen.  Most of the top people I also saw in small clubs.  Frampton, Joe Walsh, Joe Perry, Rory, Mike Bloomfield, promoted a short 6 small club dates in the early '80's for SRV. All were fantastic, have great memories from each one that I wouldn't trade for anything.  Ex. sitting on the stage for an hour talking to Joe Walsh as the roadies tore down, back in the early '70's.  All that said, Joe B is the best. Going to see Mark Knopfler, Friday night and really looking forward to it, but both my wife and I know, it's just a warm-up to seeing Joe December 5th here in Clearwater, Fl 

THREE PIECE POWER TRIO...with Michael and Anton, thank you Joe!!!

The only thing we deserve, is an opportunity.  Everything else has to be earned.
  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2006-05-31
  • Posts: 489

Re: First time you saw Joe? (and other memories!)

Around 2005 in a small club here in Germany. Along with Eric and Kenny, this trio was mind blowing, raw, but smooth at the same time. Joe was playing his Strat and his Gigliotti Tele mainly and also included an acoustic solo spot. This was a concert that deeply inspired me and left a heavy mark.

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  • From: Benicia, Ca.
  • Registered: 2006-05-08
  • Posts: 5,828

Re: First time you saw Joe? (and other memories!)

Fall 2005 opening for B.B. King at Wente Vineyards with Eric and Kenny, in Livermore, Ca. I lucked out as B.B. wasn't feeling real good after having some dental work done that day as I found out just recently and they stretched out Joe's set. Met Joe at the merch table selling stuff all by himself. Slightly more scaled down operation back then! He personalized an autograph to my son who is also born on May 8th.

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What is success? Is it do yo' own thang, or is it to join the rest?   -Allen Toussaint
  • Registered: 2008-06-16
  • Posts: 4,021

Re: First time you saw Joe? (and other memories!)

went back and searched for my review of that first concert, it is long gone. We have done this before but it never gets old because he has garnered so many new fans both old and young through the years. I introduced my son to a lot of blues and rock guitarists that I grew up with, he introduced me to Joe in 2008 and dragged me to an outdoor City Stages thing on a Friday night in downtown Birmingham, AL. I wasn't happy about it, traffic was terrible.
Joe had been added at the last minute and the only slot they could give him was opening act at 6 PM on one of the lesser stages. This 3 day local music festival doesn't even exist any longer, they lost too much money. His allotted time was a grand total of 45 minutes. I paid $18 for each of us for 45 minutes of his time, we left when he was through. Compare that to $6 for Stevie Wonder and the Stones, Exile on Main Street tour.....and $8.75 for Zep on the Presence tour.
I was convinced that it was the best $36 I had ever spent for live music. There were only about 150 to 200 people in attendance, but they were not there by accident. Everybody obviously knew what was to come. I can't remember now all that he played....Blues Deluxe and Asking Around I do remember. Woke Up Dreaming was the highlight I think, saw more than one person with their jaw resting on their chest. It was short and sweet, about 6 or 7 songs was all. I left convinced that he rivaled any of the great git players I grew up with.

As corn through a goose, so are the days of our lives
  • From: Crystal Lake, Il.
  • Registered: 2006-04-22
  • Posts: 5,120

Re: First time you saw Joe? (and other memories!)

Well, here's mine and the link to the old topic follows:



5PM on a Friday night, December 2004, my friend Mark calls me. "What are you doing tonight"?
To which I replied "nothing, why"? Two questions which triggered a change in my life.
Mark proceeded to rave about this guy named Joe Bonamassa, including all the stuff we all know so well: Playing at 4, SRV at 8, opening for BB at 12, etc. He had all of Joe's cd's, but had never seen him live. He told me that he had been checking Joe's website and was looking at all these European show dates that were just all over the map and then, as his eyes scanned down, he caught sight of the first US show after Joe returned from Europe: Crystal Lake, IL. He said he actually sat there frozen, not believing his eyes. After a bit of time letting it really sink in, he picked up the phone to dial for tickets. Mark said he could barely dial the phone, he was so excited.
Mark tells me that a friend just canceled on the show and he had an extra ticket...did I want to go? Of course, I said yes.

I remember sitting in the Raue Center before the show, having never heard this guy's music before and really having no idea what to expect. The Raue Center is a beautiful old theater that was restored a couple years prior. They have a wide variety of entertainment there, including comedians, music, kids shows, etc. They sell season tickets and as we looked around there was a wide variety of people in the theater, including at least a dozen people that were at least in their 70's. Mark looked around and said "These people have no idea what they're in store for". Funny, because neither did I.
Joe came on stage with that gold sparkle strat and played You Upset Me for his opening number, and within about 30 seconds I was hooked deep. I could not believe what I was seeing in front of me. I saw one couple in their 70's get up after a few songs and leave. Everybody else in the theater stayed in their seats for the entire show.

I wish I could get a set list from that night, because I remember some songs (Blues Deluxe, Reconsider Baby, The River) but not all of them. I walk out of Joe's shows now with a big smile on my face. That night I remember walking out of the Raue Center STUNNED! I was in absolute disbelief that I could be so totally unaware of someone so, so talented.
I bought two cd's that night (Blues Deluxe and HTCT) and within two weeks had Joe's entire collection. I was gripped with this sudden urge to tell everyone I knew what I had just witnessed. I told friends and acquaintances that I had just seen the greatest guitar player on the planet. When they asked who and I told them, most people looked at me like I had lost my mind. I guess in a way, I did. I just never knew it would be so...permanent.

I found Joe's website the very next day and...OMG, Joe is playing in 3 weeks in Milwaukee at some place called Shank Hall. I bought tickets for that show and then for virtually every show within a 100 mile radius ever since, and have traveled further a few times. After seeing two shows this coming weekend, I'm pretty sure I'll have seen 24 shows.
That means the RAH will be my 25th show!! Didn't realize that until just now...somehow that seems appropriate.


https://forum.jbonamassa.com/viewtopic.php?id=9458

"Rock ON & Keep the Faith"
  • Brack
  • Brack
  • BONAMETAL
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  • From: London, getting hotter \m/
  • Registered: 2009-02-24
  • Posts: 6,462

Re: First time you saw Joe? (and other memories!)

My first Joe B show? 2009 - The Royal Albert Hall, London, UK  - Not a bad way to start! smile

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  • From: Wisconsin
  • Registered: 2011-04-03
  • Posts: 593

Re: First time you saw Joe? (and other memories!)

My first show came a little later than the posters here – March 2011 at the Pabst Theater in Milwaukee, WI. It was a life changing, jaw dropping experience. My husband and I could hardly speak all the way home. For about a week straight following the show, we’d get in bed every night and watch the RAH DVD still not believing what we had witnessed.

I was a little apprehensive about the show, worried that it would be too bluesy for my taste. Joe came out blazing with Cradle Rock (I think it was the opener) and I was blown away and never worried again.

Never in a million years did I see myself traveling anywhere to see anybody, but I’ve had some great trips with my best bud and sisters taking in gigs and making BonaBuds along the way. big_smile

LIVE MUSIC IS BEST