Downtown San Antonio was the sight for the "Guitar event of the year" in the confines of the historic Majestic Theater. The Grammy-nominated blues/rock sensation Joe Bonamassa was here to resume his busy touring schedule. Having been on a forced break due to the pandemic. It was indeed a beautiful sight to see a packed house of eager fans ready for a bit of a distraction from "The real world"
As the lights went down, the theme song from Welcome Back Kotter roared over the P.A., bringing back memories of junior high school. The band emerged from the darkness with Joe leading the way, donning his sharp signature look of blazer, black pants and shirt, trademark dark shades, and slicked back hair, Bonamassa and company ripped into "Evil Mama" followed by the epic "Love aint a love song"
Bonamassa’s all star band ,included Nashville recording legend Michael Rhodes (bass), Rock & Roll Hall of Famer and former Stevie Ray Vaughn key/piano player Reese Wynans (piano/organ), and Jade MacRae and Juanita Tippins who delivered powerhouse vocals and synchronized dance moves for every number. We didnt have the pleasure of a horn section on this night but, we did get Rob McNelley on rhythm/lead guitar and Greg Morrow on drums.
Bonamassas' skill and feel are what legends are made of. Its truly unbelievable how easy Joe makes it look, all the while paying tribute to the legendary blues players that came before him. "Midnight blues" (GaryMoore) is a perfect example of that As the night went on more and more people were leaving their seats as standing ovations were in order after nearly every song. The fifteen song nearly 2 1/2hour set featured a a great mix of song off the 13 studio albums under Joe Bonamasa's belt, including a heavy dose off of tunes off of "Royal Tea" and "Redemption". Often overlooked by his amazing guitar playing Joe has quite the singing voice, both soulful and powerful. I highlight for me would be Joe's song Just ‘Cos You Can Don’t Mean You Should,” a brilliant, catchy number about doing the right thing. Near the end of the set Bonamassa and Reese had a bit of a head cutting session, each trying to out play the other. They both won if you ask me!
This evening’s music ended with a encore of “Woke Up Dreaming,” Bonamassa alone on stage with an acoustic guitar followed by "As close as i ever got to a hit song" Bonamassa's words, "Sloe Gin" It was a very impressive show by a true guitar legend in the making.
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