• Registered: 2006-07-31
  • Posts: 2

Topic: Guitar Town -- Copper Mtn

I went to the show to see players I haven't seen before: Sonny Landreth, Joe Satriani, Mark Selby.  I'd heard Joe Bonamassa courtesy of Kai Turner's "Strictly Blues" show on KRFX in Denver.  Cool, get a chance to hear someone "new".  I showed up late and missed 10 minutes of Joe Bonamassa's set.  Joe's in the middle of one of his solos -- the bends and hammer-ons bouncing off the ski slope as I plunk down my folding chair at center stage.  Then he leans over to the mic and starts singing and I am astounded as I hear a blues-man's voice: rough, in-tune(!) and immediately blending with his guitar.  Did I mention I was late?  My folding chair is kicking me and saying: "dumbass".  Joe stole the show.  His band's performance overflowed with soul, raw blues power and the elusive something that's largely been missing since a helicopter crashed in Wisconsin in 1990.  There were more wailing (or, "ailing" as altitude took its toll on the soloists) "air guitars" for his set than for any of the other acts.  The mix was perfect -- nice balance and not so loud as to cause the partially-graying portion of the audience to "duck and cover".  I saw SRV at the Tower Theater in Philadelphia years ago and the grin on my face while Joe was playing was as alligator-wide as when Stevie took center stage and taught the audience Electric Blues 101. 

I've played guitar for 35 years and listened to a lot of players.  There are a lot of good guitarists: fast, furious, innovative.  The ones I love to listen to over and over again, have a deep emotional relationship with their music.  Their lyrics can be poetry, but the melodies and the trips up and down the fret board are their despair, their longing, their wonder, their laughter, their joy -- being expressed as music.  I think it was Bela Fleck some years ago that said something like: "I'm a musician, I just happen to play banjo".  Others have probably said something similar.  The fantastic thing about playing guitar is that it can be as original and expressive as each guitarist.  Joe takes "The Blues" and it becomes "Joe's Blues".  Man, oh-man, oh-man, oh-man, never gonna be late again...

  • Tara
  • Tara
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  • From: Boston
  • Registered: 2006-04-23
  • Posts: 163

Re: Guitar Town -- Copper Mtn

Well said...and welcome!

WHEN THE POWER OF LOVE OVERCOMES THE LOVE OF POWER, THE WORLD WILL KNOW PEACE~~~JIMI HENDRIX

Tara's Website

  • Registered: 2006-05-29
  • Posts: 6

Re: Guitar Town -- Copper Mtn

Wow! What an amazing review. If you don't already, you should be writing reviews for local newspapers or Rolling Stone. I am going to take advantage of him being in N. California for 2 shows next week. Watching Joe perform is like sitting in the front seat of a rollercoaster going down the first hill for 2 hours.       

wildbob

4 Reply by WoodyG3 (edited by WoodyG3 2006-08-01 19:40:26)

  • Registered: 2006-08-01
  • Posts: 3

Re: Guitar Town -- Copper Mtn

The show was awesome. Joe was on fire, he was jammin' and making his guitar sing like few on this earth have ever been able to do. The jam at the end was incredible. A sort of "G5" instead of Satriani's usual G3 concerts. They played Red House and Goin' Down, and each player added his individual style and high quality jam. I just emailed a couple of pics from the show, maybe they'll make it into the gallery. One of the pics is "Joe and Joe" side by side.

You can see all my pics from the show at:

http://www.toucantrackclub.net/G5

5 Reply by spongeworthiest (edited by spongeworthiest 2006-08-01 22:19:01)

  • Registered: 2006-05-22
  • Posts: 109

Re: Guitar Town -- Copper Mtn

Just got back from an amazing show (and vacation) at Copper Mountain, Colorado.
5 great guitar players and their bands on Sunday July 30 (in order of appearance):
Mark Selby
Joe Bonamassa
Sonny Landreth
John Jorgenson
Joe Satriani
Here was Joe Bonamassa's 45-minute mini-setlist:
Takin the Hit
Walk in my Shadows
So Many Roads
Mountain Time
Bridge to Better Days
A New Day Yesterday / Spoonful
Joe's voice was a little strained, but overall a fantastic performance.  Bogie and Mark were very tight, even with the "shared" equipment.  Joe absolutely shredded on guitar(s).
This was a great gig for Joe, as many in the crowd had no idea who he was.  A lot of people gathered at the merchandise booth to buy CDs after the performance.  I heard several people ask "which CD is So Many Roads on?".  Many new fans were made.
The highlight for me was Mountain Time, which took on extra significance as I was sitting on a ski slope looking out over the beautiful Rocky Mountains on a cool summer afternoon.
The All-Star Jam was pretty cool too.
Check out this video from the local newspaper - click on SUNDAY'S ALL-STAR JAM. 

http://www.summitdaily.com/article/20060731/AE/60731006

I hope the link works...I think you'll recognize the man in the purple shirt laying it down on Jimi's Red House.

Overall, a very memorable concert, to say the least.
Kent Vinson
Houston (Sea Level) Texas

  • From: Indianola, IA
  • Registered: 2006-07-26
  • Posts: 4,429

Re: Guitar Town -- Copper Mtn

welcome jeconner..am drooling with your descriptions of what the rest of us missed out on....lucky...glad you were WOWED!

"I'm not nice to any guitar!"      lol
                 Joe Bonamassa 05-03-12

JBLP CHILD #184
  • From: Charlotte
  • Registered: 2006-04-22
  • Posts: 2,350

Re: Guitar Town -- Copper Mtn

What a treat to see the "Allstar" jam.  Joe B. was certainly on fire on the mountain.  It seems that whoever was taking the video fell out of his chair when Joe was playing.  That seems to happen with ones seeing Joe for the first time.  Thanks for the link...

Music is good for the Soul...
  • Registered: 2006-06-07
  • Posts: 10

Re: Guitar Town -- Copper Mtn

It is about time people started recognizing Joe's talent!  He needs to come to Colorado more often!
The set list could have been longer, but with the other guitarists there to share the spotlight, everyone must share the stage.  I was slightly bummed he didn't do "BLues Deluxe".  I love the harmonics he does with that.

  • Registered: 2006-07-31
  • Posts: 2

Re: Guitar Town -- Copper Mtn

Thanks for the welcome, the photos, the set list and video link!  Joe's fan club is as cool as he is.  Now, about that writing gig at Rolling Stone, do you think we could get back stage passes to the Nor Cal shows...?