Dead End Drive In – Now Showing: ‘Joe Bonamassa – Live at the Greek Theatre’
Sunday, 25 September 2016 03:00
Ever since it was announced that blues prodigy Joe Bonamassa was going to pay tribute to a trio of blues icons – namely Albert King, B.B. King and Freddie King – via The Three Kings tour of last year, a DVD of said show was number one on most of his fans’ list, and those he respectfully pays homage to.
This 22-track 2 CD/2 DVD/Blu-Ray and 3 LP deluxe edition is a document of this special show that was filmed and recorded at yet another incredible concert venue, this time at LA’s Greek Theatre.
As usual Joe, pays his respect to the music that made him the amazing guitarist he is today. As Joe, himself has said “My only regret is that B.B. was not alive to see it. This was due to B.B. passing away two months before the tour began,
Everything here is crisp from the visuals to sound which was produced by Kevin Shirley.
The song choice is perfect – but, then again, as the show ran over two hours, it would take a something big to mess it up. From track like ‘Some Other Day, Some Other Time’, ‘I’ll Play The Blues For You’, ‘Lonesome Whistle Blues’, ‘Hummingbird’ and ‘Born Under a Bad Sign’ to the closing ‘The Thrill Is Gone’, this is and was the blues played as masterfully as it can get.
Joe’s band as ever are on fire here, but with the likes of Anton Fig (drums), Kirk Fletcher (guitar), Michael Rhodes (bass), Reese Wynans (Piano), Lee Thornburg trumpet), Paulie Cerra (Saxophone), Nick Lane (trombone) and backing singers Mahalia Barnes, Jade MacRae and Juanita Tippins, you know that the music played will be of the highest standard.
The only problem I now have with Mr Bonamassa is that I kind of expect a new live DVD/CD every year from him, in the same way you know that, come Christmas time, along with the annual visit from the man in red, the Crimbo tour from Status Quo and The Wonder Stuff, there will be at least one live release from Smokin’ Joe. But, then again, there is something quite reassuring about that.
- ‘Joe Bonamassa – Live at the Greek Theatre’ is out now. You can get your copy HERE.