Joe Bonamassa recently played two shows at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater, FL and I was lucky enough to attend the first night. For those not familiar with Mr. Bonamassa, he has been blessing the stage since the late ’80s and has played alongside some amazing musicians such as BB King and Eric Clapton. When he stepped on the stage he was cool and relaxed and played almost non-stop for two and a half hours. It was a religious experience, a good ol’ blues revival, something we as guests will talk about for years.
Bonamassa just kicked off a 22 city US tour which will be followed by a 17 city European tour before he returns to the US for a few more shows in August. Stops number four and five were in Clearwater and I jumped at the chance to cover the first of his two performances at this stunning venue. I arrived at the hall on the evening of the 24th in time to enjoy the pre-show party outside along with dinner and a live band. Fans were dressed to the nines in beautiful evening wear and were ready for a good time. The food and music really set the tone for the evening, inviting fans to get up and dance, to feel the rhythms. We were allowed to enter the main lobby at around 7pm and were again greeted yet again with more incredible live music.
At approximately 7:50 we were all directed toward the music hall. The anticipation for the 8 pm show was palpable in the crowd. After being led to my area to the left of the stage, I watched the crowd flow in and be ushered to the seats. Shortly after, the hall went dark, and background music filled the venue. The air was electric. You could feel the excitement and anticipation. These were Bonamassa fans who knew what to expect when he entered the stage. The lights came up and there on the stage stood Mr. Joe Bonamassa himself, and the crowd roared.
He wasted no time, opening the show with “Tiger In Your Tank”, “Evil Mama”, and “Just ‘Cos You Can”. As a photographer, we are usually limited to photographing the first 3 songs from “the pit” or up close. This usually equates to about 9 minutes before we are relegated to the back of the room. With Mr. Bonamassa, the first three songs lasted a good 15 – 20 minutes, which was a real treat for me both as a photographer and a fan. There were times during this show that the singer and the crowd became one. Joe singing to the crowd and the crowd singing right back, completely in unison, completely aligned, in harmony, one in the experience of it all. That is what an amazing musician can do for you, can do for the WORLD. This is the very reason that many believe that music has healing powers.
As I stated before, a Joe Bonamassa show is an experience. Once it begins, it only slows for a brief moment before picking back up. We were treated to ”Blues of Desperation” and “Sloe Gin” before a brief pause for some interaction. One of the best parts of the performance came when he broke into his Led Zeppelin medley “Tea for One/I Can’t Quit You Baby”. The show ended with “Just Got Paid”, “Woke Up Dreaming”, and “Mountain Time”. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end and with that, it was over. That afterglow though….. This was my first opportunity to catch Mr. Bonamassa live and he exceeded all of my expectations. Fans sang and danced and filled the hall with love for music and harmony. This is my church. Thank you Mr. Bonamassa for electrifying the air, for moving so many people in so many ways.
Be sure to catch one of the upcoming shows on this Spring Tour and enjoy some photos of the performance on February 24th at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater, Florida. All photos copyright and courtesy of Chris Cornett.
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