An Evening of Blues, Guitar, and Pure Music
SAN ANTONIO - The Scene was set for a night of music and guitar solos as the sun set on the city Friday night as Joe Bonamassa came into town with his band. As we picked up our credentials for the evening at the box office we noted that the ticket billed the show as "The Guitar Event of the Year," this had our interest peaked already.
Not being a stranger to the music and guitar stylings of Bonamassa we knew that we were in for a treat in regards to guitar solos and Blues Music, but that aside we have never seen the man play live.
The lights went down on the Majestic Theater which itself is quite a site to behold as it is elaborately decorated and embellished with all kinds of adornments. However, the wonder of the surroundings were cut short as the music began to play.
Starting off the set was a tune called "Hope You Realize It" which not only set the tone for the
evenings show but also set the toes of many attending to tapping. This is what we can only describe as pure music.
In this show there were no backing tracks, no special effects, no props, LED's, Screens, or Pyro, just a band of serious players. It is worth noting that every musician on the stage was extremely accomplished and didn't miss a beat all night.
This was a group where every musician pulled their weight, stayed in the pocket, and added their own personality to the performance. The performance itself was a living breathing thing where people are not just playing their parts, but are grooving with what the others are doing.
The bass and drums were rock solid. The guitars were spot on but not overdone as each solo had it's own separate identity for each song, and the backup singers appeared to be having the time of their life as they swayed and danced to the music, and the organ.... enough said.
Why enough said you ask? Well the simple answer is because the organ player was none other than Reese Wynans of Double Trouble, the famed backing band of none other than Stevie Ray Vaughan.
In Texas, SRV is a legend in both the realms of Guitar and Blues Music, so it goes without saying that seeing a surviving member of Double Trouble is a big deal. Wynans playing added color and flavor to each song as only the organ can.
One song where this proved to be true in particular was on the 6th song of the evening entitled "I Want to Shout About It." Wynans organ combined with Bonamassa's vocals and the boogie-blues bass line gave the tune a very upbeat Van Morrison-esque feel which is always welcomed.
Make no mistake, this song is 100% Bonamassa, but like Morrison's songs, it can easily be the soundtrack to any feel good evening, drive, or even film. Though all the songs played that night were great, this reporter would definitely have to shout about this one in particular.
A well crafted song that you can't help but close your eyes, move your body, and get lost in as it fills your ears.
As Bonamassa introduced the band he noted that Wynans is a member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and the only one on stage to win a Grammy. Wynans held up three fingers to which Bonamassa replied "F*CK You, three??? I lost at the Grammy's three times."
It was great to see levity and a fun sense of camaraderie amongst the group. When a group is getting along and enjoying what they are doing it definitely carries over into the music, and then of course into the audience.
As the show came closer to an end Bonamassa ripped into a rendition of "Just Got Paid" which as most of us know is a ZZ Top standard. Fitting for any blues group to cover and always welcomed in the lone star state the rendition had the entire audience on their feet cheering the group on.
What was awesome about this version of the song was the inclusion of elements from Led Zeppelin's "Dazed and Confused" which were not only a surprise but a rockin' addition to the already rowdy song. It definitely added something to what many would argue was already fine on it's own, but it didn't detract from the song at all, it was great.
The guitar playing of Bonamassa is definitely electric, there's no other way to put it. When his hands touch that instrument the room gets overloaded with the blues and rock n' roll riffs for days.
We alway's try to refrain from talking about tone as that subject itself is subjective to players all over, but in this case we really feel it is worth mentioning. Bonamassa is very versatile when it comes to tone.
Is it blues, yes. Is it Rock, yes, but it is also so much more. The tone he gets from each guitar he uses during a show is totally his, but he is so good at capturing what the song needs with his tone.
Imagine the clarity and sustain of David Gilmore, with the rock chops of Clapton, Gibbons, Hendrix and Page. That friends is how I describe the tone of one Joe Bonamassa.
Make no mistake, we are not comparing Joe to those players when we make that statement.
What we are saying, is that Joe Bonamassa is a beast of a musician. A powerhouse of guitar sound that will have you both dancing and rockin' in the course of an evening.
Was this the guitar event of the year? We can honestly say that so far it has been for us, and with the end of the year fast approaching we don't see that changing.
Should you be able to catch Bonamassa on tour, or have the chance to see him perform at any venue, make it a point to do so. We weren't disappointed and you won't be either.
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