There’s something exciting about the Power Trio as a concept – a visceral thrill that comes from knowing that there’s no safety net. Not that Guitar Titan Joe Bonamassa needs a comfort zone to excel, but still, seeing him in such a stripped-down format is undoubtedly the big draw for this special, live-stream event from Austin City Limits. Performing in front of a small, socially-distanced audience, Joe takes to a beautifully-lit stage for a spectacular performance that provides a raucous counterpoint to the more measured displays necessitated by a larger band.
Kicking off with the Led Zeppelin-tinged Oh Beautiful, Joe Bonamassa and his band (featuring mainstay Anton Fig on drums and the legendary Steve Mackey on bass) start out as they mean to go on with a stand-out track from Different Shades Of Blue. It’s the perfect opening song and, with a tweaked arrangement (not to mention an epic solo), it sets the pace for the evening’s entertainment. Sticking with Different Shades… Joe leads his band into Love Ain’t A Love Song, another song that benefits from such an uncluttered format, although the bass suffers a little during the song, lacking the punch it needs to cut through the mix. Nevertheless, with Joe’s fingers flashing across the fretboard, it’s impossible not to feel the rush of excitement as he hangs out on the edge, tearing through the solo as the band pounds away behind him. A short spoken intro leads us into Joe’s typically astonishing cover of Midnight Blues (Gary Moore), which serves to provide a much-needed breather before Lookout Man! seeks to up the ante. The heaviest moment from superlative new album Royal Tea, it feels a touch slower than usual, although it picks up the pace towards the end, and it’s nice to see Joe break out the theremin. It’s followed by the darker, more contemplative, Beyond The Silence, a track that still feels raw almost a year since its release, and Joe inhabits the lyrics with utter conviction. A lengthy, progressive number with numerous changes across its run time, it’s a set highlight, the band delivering an impressive take on the track.
After the catharsis of Beyond The Silence, a lighter touch is needed and, while Tom Waits is hardly an artist one would associate with lightness, Joe’s version of Jockey Full Of Bourbon has always had a whimsical feel that makes it a highlight of any set it graces. Digging deep, Joe pulls out a surprise in the form of Wandering Earth (from Black Rock), which has never been played live before. A steady blues with Joe’s guitar washed in delay, it has a very different feel, with atypical Greek influences in the hyperspeed flourishes that scar the intro, while the Hendrix-esque Pain and Sorrow takes us even further into the past (to So, It’s Like That). Such nostalgia neatly paves the way for a hulking Miss You, Hate You. Although the original track sounds slightly incongruous in light of all Joe’s achieved since those early days, here Joe takes it off on a wild tangent, soloing for all he’s worth as Anton gets creative behind the kit. It’s followed by a blazing Stevie Ray Vaughan cover, and while Joe may claim to be nervous about screwing this one up, no such nerves are present in his playing. Jeff Beck is next in the crosshairs, as Joe segues directly into a dynamic Blues De Luxe, much to the delight of the audience who whoop and cheer throughout. It’s hardly surprising, either, as it contains some truly dizzying fretwork. With the Theremin just sat there on stage, it would be rude not to unleash a foundation-threatening Ballad Of John Henry, long a highlight of any Bonamassa set, and here it’s delivered with ferocious glee, the whole band (and Jade Macrae in particular) surrendering to the dark pulse of the song, bringing the main body of the set to a frantic close.
The Encore kicks off with the acoustic insanity of Woke Up Dreaming, a still-dazzling display of fleet-fingered skill that few guitarists could hope to match. It leaves a blisteringly electric take on Cross Road Blues (Robert Johnson) to round out the night, leaving the audience exhausted and exhilarated in equal measure. It makes for one hell of an encore, and from the wild cheers, it’s clear the audience in Texas feel the same.
If we are to have learned anything over the years, it is that Joe Bonamassa is incapable of giving a bad performance and, although a slightly weaker mix than normal serves to rob the bass of some of its power during the show’s opening numbers, by the time we hit Midnight Blues, both sound and band are on fire. From there, the show builds an impressive head of steam, hitting a phenomenal peak in time for Joe’s stunning rendition of Blues De Luxe and continuing through a devastating Ballad Of John Henry. Meticulously prepared, with a set list to die for and in a power trio format we see far too infrequently, Live At Austin City Limits is another triumph for Joe Bonamassa.
