Customer Reviews

Joe Bonamassa Live from the Royal Albert Hall

5 star:		(114)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Watching this DVD, the same feeling kept washing over me, song after song. It was a feeling of intense pride. I've been witness to the ever expanding vision and hard work Joe Bonamassa has put into his music. No artist over the last decade has captivated me quite like Joe has. Each new release adds yet another layer. And he never makes us wait too long for the next chapter. I've been fortunate to see Joe perform live several times in a variety of venues. Then came RAH.

It's the biggest show of Joe's life and he most certainly is up for the occasion. The venue is magnificent. The crowd is completely engaged. The band is as tight as Bogie's snare. And Joe is on fire. Having everything come together after 20 years has obvious special meaning to Joe. But watching this document of what he has accomplished in my 6+ years as a Joe Bonamassa fan holds special meaning to me as well. I've been an avid record collector and concert goer for over 30 years. In that time, I've never felt more proud to be a fan than I felt while watching this DVD.

For the technical minded, you have the choice of 3 audio streams, Dolby stereo, Dolby 5.1 surround, Dolby DTS surround. The intro sequence really builds up and sets the stage for the show. Camera work is great and features not only well chosen shots of the artists, but within the context of an historic venue. Edits/cuts/changes are appropriately restrained. What may be most surprising of all is that they chose to not overly compress the video and cram it all on one disc. 230 minutes are spread across two discs. This is how a music DVD should be!

After having watched this DVD a few times now, I'd like to add a little more about the performance itself:

- Joe translates live far, far better than most artists. In my opinion, Joe is a brilliant live artist who happens to make great studio records too. I can't decide if Joe's greatest strength is his phenomenal guitar playing or his amazing voice. Both are simply incredible on this DVD.

- I love what Carmine has added to the band over the last couple of years. He brings a flowing musicality that perfectly complements rather than competes with Joe. He is a talented veteran and it shows. The Buddah statue is kinda cool too.

- I was a little nervous when Joe made keyboards a permanent part of the band. I listen to guitar based music to hear . . . the guitar. But Rick is one crafty son of a gun. He doubles Joe's guitar harmonies, adds mood and texture to the background, and does some very nice vocal harmonies on several songs. He steps out here and there with some tasty piano parts that are quite enjoyable. Rick has been a GREAT addition to the band.

- Anyone who thinks the 2 drummer concept is gimicky needs to see this DVD. Watching Bogie and Anton synchronize with each other was quite interesting. It made me pay more attention to the drumming than I usually do, and gave me new found respect for the power and complexity that the drums add to Joe's music.

- Oops. I almost forgot about the horn section. It reminded me how much I enjoyed the early 90's Gary Moore tours that included the Midnight Horns. Here they are used with restraint so as not to crowd the songs which were generally not written with horn parts. The sax solo during Asking Around For You is expecially nice.

Great music DVDs need to complement the music with compelling visuals. There are probably few scenes in the 200+ music DVDs I own that are as dramatic as when Joe climbs up on stage equipment and hoists the Flying V over his head at the conclusion of Just Got Paid with the camera shooting from behind him at floor level. It gives me goose bumps every time I see it.

I've been following Joe Bonamassa since Bloodline. Everyone has his own preference in music, but after over 40 years of being totally enthralled with what music can do for you, Bonamassa is the one who hits the resonance with me. In this performance, he hits his prime. I feel this is an exceptional DVD, his best work yet. Every time Bonamassa puts out a piece of work, I think it is better than the last. This is no exception. A fine piece of work. Thank you Joe.

PS

I had to add, ALL the players in this concert, Rick Melick (keyboards, background vocals, & tambourine), Carmine Rojas (bass), Bogie Bowles & Anton Fig (drums - check out High Water Everywhere), Lee Thornburg (trumpet), Sean Freeman (saxophone - check out Asking Around for You) and last, but not least, Mike Feltham (trombone) all put in absolutely fantastic performances.

I was first introduced to Joe Bonamassa via a promotional clip off his first at the time VHS video now DVD A New Day Yesterday Live. Two songs was all it took for me to seek out the opportunity to see him live for myself. It was a few months later and I got my chance just 90 miles away at a no longer in existence blues festival. That experience took me on a road of discovery of just how far this young guitarist could go.

Evidently all the way to the Royal Albert Hall. I traveled considerably longer to be a part of that historical moment but I just had to be there. You can too. Order this DVD today. This DVD captured the moment just like you were there. From the 12 camera shots that capture every angle of the unique setting. The room itself is a supporting player in this what will become a historical document as important as Creams Farewell concert.

The short interviews leading up to the show itself set the scene that to Joe this just isn't another gig it is a huge moment in his career with the grand entrance on the stage playing the searing notes to his instrumental arrangement tribute to Django Rhinhardt. The big band he assembled for this show which included Anton Fig on second drums and Lee Thornburg on trumpet, Sean Freeman Sax and Mike Feltham on Trombone just added to the arrangements in a tasteful way.

For those of you that may be new to Joe Bonamassa may I suggest this be your entry point. Absorb this performance and watch his tour schedule. See him for yourself live. Take the time to explore his back catalogue and get caught up to speed so you can move forward with Joe as his career continues to expand and grow to legendary status. To close get this DVD and find that Avalon theatre in your town or a town near you and have that moment of discovery because this is one ride you don't want to miss. I don't know what is next for Joe. The Royal Albert Hall is a pretty good gig to aspire to. I have a feeling he is going to keep going up from there.


Just a quick note to packaging. So often music DVDs lack any real effort to make the package something special. This issue has a book insert with photos and credits and a special note from Joe.

This music/ performance touches your heart and soul. This DVD is some extremely fine amazing piece of art.
Musicians like Joe Bonamassa don`t grow on trees. Joe Bonamassa is an artist of a caliber one only finds very few times throughout music history.
What can i say if you love good music go and buy this DVD. I have played guitar through almost half a century and have collected all kinds of music through these years and i can promise you it won`t get better than this. I would pay 100 times the price to get this DVD if that was necessary to get it. So buy it and spread the "virus".

No other musician has captured my heart and soul like this man did, and his music touched deep parts of my soul so much that unexpected tears arose with the awesomeness of his abilities making love to that guitar. Not since SRV have there been the pure passion and talent from a performer who brings out the best in every guitar like no one else could. SRV was definately smiling down from above on the Bonamassa talent showcased here. My husband walked into the room and had the same reaction. My kids came in and were dancing and playing air guitar right along with this amazing concert.

I had never heard of Bonamassa before, and had I not happened upon this concert being aired on television, I might have missed this golden opportunity.

The ultimate blues guitar talent has returned and it is Bonamassa who I hope will hold that title for a long time. I had hoped that John Mayer would step up to that plate but his talent has been mismanaged. His band refuses to yield to Mayer's talent and plays to loudly over his poorly chosen solos, but I digress.

The guitar god, Eric Clapton even shows up to play with Bonamassa and from the look on his face, you can tell that even he is impressed with Bonamassa's talent. I dare to admit that bonamassa puts Clapton's talent to shame, and I still think Clapton is the godfather of the blues guitar.

Have I mentioned this man is nothing short of AMAZING?

I had to wait until payday to make this a part of our collection. Bonamassa should not be missed and this is a must have for everyone's collection. You will NOT be disappointed.

I saw this on T.V. and had to have it. What I saw on the tube didn't do this DVD justice. Joe Bonamassa is amazing !!!!!!I can't get enough of his playing guitar.He takes you places that you haven't been in a long time. I love Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton and all of the rest of the greats but it's been years since I was so enthralled by someone's ability to play guitar. It is a gift and Joe has learned how to use that gift better than anyone I have heard in a long time ,if ever ! If you really enjoy excellent music that will make you want to first dance and then will make you want to cry, because of the way he sings the blues,then you need to support Joe by purchasing this DVD. By the way, his voice is oh so, so, so sexy I can't say enough about it. You won't be disappointed .

To get this out of the way, I don't rate musical concerts 5 stars willy nilly. I own more than 60 concerts on DVD because my favorite thing to do on my days off when the wife's at work and my son is at daycare for his 3 hours is to take the volume of my AVM20 to around -14 db and listen to good music. SACD and DVD-audio have a place in my collection, but there's nothing like watching a good performance when the musicians are on fire and the performance is excellent.

This is one of those concerts where the band was there to play a great concert for the fans, and they accomplished.

From listening to the brief background documentary on Joe at the beginning of both discs (A nice touch, and not overdone), it has been Joe's dream to play the Royal Albert Hall for many years. This is a venue where many greats in music have played to countless thousands of audience members. Joe stands tall among those great players (Clapton, Pink Floyd, Tangerine Dream, Zepplin, and countless others.), and he certainly serves up one heck of a performance.

Joe is a fantastic player, and wholey underappreciated on the music scene. Born, I believe, the same hear as Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Joe is one of a small handful of prodigy guitar players that have been popular over the last decade, but two differences are evident: Joe Bonamassa isn't a household name like the others, but Joe will be playing for audiences for the foreseable future because he is simply a spectacular performer and the fans want to hear him play.

You've heard Johnny Lang and Kenny Wayne Shepherd on the radio, but have you heard Joe on the local airwaves? Amazingly the answer for me was 'no', and in my opinion as a musician myself, he is a better player than both Jonny and Kenny. I guess his agent just doesn't have the same connections, or that Joe's desire is simply to perform at his best playing the songs he wants to perform, instead of selling-out to a record label.

You won't typically find a Joe Bonamassa cd or DVD at your local Best Buy, and this is a shame. I only heard of him through Amazon because his style is similar to other bands I enjoy. I can't thank the little "Customers who bought this item also bought" banner on Amazon enough. It has turned me on to a lot of music and musicians that I would have otherwise not heard.

If you're a fan of blues and great guitar playing, don't pass up this DVD. Here's hoping I can see Joe play live in the next couple of years. In the meantime, when I need a fix of great music I'll put Joe Bonamassa Live From Royal Albert Hall in the DVD player and turn the volume up to concert levels. Simply Great stuff.

A player who is already a legend to his fans, and who will be a legend to the masses when enough of his fans tell other's about his talent as a musician. Count me as one of his newest fans.....

This a very enjoyable video with good production values and sound quality. For those who seem to have a problem with it technically I'd have to observe that it's most likely your system. I've played this over both my computer speakers and surround sound receiver. Both sound great. Bonamassa'a technical skills are extraodinary and he can keep an audience engaged. The music is heartfelt and shows true empathy for his genre, even when crossing over. He is not the greatest guitar player who ever lived, there is no greatest guitar player who ever lived, and those who try to narrow music by claiming there is are just kidding themselves. The criticisms seem to fall into two categories. First: He's the wrong color; this is bigotry. Second: He's not what I grew up listening to, disguised by naming only people from a particular era; this is narrow-minded.
In reality Bonamassa is a very talented and engaging performer who has a genuine love for the blues which shows in his playing. THAT is what it's about and not whether you've been homeless, arrested, or any other such nonsense. Music that succeeds transends any particular group of individuals. They may originate it, but if it's a great art form it will have legs; if not it dies. I love the blues of all types and do not want to see it shrivel up and die, so thank God for people like Joe Bonamassa, Gary Clark Jr., Derik Trucks, ect.. They will carry the blues into the future so that my kids and grandkids can enjoy this vital form of music. To all the haters..blow it out your a@@...

This is by far the best music DVD I have seen. I was trying to remember and I do not think I have ever written a review on any music.

Trust me, if you have not seen this, take my advice: Get this DVD and make SURE you watch it on a really great sound system the first time you see it. Please, friend, do not waste this opportunity! Lol, it is That Good! :)

Somehow I had not heard of Mr. Bonamassa until a few weeks ago. I happened on him on a Guitar Center special on TV. I have nothing but deep admiration for this young man. He is the real deal....

I am just sick that I did not know he was in Dallas until it was too late and he was gone.... I would have left my best girlfriend and taken a lady that loves music like I do... Seriously.

Ok, I am through, but I hope you can feel just how great this artist is from my review... And Please do yourself a big favor and make sure you see it first on a really great sound system....

Enjoy....

Ron in Dallas

Folks this will be very short and to the point.

I have a concert and music documentary DVD collection of 300+ and counting. It includes many, if not most, genres of music.

This DVD has made it to the Top 5 with the first viewing.