BOB DeHART | Go Venue Magazine
It was a nostalgic night for me, as I was able to come to my hometown and see Joe Bonamassa and his incredible band at a venue that I grew up going to. The Topeka Performing Arts Center has been renovated since my first visit there as a kid, and it looks amazing and the acoustics are great! And Joe Bonmassa did what he does…he amazed the near capacity crowd throughout the night. I have seen a lot of great guitarists over the years – Steve Vai, Robin Trower, and newer phenoms like Marcus King. Guys who make the guitar look like an extension of their body. Joe Bonamassa was exactly that and more. His playing is so effortless and dare I say it…magical. He had the crowd in the palm of his hands from the opening note. And speaking of the crowd, it was a largely older crowd. It was easy to see that from one specific thing I noticed. Cell phones were not a huge part of the evening. Sure, there was an occasional photo being taken or a short video, but definitely not at the level or intensity that you might see at some other shows with younger crowds. It was refreshing to watch a show that way.
As expected, Joe travels with only the best backing musicians. They were top-notch, for sure. Starting with his backup singers – Mahalia Barnes, Jade MacRae, and Juanita Tippins. Their voices were amazing together and alone when they had their solos. According to Joe, they are all accomplished solo artists, and you should check out their work if you get the chance. Reese Wynans and the keyboards and piano is rock and roll royalty. A Rock and Roll Hall of Famer who has the most impressive resume. A highlight for me is that he played for Stevie Ray Vaughn, how cool is that? Rounding out the band is Lemar Carter on drums, Calvin Turner on bass, and Josh Smith on guitar. He also had 2 saxophone players and a trumpet player that added to the show musically. I was not able to find their names, which is unfortunate, because they were amazing too and deserve a mention.
Joe Bonmassa has been recording and touring for over 30 years. He is a master at what he does. This current tour is the “Blues Deluxe Tour”. It was a night to remember for sure. This is what I would consider a “must see” show. So if you get the chance, DO NOT MISS IT!
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