Joe Bonamassa Rocks the Apollo

Bonamassa playing his '59 Les Paul

Tuesday night was very special for me. Not only was it my first time at the newly named 'Eventim Apollo' but it was my first experience of seeing blues prodigy, Joe Bonamassa.

I started following Joe only last summer, when Planet Rock announced his four dates at the aforementioned Apollo. I'd never really paid much attention to blues before then, other than the odd Led Zeppelin or Jimi Hendrix song, not that I wasn't interested, so this was new ground for me. Needless to say, once I dug around and listened to the blues staples, I was hooked.

Eventim Apollo

Joe has played the Apollo four times as of Tuesday, and each time it has bestowed a different name; Hammersmith Apollo, Carling Apollo Hammersmith, HMV Hammersmith Apollo and Eventim Apollo. However Bonamassa was adamant of what it was to him, breaking away for a moment to say to the crowd "to me this beautiful venue will always be the Hammersmith fucking Odeon!"; the venue's name from 1962-1992. This passionate outburst from Bonamassa actually got the biggest cheer of the evening.


Joe's playing has certainly developed massively over the decades. Listening to his 2004 album 'Had To Cry Today', it's clear to hear his vulnerable voice; not able to belt out any hard notes and not very enunciated. Ten years later however, there is a notable difference. His latest offering 'Different Shades Of Blue' show cases not only his incredible guitar soloing ability but his improved voice which has been growing steadily since 2010s 'Black Rock' when he started taking singing lessons.

Joe Bonamassa's 2014 album - Different Shades Of Blue

A highlight of his Apollo performance was Joe playing all but four of the eleven tracks from his new album, which showed off his show stopping technique and talent when it comes to soloing. Songs such as 'Oh Beautiful!', 'Never Give All Your Heart For Love' and 'I Gave Up Everything For You' are just a taste of Bonamassa's supreme vocal and guitar playing talent on an album which is his first to consist of only original tracks - apart from the intro track, a 76-second cover of Jimi Hendrix's 'Hey Baby (New Rising Sun)'. Not to be overlooked are the members of Bonamassa's backing band featuring; Tal Bergman on drums; Carmine Rojas on bass and Reese Wynans, formerly of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble, on keyboards. All of whom come together to make a sumptuous mixture of rhythm, blues and groove.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjW7mPepKB4&list=PLrHekRUw-GqdricXDRfOu4fyWwrYfSyq_ - Different Shades Of Blue full album.



About three quarters of the way through the concert, Joe introduced a special guest, one that I was not prepared for - Beth Hart. Joe began collaborating with fellow American Beth Hart in 2011 on 'Don't Explain', which features covers of classic blues tracks. Together they performed Donny Hathaway's classic single, 'I'll Love You More Than You'll Ever Know', and it goes without saying they brought the house down. Beth Hart's shrieking vocals get you right in the depths of your gut and leave you yearning for more, which you do indeed get when Bonamassa peels off from Reese Wynans' mesmerising keyboard and synthesiser wizardry to blitz yet another outstanding guitar solo; pure satisfaction.



'King of the Blues' B.B. King

Even sitting up in the circle as I was, I was able to see closely first hand his unbelievably quick fingers. There's a massive difference between shredding like Slash and soloing like Bonamassa; Slash and other hard rockers play with a huge amount of distortion and other effects, making each note almost an indistinguishable mass of crunching tone; Bonamassa on the other hand, seems to caress every note with care and passion but still portraying the attack and vigour of a man who has been studying the blues for 35+ years. Watching Bonamassa doing a solo is almost a spiritual experience. You can hear the influences of legends such as B.B. King (who Bonamassa opened for in 1989 when he was just 12-years-old), Albert King, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Buddy Guy but at the same time it's as original as when the first bluesmen discovered the art of playing the blues in the early 20th century.

I found my brain sore just trying to follow each pluck of his gleaming sunburst '59 Les Paul's strings, and in the end just laid back and admired this marvellous guitar player that no doubt will be remembered forever, as the man who brought the blues back into the mainstream.