Bonamassa!

The name screams ‘THE BLUES’. 

Joe Bonamassa haș been around a long freakin’ time. He first gained attention in 1989 when he opened some shows for the late great B.B. King. 

1989!!!!

The dude will turn 47 in May, 2024, and he was playing with King 35 years ago. You can do the math, but that’s a lot of his life.

He has released 15 solo albums since 2000, 11 of which have reached number 1 on the Billboard Blues chart. Add  to that his gazillions of live releases, four albums with Black Country Communion, four more with Rock Candy Funk Party, his work with Beth Hart, and guest appearances out his ying yang (check out I Want My Crown on Eric Gales’ Crown album).

The point is, he’s pretty good at guitaring.

On June 21, Joe will release his two millionth live album (actually his 19th), Live at the Hollywood Bowl. The nice thing about Bonamassa live albums is that they are always different. Arrangements are different, solos are different, setlist are different, there are orchestras….Huh? What? Orchestras?

Yup! 

In his first ever show at the legendary Hollywood Bowl, he’s not only ripping the venue a new one, he’s doing it with a 40-piece orchestra.

Joe Bonamassa îs good. Damn good. 

Joe Bonamassa with an orchestra is Bonamastastic.

OK, that was a little cheesy, but facts are facts.

Let’s check it out!.

Live at the Hollywood Bowl kicks with a quick instrumental called When One Door Opens. This is pretty much just to let you know that there is an orchestra and to build up to the man himself. 

The ‘real’ set opener comes in the form of the 9-minute Curtain Call. The first thing that jumps out at you is the guitar sound. It could be the billion dollar guitars Joe uses, or, it’s just the hands. The band is a pretty stellar list of who’s who in the industry and are as tight as you’d imagine. This is gonna be a fun one. Of course, the highlight of any Joe Bonamassa show are the guitar solos. He has such incredible feel, while also being able to shred with the best of them. Curtain Call features a couple nice, restrained ‘feel’ solos. This is a great opener.

Straight into Self-Inflicted Wounds, From the 2018’s Redemption album. This song has orchestra written all over it. A nice, slow, blues ballad. When you think of modern blues music, this song is exactly what you’re looking for. 8 minutes of bluesy goodness. What do you call them? Background singers? Co-singers? Whatever term you want to give them, they are incredible. They truly add to the live experience. Unreal solo from one of the ladies here. Chill inducing voice, This is fun!

No Good Place For The Lonely from 2016’s Blues of Desperation is up next, and it continues the theme of classic blues in the setlist. Holy crap. Joe Bonamassa has released 5 studio albums and 7 live albums since 2016, not to mention 2 Black Country Communion albums. Hardest working dude in music? He’s definitely up there. It’s surprising how restrained the solos are so far on this album. At some point, you just know he’s gonna start rippin’. This is so relaxing. There should be incense and candle burning. Oh, here he goes. Mama Mia, this solo is a killer. You can almost see his guitar faces, or as Kim Mitchell says, his ‘lemon twist lips’. There’s a good chance you might need a nap after this song. This. Is. Why. You. Go. See. Bonamassa. Stellar.

The Chris Whitley penned Ball Peen Hammer, from 2007’s Sloe Gin follows your solo induced coma. This is a Bonamassa staple, but have you heard it with a flute solo? You will when you listen to this version. It’s hard to explain how good Joe’s voice sounds on this. He gets a ton of respect for his guitar abilities, but his voice is the real star of this album, so far. It just fits so perfectly with the music. Ball Peen Hammer is short and sweet, with no guitar solos (What?!?!)

From 2011’s Dust Bowl comes The Last Matador of Bayonne. Now, dust Bowl was a fantastic album. Of course it has to start with a mariachi type trumpet solo. MATADOR!!! Slow blues. You just know this song’s solo will give you goosebumps. Good Lord, the emotion he gets out of his instrument…It’s inspiring. Even when he goes from nice, soft clean soloing to loud, crunchiness, it just oozes emotion. Unbelievable. Ohh, back into a nice clean sound. This is a masterclass in blues guitar playing.

Sticking with Dust Bowl, what could be better at a Joe Bonamassa show than a Barbra Streisand cover. Prisoner is another kind of slow one. He’s really focusing on this kind of song on this album. There is so much going on, with the orchestra and Joe’s guitar, but it should be noted that Lemar Carter on drums is fantastic. He creates such a groove. Man, oh, man, this solo is good. I haven’t heard the Streisand version, but there’s no way it rips like this one. 

If Heartaches Were Nickels comes from Joe’s debut album A New Day Yesterday, released way back in 2000. If you’re looking for a rip-snorting rocker of an album, Live at the Hollywood Bowl ain’t it. This is pretty chill and relaxed. That doesn’t take away from the enjoyment, but it’s just a little warning. There is A LOT of orchestra on this track. Again, a nice tasty solo. Trevor Rabin of Yes did some of the orchestral arrangements for this album. That’s pretty cool. It’s always surprising to find out that some of your favourite rock stars are also orchestral arrangers. A beauty vocal from one of the co-singers. Holy Sheesh. Who is this woman? WOW! THAT. WAS. INCREDIBLE.

The Ballad of John Henry from 2009. This is always a crowd favourite that was, for some reason, left off the Ottawa setlist a few years ago. This is one of the few ‘Live with Orchestra’ that actually REALLY features the orchestra, as opposed to just filling in some spots and being ‘cool’. The breakdown in John Henry is ALL ‘BOUT the orchestra. Outstanding! Reese Wynans, who used to play with Stevie Ray Vaughan, keeps popping up with some badass keyboard work. This is the best song on the album for the interplay with the band and orchestra. 

From Blues Deluxe Vol. 2 comes Twenty-Four Hour Blues. Who hasn’t experienced 24 hour blues? Again, a slow burner, with a much more aggressive solo. VOLUME UP!!! I guess heartbreak brings out the aggression in Joe’s playing. I’ve never even seen the co-singers on this album, but I think I’m in love. Their voices add so much to the overall power of all the songs. 

And finally, Sloe Gin. Just a guess, but, as the last song, I have a feeling that this one might just get the crowd on their feet. You can just feel this one building to the ultimate crescendo to finish off this incredible set. Incredible mood shifts in each of the songs, but Sloe Gin exemplifies that masterfully. Jeepers creepers, this dude makes that billion dollar guitar sing. Absolute perfection. Oh, Lemar is pickin’ it up. Here we go! Whoo! Superb!

THE BOTTOM LINE

As previously stated, many times, this is a fantastic album, for Bonamassa fans, guitar fans, hell, for anyone who likes music. The sound is great, the song choice is perfect for the situation, the orchestra adds so much to every second of every song.

Kudos to Joe Bonamassa on what may be the best addition to his live album collection. It’s nap time, but Joe Bonamassa Live at the Hollywood Bowl With Orchestra will be playing on repeat for quite some time.

Track Listing

When One Door Opens (2:00)

Curtain Call (9:03)

Self-Inflicted Wounds (7:56)

No Good Place For The Lonely (8:28)

Ball Peen Hammer (3:57)

The Last Matador of Bayonne (8:12)

Prisoner (8:36)

If Heartaches Were Nickels (9:23)

The Ballad Of John Henry (7:19)

Twenty-Four Hour Blues (5:47)

Sloe Gin (9:16)