Joe Bonamassa began his professional career twenty years ago, on November 11th, 1989, when he played his first gig at The Metro club, in Utica, New York. He humorously describes that night in the liner notes of the DVD booklet: "After the show I was not able to bask in the glory of a job well done, nor was I able to chat it up with the ladies that night. I was rushed out of the building Elvis-style into a running powder-blue metallic 1988 Pontiac Bonneville by my mother because bed time was 9:30 PM on a school night."
Did I mention he was twelve years old at the time?
Playing the Royal Albert Hall fulfilled a lifelong dream for Joe Bonamassa. His career path was settled the day his dad played him Cream's Farewell Concert video (also recorded at the Albert Hall), and the young five-year-old was mesmerized by what Eric Clapton was doing on the guitar. On May 4th, 2009 at this same storied music hall, the circle would be completed when Clapton passed the torch to the new blues-rock guitar "god" of the world - one Mr. Joe Bonamassa.
Bonamassa is one of those musicians that I will go to see play every time he comes to my area. Two or three times in the same year? No problem. I'll work the overtime. At the ripe old age of 32, Joe has already produced a wealth of great albums to rock out to in the comfort of your own Lazy Boy recliner, but seeing him play live can be simply transcending. Bonamassa is much more than just a phenomenal guitarist too, he is also a great singer, songwriter, and showman, as you can lay witness to on the best concert DVD of the year, Joe Bonamassa - Live From The Royal Albert Hall.
The DVD begins with some behind-the-scenes footage and Joe giving a brief overview of his career. You then get to follow him as he walks from his dressing room to the stage, about to play the most important show of his life. He is dressed in a crisp white shirt and cool black suite that drapes his recently slimmed down body. His hair is now shorter and neatly slicked back, and his dark sunglasses can barely hide his nervousness this night.
He takes the stage already playing the majestic string bends of "Django," as the keyboardist accompanies him with a haunting melody in the background. The Royal Albert crowd greets him with a standing ovation.
The title track to Bonamassa's latest #1 blues album, The Ballad Of John Henry, is offered up next, and this monstrously drop-tuned guitar anthem changes the mood dramatically. The song is one of his heaviest, and he hammers it home playing his new Joe Bonamassa signature model Les Paul. He even breaks out a Theremin unit on this one, which had me harking back to Jimmy Page's past glory days at the Hall.
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