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Joe Bonamassa’s career blossomed at a young age and by the time he was 12 years old he was already working as the opening act for the legendary blues guitarist, B.B. King. Although Bonamassa respected prominent blues musicians like T-Bone Walker and Robert Johnson, he was more inclined to listen to Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, or Rory Gallagher. This influence can be conveyed by Bonamassa’s more rock and roll approach to making blues music.
In 2000 Joe Bonamassa released his debut album “A New Day Yesterday”, which was produced by the legendary Tom Dowd who was known for recording notable artists such as Eric Clapton, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Rod Stewart. The debut album received favorable reviews and reached the No. 9 spot on the US Billboard Top Blues Albums. The album also featured several cover songs by many of Bonamassa’s favorite artists such as Jethro Tull, Free, and Albert King. Bonamassa released his second studio album “So, It’s Like That” on his record label, J&R Adventures. The album is one of Bonamassa’s few albums to feature all original material and did successful on the charts reaching the No. 1 slot on the US Billboard Top Blues Albums.
Joe Bonamassa is an incredibly prolific songwriter releasing an album almost every year. Each album that Bonamassa releases seems to gain him more success and popularity. His 2014 album “Different Shades of Blue” reached the No. 8 spot on the US Billboard charts and featured nearly all original material. Bonamassa is usually fond of performing cover songs and the list of songs he covers is highly diverse. He has covered unique artists such as Tom Waits, Leonard Cohen, Jimi Hendrix, Al Green, and Barbra Streisand. Apart from his solo studio albums, Bonamassa has also released collaboration albums with singer-songwriter Beth Hart as well as released a variety of live albums.
Perhaps the reason that there are so many live albums and live video albums of Joe Bonamassa is because he is at his best when performing live. A normal touring year for Bonamassa is around 200 shows per year and many of these shows sell out. Bonamassa has played a multitude of unique venues ranging from large music festivals to the Vienna Opera House. His live shows convey his intricate techniques that bring the traditional style of blues music to life in its rawest form.
During breaks in the Allman Brothers Band’s touring and recording schedules, Warren Haynes and Allen Woody of the band, and Matt Abts of Dickey Betts, formed Gov’t Mule. Aiming to combine to be a psychedelic power trio of a similar ilk to The Jimi Hendrix Experience and Cream, Haynes on guitar and vocals, Woody on bass and Abts on drums, Gov’t Mule released their self-titled debut in 1995.
The album was produced by Michael Barbiero and was followed by the live album “Live from Roseland Ballroom”, which highlights the band’s keen improvisation and jam style of performing. The follow-up studio album “Dose” released in 1998 was also produced by Barbiero, and exposed a number of the band’s influences including Neil Young, Traffic and Pearl Jam. The release was also followed by the first of two concert albums entitled “Live… with a Little Help from Our Friends”.
Following the release of their third album “Life Before Insanity” (2000), Allen Woody was found dead in New York City, U.S. The band went on a tribute tour titled “Smile at Half Mast Tour” alongside Ben Harper and released two tribute albums “Deep End, Volume 1” and “Deep End, Volume 2” using Woody’s favourite bass players, including Flea of Red Hot Chilli Peppers and John Entwistle of The Who.
Gov’t Mule’s first studio album since Woody’s death “Déjà Voodoo” featured Woody’s replacement Andy Hess and keyboardist Danny Louis, and despite the loss of the power trio, it was seen as Haynes’ best vocal performance. On top of their album releases Gov’t Mule were a regular on many North American festivals including Bonnaroo, Wakarusa and New Orleans Jazzfest, with Haynes playing a number of solo shows in his Warren Haynes Band.
The band has continued to release studio albums every few years including 2006’s “High & Mighty” which reached No. 3 in the Billboard Indie chart, 2009’s “By a Thread” and 2013’s “Shout!”, which has been their highest charting album reaching No. 32 in the Billboard 200, and features a bonus disc with guest vocalists including Toots Hibbert and Elvis Costello.
Joe Bonamassa's claim to fame is his virtuosic ability to deliver face-melting blues rock in an age where the charts are dominated by pop. And that ability seamlessly translates well into his live performance. The subdued lighting of the venue was the perfect complement to the music; you've got your "bluesy lights" on as Bonamassa comes out and immediately launches into the beautiful, soaring epic ballad "Mountain Time." As the night progressed, you were treated to an absolute master's guitar clinic. Bonamassa was seemingly capable in flawlessly executing every guitar technique in the book. You've got your blistering technical solos, twangy slide guitar, crunching riffs, extensive jams with the band, lush acoustic numbers, and on and on.
Fans of Led Zeppelin and Eric Clapton will especially find lots to love at a Joe Bonamassa concert. Bonamassa channels the in-your-face hard rock crunch of the former while displaying the raw blues sensibilities of the latter. The setlists are crafted expertly, to make sure you're constantly alternating between rocking out and being moved by a melancholy number. Two highlights for me were a faithful rendition of Zeppelin's heart-wrenching rocker "Tea for One" and the moody, cascading blues of "Sloe Gin." It was truly a refreshing experience to see that blues-rock is not a dead art form, and that Joe Bonamassa is capable of keeping live guitar-driven rock relevant.
Gov’t Mule, what a wild band name. They are often colloquially referred to as The Mule. This Southern rock band who hail of course from the Southern States, bring their vibe to this huge room full of punters this evening. Everyone is ready for a second set, which is still well over, and hour. They have an impressive back catalogue of music having been together as a band for a good twenty years now. There are songs such as “Forsaken Saviour” which has a pretty catchy hook in the chorus. I think it could maybe use a bit of harmony to really fill out the sound. “Drums” is the penultimate song that really gets this audience in a good place before launching in to the last song “Broke Down On the Brazos”, which turns into a bit of a jam altogether, each of the group taking solos here and there, and then breaking it down for singer Warren Haynes to thank this fantastic audience, they burst right back into the song at the chorus and jam it out right until the end.
Lannistaar
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