Question about your first Joe experience.... (Page 3 of 3)

Thank you so much for that, Sue!! A truly wonderful story that had me smiling broadly and nodding my head all the way through!

Joe is indeed a very special musician and human being. With everything that he has to deal with in his career, he still finds time for his fans and even remembers our names when he sees us.

The dude is awesome, and so is his forum!

Posted some time ago I know but seeing as there are some mewbies on here. Was on my way one Thursday night to our diving club for a few beers and switched on the Paul Jones show (used to be on a Thursday then). I turned on the radio and this music was coming over loud and clear! who the f... was this, it's awesome. I arrived at the clubhouse and the tune hadn't ended so I just sat there in the car with my mouth open. Paul then announced that it was this guy called Joe Bonamassa and that he was in the middle of a UK tour and would be playing a number of dates. OK, the only one that stuck out in my mind was Manchester Academy, so I resolved to see if I could get tickets when I got home. Later that night I logged on and booked three tickets after discussing what I had heard with a dive buddy earlier in the night. So Sue, trevor and me rolled up at Manchester Academy on the 22nd September 2006. Manchester Academy has three venues within the confines ofdf Manchester University. Academy 2 and 3 being the smaller of the three. A kid called Li'l Chris was playing in Academy 1, so there were thousands of kids queuing to get in there, plus another act on Academy 2, so it was all a bit frantic. We asked around where the queue for Joe Bonamassa was and we were the first to ask so we were inadvertantly first in the queue (This was later to become a habit). When the doors were due to open, the doorman opened up and said "OK let's have all the OAP in first - (the average age was well above those who were queuing for the other gigs) No wonder Joe used to say he looked out from the stage to see loads of people the same age as his dad out there.

Stone Soul River opened with a loud rocking set then Joe came on, dressed, how can I say this, very low key! Well he just attacked from the start and we were absolutely hooked. Sue and Trevor were at the back and I was trying to get to the front of the stage to get some pics, but ended up in front of the left stage monitors, so had ear problems for a day or two afterwards. During the show I saw this guy videoing the show, right in front of Joe and I thought, "Jeez, he surely must get that stopped" the person doing the video was - you guessed it Michael. Brainstorming show, Crowd absolutely blown away, got to briefly say hi to Joe and the guys after the show and struck up a lifelong friendship with Michael. Since then we've seen Joe about 15 or 16 times.

Her's some pics of that first show, Joe you are meaner and slimmer now my friend! Well done!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12559573@N02/3340194845/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12559573@N … otostream/

Hey Geoff I remember you in the queue ,, was that Feb 3rd or Sept 20th/21st 2006

Yeah The Borderline was Packed out and the 275 were rowdy , twas a wild night

...................... Michael

Years ago when the Quad Cities had a real radio station there was a blues program on Sunday mornings.  It was on that program that I first heard Joe.  The song was Mountain Time.  I remember stopping what I was doing and just listening.  I had to find out more about this artist.  Just listening I knew there was something special.  A year or so later Joe played the Bluesmore blues festival in Cedar Rapids, IA.  I took 2 co-workers and one of their friends.  We were all blown away!  It was a perfect August evening at a venue that was ideal for music.  With something cold to drink and some great festival food we settled back to take in the show.  I really think that Joe raised temps that night as he smoked the guitar.  A recording of that show has shown up from time to time on dimeadozen.  That was in 2004.  It was at that show that I purchased Had To Cry Today which wasn't even out yet.  We listened to that all the way home. I have since purchased every album I could find.  I have seen him 3 times since with the latest on March 7 in Elgin, IL.  Every time I go away thinking that "This was the greatest show ever" only to see Joe go to another level the next time.  At this pace he will be creating new levels,  how cool is that?:lol:

"It was a new day yesterday, but its an old day now."  -  JB

My first ever Joe experience:

In 2003 my famliy and I had four very nice days in New York. Of course the name Bonamassa meant nothing to any of us. On the 4th day we visited the site of Ground Zero, a humbling experience. But it was a beautiful hot sunny day so we walked along the Hudson Riverside. the air was warm, boats gently bobbed up and down on the water, the water sparkled in the sunlight. Then................from a distance music floated across from somewhere up ahead,
drawing us ever closer.

A magical mighty fine sound accented that beautiful day, it was Blues Deluxe played on that Gold Sparkling Strat by the one and only "who", well we all know who. Joe was playing for free in the park promoting his then new album 'Blues Deluxe'.

Two years later Joe graced us with his music in England, and I was there, as Michael said in a previous post, at The Green Man in Barnet just 15 minutes from my home.

RAH will mark my tenth Joe show.

I love these "First Joe Experience" stories.  Kinda like a "What it was like being struck by lightning" first person account.  Same feelings, same "forever changed my life" effects!

My husband Lee was a big Joe fan, but because he loves so many different kinds of music, I reacted with that "Yes Dear, that's nice" when he raved about him.  Finally, he said, "Let's all go, as a family, to the Hagerstown Blues Festival" in June 2007.  He said we'd all enjoy just sitting in the sun and having some family time.  Reluctant 15 year old daughter and easy-going 17 year old son agreed to go.

Of course, it rained.  We went to a restaurant to eat and wait it out.  Heard one group play before it POURED.  Ran to the parking garage, where we could hear "20 minute delay, folks!", then another, and one more 20 minute delay.  Loads of people left.  At 9 pm, we heard Joe would go on.  Whining 15 year old sat in the van.  Joe opened, and I was stunned.  Dialed my daughter's cell to get her to get out of the van and listen.  Before I reached her, she was walking toward me, drawn by the music.  I grabbed her arm, "This is the best guitarist you'll hear in your lifetime!"  Family continues to be hooked, I of course am certifiably obsessed.  Thank goodness Joe feeds the addiction he causes with generous doses of new CD's and performances that ALWAYS step it up another notch above the previous one.