Joe Bonamassa loves the blues...that much we all know, and in 2015, the busiest guitarist in music today embarked on a tour titled 'Three Kings' to perform the music of B.B. King, Freddie King and Albert King, three legendary blues men, and all, well, Kings. Recorded in Los Angeles at the famed Greek Theatre, this August 2015 performance comes in a multitude of formats, this review being of the 2CD set which contains the entire show.
To say that Bonamassa keeps busy is an understatement, and for those that are perhaps saying 'man, another live album?' , yes indeed, as since he started releasing his own solo albums in 2000, he has almost as many live releases as he has studio albums. The great thing is, most of the live albums completely stand on their own, and rarely do you see many duplicate songs from one to the next. Live at the Greek Theatre of course consists of all cover versions of classic blues tracks from the three Kings, and Joe does them complete justice. With an 11-piece band behind him, that includes drummer Anton Fig and keyboard player Reese Wynans among others, Joe pulls out one vintage guitar after another (four Gibson ES models, a Gibson Les Paul, a Gibson Flying V, two new Gibson Custom Shop models, two Fender Strats, and a 1972 Dan Erlewine custom Flying V named "Lucy" to be exact) to get the right feel for these classic blues tunes. Over the course of two CDs, the band go from raucous to slow & groovy, ripping it up on "See See Baby", "Going Down", "Sittin' On the Boat Dock", "I Get Evil", and "Oh, Pretty Woman". Of course, the star of the show is always Bonamassa and his stinging guitar solos, but he really doesn't get enough credit for his fine vocals, and he's completely on point throughout this set. Just listen to his emotional voice on a sizzling take on "I'll Play the Blues for You" and his forceful performance on both "Born Under a Bad Sign" and "The Thrill is Gone". However, despite the fact that there is incredible guitar playing all over Live at the Greek Theatre, I'll point you immediately to "Angel of Mercy" first, where Joe unleashes some jaw dropping, fiery solos on a Gibson Flying V that will melt your speakers, Wynan's sultry Hammond organ lurking in the background alongside the horn section...just spine tingling.
If you are a blues purist, or just love Joe Bonamassa, whether he's performing classic covers or doing his own material, you'll want to check out this 2CD set of scorching guitar and fantastic ensemble playing. Remember, it's also available on Blu-ray, DVD, and LP as well, so pick your format and let the good times roll.
See more about this release on our recent YouTube show!
Track Listing
- See See Baby
- Some Other Day, Some Other Time
- Lonesome Whistle Blues
- Sittin' On The Boat Dock
- You've Got To Love Her With A Feeling
- Going Down
- I'll Play The Blues For You
- I Get Evil
- Breaking Up Somebody's Home
- Angel Of Mercy
- Cadillac Assembly Line
- Oh, Pretty Woman
- Let The Good Times Roll
- Never Make Your Move Too Soon
- Ole Time Religion
- Nobody Loves Me But My Mother
- Boogie Woogie Woman
- Hummingbird
- Hide Away
- Born Under A Bad Sign
- The Thrill Is Gone
- Riding With The Kings
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