Joe Bonamassa in Minneapolis

[Brian D]

Anybody else going tomorrow night?

[Smakutus]

A friend of mine has headed out that way to check this show out with his brother.

Jeff

[Brian D]

From Michigan, Jeff? Do I hear a road trip? :dude

[Smakutus]

From Michigan, Jeff? Do I hear a road trip? :dude

Not for me. My friend is already out there. Have fun at the show.

Jeff

[cg]

I had no idea he was in town! Will need to see if I can get away to catch him.

[mojocaster.com]

I wish! What a great player he is.

[mnsixstring]

I actually just watched him last night in Rochester and he played his ass off! The first half of the show was good, but the second half was amazing! The other guitarist in my band called me with last minute tickets and we were both very impressed. There were a few surprises that blew us away. Should be a fun show.

[Gas-man]

I actually just watched him last night in Rochester and he played his ass off! The first half of the show was good, but the second half was amazing! The other guitarist in my band called me with last minute tickets and we were both very impressed. There were a few surprises that blew us away. Should be a fun show.


How was the crowd?

Anybody show up?

Rochester is a very milquetoast town.

[kingsxman]

I love Roch.
I'm going tonight. Scored front row seats. Looking forward to it. Any idea who's opening? I was at his last show that got rained out at the zoo. I was plenty pissed that they let the opener (Monte Montgomery) play his whole set while we all watched the storm clouds roll in. (along with the 95% chance of rain predicted for the night). Joe got 2 full songs in and started a third before being rained off the stage. That sucked.

[mnsixstring]

It looked like the floor was full (couldn't tell if sold out), balcony was half full. Everybody was sitting until the end of the show, when Joe had to "call out" the different sections, but I'm not too surprised, considering it is in Rochester. There wasn't an opening act, and Joe played about 2 hours. I'm just glad we're starting to get some decent shows in this town. For it's size (pushing 100,000 at last estimate), there isn't much going on. Funny thing though, while we were walking in, I noticed that everyone else was 40+. I might have been the youngest person (at 28) :rotflmao:drinkJust an observation.

[kingsxman]

It looked like the floor was full (couldn't tell if sold out), balcony was half full. Everybody was sitting until the end of the show, when Joe had to "call out" the different sections, but I'm not too surprised, considering it is in Rochester. There wasn't an opening act, and Joe played about 2 hours. I'm just glad we're starting to get some decent shows in this town. For it's size (pushing 100,000 at last estimate), there isn't much going on. Funny thing though, while we were walking in, I noticed that everyone else was 40+. I might have been the youngest person (at 28) :rotflmao:drinkJust an observation.

Where did they hold it in Rochester? Last show I saw in Roch was in the 80's. I saw Night Ranger at the civic center on the Midnight Madness tour.

[MudPies]

I should see if he'll sign my Backyard Tire Fire disk. I wonder if he'll get it.

I kid I kid.... sorta

[prsnstrat]

I was at the Rochester show and it was simply amazing. Aside from the signature EJ descending runs, he really has his own thing going on. He was playing thru 4 amps that i could see: A silver jubilee, bogner xtc, Carol Anne (I think, no label) and another amp that I could not make out. Looked like 'Tim Baldwin' or something on the front. NICE tone. Myriad of humbucking guitars - mostly LPs. Place was pretty packed and the crowd was really into it.

[roadfilm]

I saw him Friday in Des Moines, great show. It was an older crowd too, I was kinda surprised. He used the four amp heads into two Cat 5 cabs. The heads were the Carol-Ann, Marshall, Bogner and a Van Weelden. His sound was fantastic. I really couldn't tell if he's switching between amps or using them all in tandem or what but it sure sounded good, I'm glad he has the plexiglass shield in front of the cabs my ears were ringing big time after the show anyway.

[kingsxman]

Just got back from the Guthrie show. Great time. Great seats. Front row right in front of Joe. Never had front row seats. Only drawback (and its a biggie) is the Front of House speakers were mounted above us and behind us...so the sound wasnt great. We got the sound of his amp but with the plexi it was muffled a bit. I didnt move aroudn to see how it sounded in other places. Great time.

As others have said, 4 amps. The Bogner was the only thing that i havent seen him play before. I wish he had a little light to come on when each amp was on so we could tell what each one sounds like. I've seen his you tube rig talks and they all sound about the same to me when he does that. The last song of the night he was using the Bogner (cover of "just got paid") and it was a bit mushy. He was adjusting the highs on it..so thats why I know it was that amp. He started the night with a double neck Music Man. Les pauls, an old firebird and another music man. Great little interlude on his acoustic. My buddy who came with me isnt a big blues fan but he dug the show and likes Joe.

And yes...we're 44 and 46 and we felt young. I think thats great though... Lots of people yelling out stuff. My buddy was laughing that it was like seeing Tiger Woods and someone has to tell "Its in the hole" every time he hits.

http://members.goldengate.net/jgermann/joeBonamassa.jpg

[Brian D]

Lots of people yelling out stuff."Yer killin' us Joe!"

Great show. I had some elevation where I was sitting, but the sound wasn't that great up there either. At times you could hardly hear his voice over the guitar, and there was on and off mushiness with certain guitars/amps too. It sounded good, but not as good as it could have. I noticed that the speakers were WAY up on the ceiling and pretty far out into the audience, so the people up in the balcony probably had the best sound! I'm sure that system works great for theater productions, but maybe not as well for live rock.

I thought his acoustic interlude was mind-numblingly cool. His gold Les Paul sounded the best out of the electrics from where I was sitting, with the Firebird running a close second.

I'm 43 and I was definitely on the younger end of the spectrum, although a couple in front of me had two little kids along.

[kingsxman]

"Yer killin' us Joe!"


That was the line of the night.

Joe sure looks good. Man he's lost some weight.

I thought both gold les pauls (his Joe B Gibson and the gold top) were his best sounding guitars also.

Not surprised the sound wasnt great where you were either. I am surprised it works so well for theatre. Those speakers were high up there and appeared to be pointing direction out...not down.

[fierce_carrot]

I saw Joe a number of times at Blues on Grand in Des Moines and this guy flat ass tore up the bar and the cover charge was something like $8.00.

Tickets for his recent show in DSM were $45.00 if I remember right, so we passed.

I liked him better when he had Erik Czar on bass....

[Gas-man]

I saw Joe a number of times at Blues on Grand in Des Moines and this guy flat ass tore up the bar and the cover charge was something like $8.00.

Tickets for his recent show in DSM were $45.00 if I remember right, so we passed.

I liked him better when he had Erik Czar on bass....


I had someone else mention that last time he was around it was at a bar for 6 bucks and this one was, I dunno, 40.

I guess he's moving up.

[Brian D]

As you said kingsxman, it would have been nice to know which amp he was using with each guitar. An amp demo would have been even better! I didn't pay attention to which gold Les Paul was which, but I agree that they both sounded equally good. And now that I think about it, I think I was mainly impressed with the Firebird because it actually sounded good. I've always been a bit suspect of Firebirds.

I would guess that the speakers are used more for sound "reinforcement" in a play, since the theater is a bit too big to clearly hear spoken dialogue from the stage at all times. Having said that, it was a very intimate setting and you could really hear everything in both the audience and onstage. If they built a system that was geared more towards bands it would be the perfect place to see one, since there is hardly a bad seat in the house.

All in all, it was a good time.

[Carol-AnnAmps]

I had someone else mention that last time he was around it was at a bar for 6 bucks and this one was, I dunno, 40.

I guess he's moving up.

He got a promotion.

I don't think you're going to get a guy that turns up in a tour bus and a semi truck that has just released a DVD playing at the Royal Albert Hall with Eric Clapton as a guest for a $6 cover charge anymore.

Maybe I'm biased because he's a friend but, I think all his damn hard work and brutal touring schedule deserves the ticket prices. I also don't think you get a much better guitar show than what Joe puts on. His enthusiasm on and off the stage is addictive.

[MemphisBlues]

Saw Joe in Memphis a month or so ago. Well worth the dollars!!! Energy and more energy!

[MudPies]

I was driving down the West River Road after work yesterday and a detour took us right past Joe's tour bus.

I want a big flashy tour bus with my name on the entire side someday.

[fierce_carrot]

He got a promotion.

I don't think you're going to get a guy that turns up in a tour bus and a semi truck that has just released a DVD playing at the Royal Albert Hall with Eric Clapton as a guest for a $6 cover charge anymore.

Maybe I'm biased because he's a friend but, I think all his damn hard work and brutal touring schedule deserves the ticket prices. I also don't think you get a much better guitar show than what Joe puts on. His enthusiasm on and off the stage is addictive.


It's great that Joe is reaping the benefits of all his hard work. I was there watching him slug it out in the bars for years as he honed his craft.

For me personally, I just prefer watching bands in local clubs. I can't think of any players I'd pay $45 bucks or more to go see. There are just too many damned good up and coming bands to go see and support.

[kingsxman]

It's great that Joe is reaping the benefits of all his hard work. I was there watching him slug it out in the bars for years as he honed his craft.

For me personally, I just prefer watching bands in local clubs. I can't think of any players I'd pay $45 bucks or more to go see. There are just too many damned good up and coming bands to go see and support.

I'd disagree. Joe puts on a hellova show. And these are still pretty intimate places. as someone else poitned out...not a bad seat in the house. (visually speaking).

Now I would have liked my $40 back from that Zoo gig last year...after being rained out. But thats another story...-

[pickaguitar]

Who is Joe's target audience?

[Steve_2020]

He got a promotion.

I don't think you're going to get a guy that turns up in a tour bus and a semi truck that has just released a DVD playing at the Royal Albert Hall with Eric Clapton as a guest for a $6 cover charge anymore.

Maybe I'm biased because he's a friend but, I think all his damn hard work and brutal touring schedule deserves the ticket prices. I also don't think you get a much better guitar show than what Joe puts on. His enthusiasm on and off the stage is addictive.

+1. He's paid his dues many times over.

I've paid $10 to see Joe in a blues bar and will pay $45 to hear him in a theater. It's the bottom end of the going rate for a theater type concert. Glad to see Joe's hard work paying off.

[ItJustRocks]

I was a little disappointed with the sound mix - at times I thought the drums were a bit too loud and wished Joe's guitar was louder. The acoustics are really good in that theater. I've seen several plays there and the actors are rarely mic'd. I have a hunch that the amps were running a bit low - just a hunch here I really have no idea. A 100 watt amp would not have to be amplified in that place. Sound experts, feel free to chime in.

I too was surprised by the Firebird - then again, would he take it up on stage if it sounded like crap?

[MikeNiteRail]

Ah! I miss so many good shows around here! I just went to Poll Star and signed up. I am so worried about gigging I never think to look ahead to other bands coming this way. I love Rochester!!! That would have been perfect.

[kingsxman]

I was a little disappointed with the sound mix - at times I thought the drums were a bit too loud and wished Joe's guitar was louder. The acoustics are really good in that theater. I've seen several plays there and the actors are rarely mic'd. I have a hunch that the amps were running a bit low - just a hunch here I really have no idea. A 100 watt amp would not have to be amplified in that place. Sound experts, feel free to chime in.

I too was surprised by the Firebird - then again, would he take it up on stage if it sounded like crap?

Joe plays notoriosly loud. Thats why he has the plexi in front of his amps. I was in the front row...he was loud even with the plexi. I dont think I'd go see a rock and roll or blues show at the Guthrie again because of the sound issues. Its made for theatre. What was odd was the absolute loudest it was in there was when people would clap and yell after songs. That was the loudest. Just odd.