Music Live / Joe Bonamassa / Guitarfest - These were the signs that greeted us as we approached the massive car parks at the National Exhibition Centre just outside Birmingham at just after 11am yesterday (Saturday). Sue and I parked up in a huge car park N3 (You'll understand the significance of this later) and hiked our way to the main entrance. Michael was making his own way to meet up with us as he was travelling up from London.
The exhibition was a real eye opener, not huge, but full of every modern bit of tech wizardry you could imagine from Syndrum kits, through Gibson and Fender's robot guitars, drum kits and guitars, guitars, guitars - everywhere. What was mezmerizing was how many kids there were playing all the kit there was to play - guitars, drums - you name it, they were hooked up through headphones, listening to themselves play. So very encouraging. Different booths had great players demonstrating their wares - The whole day was entrancing, different styles, instruments and personalities. Even though I don't play - it gave me a good reason to start and who knows, next year......... Anyway, as time moved on I got the call from Michael - "Just pulling into the car Park, where are you parked?" "N3, huge one just on the right as you go in the entrance to the NEC" I said. "OK" Says Michael. So I grab a coat and leave Sue in the warm exhibition hall and plod across the half mile walk to meet Michael. No Sign! A couple more calls to eventually get him to meet me back at the main entrance and the long walk back to the exhibition hall, only to find that he's parked in an empty underground car park at the Birmingham Indoor Arena in the centre of Birmingham - some eight miles away! Doh! Anyway, he eventually arrives, , and has something else, which you'll find out about later!!!!!! By this time Michael didn't have time to look around the show, it was into the queue for Joe's show as it was 3.45pm (doors were to be opened at 5.30)
Whilst we were in the cue, an official started to hand out the flyers advertising the RAH gig on the 4th May, so Michael immediately phoned Rhonda, to pass on the news, whilst I tried to contact the hotline number to see if and when the tickets might go on sale - not on sale yet - TBA. The doors eventually opened late - 6.30 and we all piled in, got to our front postions, met up with Pete from the forum who had a new camera specially for the show, with a press pass to go with it. (I had to fight for mine earlier in the day as once again the organisers had no previous knowledge of my pre arranged requirement - however they were very helpful I have to say and the main promoter sorted one for me) We had a word with the security guys and they cleared it for Pete and I to get into the press pit for the whole of the show. How good is that eh? Imelda May and her band came on and completed a brilliant set, they were very complimentary about Joe who they said called into their dressing room before they came on to wish them a good show - very nice! They are worth seeing so don't miss them if you are seeing the rest of the tour - a contrast in musical feel!
Joe made a great entrance and played Ballad of John Henry (Spike Driver Blues) used the theramin to great effect, which went down well with the crowd. The boys played a blistering set on a large stage, the lighting could have been better, Rick, Carmine and Bogie were only lit for very brief moments during the show, which was a bit of a disappointment as they are so important to the overall atmosphere of a Joe Show. It seemed that Joe was playing a much bigger role in the show, at least that's how it came over to me, not sure that was how it was intended though. A small glitch with the guitar lead on "high water everywhere" caused Joe to get a bit "uptight", but he overcame it. Sloe Gin had an even more wonderful introduction, which had the audience in raptures. A couple of young lads who were at their first Joe gig, were stood just by Sue and it was clear from them that they had heard a lot about Joe. Well I turned around when Joe threw his pick into the audience and one of them cought it at the end of the song and they were absolutely extatic. They hadn't seen anything like Joe and were totally hooked - the young fans are on the ladder Joe - You've got 'em! Joe interupted his performance to say what a fantastic year he's had, with Sloe Gin at number 1 in the American Blues Chart for 14 straight weeks and for this 1600 capacity hall to be sold out, he thanked everyone for their support and pointed out that some of us might have noticed that flyers were being sent out for the first time that night to publicise the greatest event of his life - a headlining appearance at the Albert Hall and that he'd be "ripping off every Clapton riff, every Led Zeppelin rif, every Cream riff, nothing willl be safe, I can tell ya, I'm gonna have a ball" After the show, Carmine came out to chat with us - what a guy. We bumped into Chantell McGreggor too. Seems Joe had a bit of a cold so he didn't make an appearance, but that's not a surprise, the NEC want everyone off the lot as soon as possible after the show, we only managed to stay behind a few minutes because of our press passes.
A great show, some superb memories and Michael - Buy a F*£%ing map will you! More tomorrow and Monday I guess
Geoff O
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