Opera House Review

Now that, #1kyfan, is my #1 kind of review!  You even trumped Walter Tunis', and no one paid you to do it!  And, oh yeah, welcome!!!

Rock ON & Keep the Faith, Hope You Gush & Blush Over Joe TO Joe One Day Soon,
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.”

Facebook just reminded me that this show was 6 years ago today. It's been a difficult week, my husband, Jimmy mentioned here passed away one week ago today after a courageous 26 month battle with brain cancer. I don't have to tell anyone that is a part of the Bona-Family that this is special place with extraordinary people.  Through the forum, Facebook and traveling to shows I've been fortunate to meet and connect with so many fans that I'm proud to call family.  I cannot thank the Bona-Family enough for all of the support, prayers, positive thoughts, during Jimmy's illness. He and I met 27 years ago and shared a lot of great music and concerts. Joe Bonamassa was a huge part of it for the last 14 years. Our last show was at Louisville Palace in November, and our last 2 vacations were to see Joe at The Greek and last year's KTBA Cruise and had planned to go this year but unfortunately had to cancel just days before. The avatar is from the Rupp Arena show on April 25, 2014, just a few months after his diagnosis. He had completed 30 radiation treatments just 2 days prior to this show. A huge thank you to Joe and his team not only for all the great music but for hosting such a special place, and taking the time out of your busy schedule to spend a little time with your fans. You are the best and that's why you have the best fans in the world. 

I had momentarily forgotten, today's date had slipped up on me but I remember that day as if it were yesterday. During a Bob & Tom Show interview a few days earlier it was mentioned the bus had a "bona-who" license plate. Since I had taken the day off and had errands to run near the venue I decided to drive by and see if I could see the license plate. Sure enough the bus was parked right in front of The Lexington Opera House, I took photos of the license plate using a flip phone for one of the first times. I remember I was shaking like I was going to get caught doing something I was not supposed to! When I posted pictures of it on Facebook my friends were worried I had become a stalker! I think they all understand now   It was a beautiful spring day and the weather was unseasonably hot & humid that day. It was Derby Eve, April 30, the earliest date Derby Eve can be since the Kentucky Derby is always the first Saturday in May.  I had just started wearing eyeglasses a few weeks before the show and chose not to wear them and realized when I got to the show I could not see the settings on the back of my camera. I thought I had so many great pictures but when I got see them on the computer instead of the tiny screen on the back of the camera they really weren't all that great LOL! And maybe I shouldn't blame not having my glasses because I have tried many times to take pics at shows and only about 3 or 4 out of a few hundred ever actually turn out So huge thank you to all you great photographers out there that I have yours to enjoy Turns out though I didn't need the pics it was the most memorable show even if I did forget during the sadness of this week. It will always be one of my all time favorites.

I realized when I found the thread that my original review was lost when the forum had a "snafu" and I lost my original 500+ posts along with my original user name #1kyfan.  I did have it saved and is included below. I had never posted to a forum nor had I read anything else here on this one.  So glad I did, because it didn't take long to learn my way around and to purchase the remaining catalog plus so MANY new ones since. I have all the dvds and an entire 2nd set of DVDs that I won from the Palladia Twitter contest when Muddy Wolf was released. Our next show after this one in Lexington was in November of 2010 in Nashville at Polk Theater, and a 2nd Nashville on April 26, 2014 at The Ryman. That show was our first road trip concert after Jimmy's diagnosis. I've lost count on shows at the moment but it's over 20 and includes traveling to Las Vegas twice and London and Denver and the 3 Kings show in Los Angeles.  Jimmy had a few less, he did not go to London or Denver. Needless to say I held true to the "I'll see Joe every chance I can get" comment

My original post from May 2010:

Irony?? This is my 1st post and I felt compelled to join this topic so I could share my 1st experience with Joe To begin sorry for the rant but my Bona-who friends just don't get it and I know 5000 users here will! A little about myself, I have lived in Lexington Ky all of my life & been fortunate enough to see over 100 concerts including Eric Clapton, Nothing but Blues tour, Steve Winwood twice, 2nd time w/ Traffic, Louisville Palace theater, ZZ Top 4 times, Genesis twice Phil Collins once, Gregg Allman 1st row The Joint, Las Vegas, George Thorogood, 1st row U of KY Student Ctr Ballroom, 50/50 tour, even Stanley Jordan 1st row at a little place called Breedings. So you get the idea I LOVE LIVE MUSIC! Now to the story, in 2002 my boyfriend read a cd review in the Lexington Herald by Walter Tunis, the critic on this blog. He called Joe Bonamassa the next Stevie Ray Vaughn. After reading he called 3 music stores (yes, we still had those in '02) to find So It's Like That, no one had it so he placed an order, it would be in, in about a week! As fate would have it later that day he was in an auto parts store that had a cd rack as he looked through the cds there it was Joe Bonamassa! Brings it home and 1 listen all the way through, didn't even skip ahead to hear another song! I was hooked!! I have 3 more cds and I listen to Joe everyday! I had to see this guy perform live, March 09 KY Ctr for the Arts, Louisville for the 1st time, and the best, 2nd row at the Opera House.  What  a performance, I was so close to greatness, my fav, Happier Times brought tears of joy (Sloe Gin & Woke Up Dreaming did too) Thankful that I had read the photo policy because I have some amazing pics to remember the evening, if only I had read the part about his willingness to meet & greet fans after the show, saw posts on Facebook thanking him the next day! Hopefully, I will get the opportunity some day, because I know I will see Joe any chance I can get. So here's a big THANK YOU to Walter Tunis!  I was a little disappointed Tunis did not have a review in the Lex Herald but I now know he did on a blog. And I think there may still be a Friday column called "The Week in Review" that we may see something on the 7th. For Joe & his amazing band your are the best in my book and can hardly wait until the next time to see you live 

So very sorry of your loss. From personel  experience all those memories will keep you going. I lost my wife to colon cancer in 2010. We collected many memories that I feed on daily. Long story but Joe and his music helped me continue forward. Your husband is certainly looking down after you. Time will help the pain. It will never go away but it takes the edge off. It's all about memories.
I wish you strength and so sorry for your loss
God bless
Ron

Lizzee, first and foremost at this time, I send my heartfelt love, hope, prayers, and a dash of sorrow concerning your losing Jimmy.  I'm glad I saw you both together one more time at The 3 Kings show at The Greek Theatre in Los Angeles.  Unfortunately, like Jimmy's time, it was too short.  I still fondly remember meeting up in Nashville for the first time and the 3 of us scooting off to see Ryan McGarvey playing to so few of us at Exit In. 

I am also very glad you saved your very first post.   That snafu still rankles me a tad.  Some might have been teed off and stopped posting or/and started deriding Joe and all things Bonamassa ad infinitum.  But you just picked up where you left off and I'm grateful you have.

Again, my sincere condolences, please do know your family here loves you and continues to stand by you. 

Hold ON to The Faith & Keep your feet and soul ON the Rock,
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.”