‘Live at the Greek Theatre’ is Joe Bonamassa’s fourteenth live album and his tenth live album since 2012, the year in which Joe’s career (burnished by 2011’s remarkable ‘Dust bowl’) went into overdrive. Whereas such a quotient of live albums could seem an extravagance, with Joe, the live shows form an essential part of his catalogue. Each show is a chance to reinvent, and it is simply not in Joe’s nature to take the easy route and simply play the hits. Instead, Joe’s shows are an exploration in which he challenges himself and the audience, offering up radical reinterpretations (‘An acoustic evening at the Vienna opera house’), blistering hard-rock blues (‘Beacon Theatre – live from New York) and stunning tributes to great musicians (‘Muddy Wolf – Live at Red Rocks’). Of these, it is the latter – ‘Muddy Wolf’ – which proved unequivocally that a live album can be every bit as crucial as a studio record and, for SonicAbuse, the album was listed as one of the best records of 2015.
2016 has been no less a great year for Joe. March saw the release of the wonderful ‘Blues of Desperation’ yet, rather than simply tour the album, Joe went out on the road to celebrate a succession of inspirational blues artists. In the UK Joe paid tribute to three legends of British Blues: Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page, in an event that we described as ‘once in a lifetime’. Those concerts were filmed for posterity, but before that films sees the light of day, we are blessed with a recording of Joe’s special US tour in which the Three Kings – Freddie, B.B. and Albert – were celebrated. Joe handpicked each set and treats the music with respect whilst simultaneously making it over in his own unique style. Joe’s passion and enthusiasm for the blues drives the project, his remarkable talent on the guitar gilds it and his stunning band (“the greatest band in the world” Joe reminds us) polish it to a mirror shine. This is what all live recordings should be and it looks likely that Joe Bonamassa will have two albums in our end of year list this time around!
As with most Bonamassa releases, this is a multi-format release and fans can choose from double CD, double DVD, Blu ray and 3 LP editions. Our review copy is the double DVD, which features not only the performance itself (sensibly placed solely on disc one to minimize compression), but also a fistful of extras including Behind the scenes clips, an illuminating interview with Joe’s parents and a music video for ‘Riding with the kings’. Those who have purchased Bonamassa releases before will know that there’s a firm emphasis on quality and this release is no exception. Beautifully filmed in HD, the DVD looks as crisp and clear as it is possible for the format to look (and one can imagine that the Blu Ray looks yet better) and everything from the deep red of Bonamassa’s beautiful Gibson ES330 to the inky blacks of the backstage area are captured in impressive detail. Of course, whilst the image in important, it is the audio that is of paramount important and the disc does not disappoint. Mixed, as always, by Kevin Shirley there’s a choice of stunning DTS 5.1 mix and PCM 2.0. and, whichever mix you go for, it’s virtually impossible to fault. For the most part the music floods from the front speakers whilst the rears are used for subtle ambience which gives the music depth without appearing gimmicky. In other words, it’s yet another reference presentation from Joe and this is one disc you’ll want to break out a lot.
The film starts with a short introduction which captures a TV clip showing the thirteen-year-old Joe already making a name for himself as a guitarist. It’s an illuminating piece that considers that elusive question of authority within the blues, questioning the extent to which a young man with few troubles in life can relate to the blues. The clip leaves this down to the incisive B.B. King who simply says “You don’t know where the children get this from… but all I know is he got it!” One does not argue with the master and, by the end of this epic concert, it’s irrefutable that Joe not only has the blues, but that he has them bad. On stage it’s all too easy to see that thirteen-year-old boy, still dreaming of the stars and paying tribute to those that went before him in the only way he knows how, and it is proof that sometimes, in this dark world, dreams do come true.
In truth I sat down to review this DVD a few days ago, only to leave my laptop to one side whilst I simply sat and became absorbed. Some DVDs can leave you feeling cold, like you’re sat outside the window, looking in at a great party, but this does a fantastic job of placing you right at the heart of the action. From Kevin’s immersive mix to the well-edited shots that impeccably capture each musician on the somewhat crowded stage, Phillipe Klose has done a fabulous job of bringing it all together and deserves great credit for balancing the energy of the performance with a restraint that allows the camera to linger rather than jump cut in what has become an increasingly irritating style in live music video. From the moment that the smooth blues of ‘See see baby’ comes rolling in, augmented by the glorious brass arrangements of Lee Thornburg, it’s impossible to stem a rising feeling of joy driven by the music. That sense of euphoria only grows as Anton Fig’s rolling percussion announces the arrival of ‘some other day, some other time’ which is a perfect ensemble piece, capturing each musician in their element. What makes it so perfect is not the musicianship itself (impressive as it is), it’s the fact that these veterans are so obviously having the time of their lives playing this wonderful music and even though this is a recording, the emotion is so strong that you can’t help but be swayed by it. This is music of the heart and soul, and both Bonamassa and his band understand that all too well, delivering a performance that captures that very human essence of the blues. Things really start to cook with ‘sittin’ on the boat dock’ and ‘going down’, both of which crackle with enough energy to power the national grid. It’s a reminder that this is no ordinary concert, but a celebration of all that is wonderful in blues music, and if ‘Going down’ doesn’t make you want to leap from your seat and dance, then it is entirely possible that you need to seek medical advice regarding the operational capability of your adrenal glands.
With the crowd’s ecstatic applause ringing in the speakers throughout the introduction of the song, ‘I’ll play the blues for you’ takes things down a notch, as if any further displays like ‘going down’ would result in spontaneous combustion. Joe appears with Lucy, Albert King’s beautiful, vintage Gibson flying V, although it is second guitarist Kirk Fletcher to whom Joe graciously cedes the spotlight for some truly heroic soloing. Similarly, Reece Wynans (Keyboards) and the brass section get plenty of time to shine on ‘I get Evil’, although it is the sweet groove of ‘Breaking up somebody’s home’ (powered by Michael Rhodes) that serves as a stunning mid-set highlight with some of the feature’s most astounding soloing yet seen. Equally powerful is ‘Angel of mercy’, a hulking blues monster neatly paired with the sweet groove of ‘Cadillac Assembly line’ and so the set progresses, Joe once again showing that his gift of sequencing the sets for maximum impact has not deserted him. Very much an integral part of the show are singers Mahalia Barnes, Jade Macrae and Juanita Tippins, who add so much to the night and get a moment to shine with the glorious gospel harmonies of ‘Ole time religion’. Their presence sweetens even the darkest blues and they remain absolutely graceful even as Joe blazes away on his guitar on tracks such as ‘nobody loves me but my mother’. The set concludes with the classics ‘born under a bad sign’ and the evergreen ‘the thrill is gone’. It’s a poignant and beautiful tribute to Joe’s friend and mentor, B.B. King whose loss is still keenly felt by the entire blues community. It is also the perfect conclusion to a concert that does not put a single foot wrong over the course of twenty-two well-chosen tracks.
‘Live at the Greek theatre’ is a reference quality DVD/Blu Ray that allows viewers to watch one of the world’s greatest guitarists paying tribute to three of the Blues’ greatest artists alongside a band that is absolutely without equal. Joe Bonamassa does not have to do these tours. A respected and talented song writer, he could simply tour his hits and have done. These shows are special because they are a project born purely out of a love for the music and a gratitude for the inspiration that is quite impossible to counterfeit. From the start Joe’s heart and soul is on display and the connection he makes with the audience is glorious to behold. Not many artists can make a live recording so remarkable, but Joe’s performance here is so bold, impassioned and beautiful that this record (and its parent tour) will still be talked about in decades to come. Utterly essential. 10
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