Hey Joe, Bonamassa's the real deal

Joe Bonamassa

Birmingham NEC

By Ian Harvey

If there's a more thrilling guitarist on the planet than Joe Bonamassa, then it's almost beyond belief.

The 33-year-old New Yorker's Saturday night concert was the highlight of the three-day Music Live event at the NEC, with a sell-out 1,600 crowd pumped up and ready to roar after an interminable wait for the doors to open.

And the guitarist did not disappoint, producing a virtuoso display of classic heavy blues rock melded into heartfelt, emotional songs like Bridge To Better Days, Another Kind Of Love, Asking Around For You and the heartbreakingly gorgeous Sloe Gin.

Bonamassa likes to joke that it takes a lot of effort to remember his name but once you do, you won't forget it.

But he is no overnight sensation - 19 years ago he was opening for the legendary BB King as a 12-year-old child prodigy - since then he has toured almost without a break, building up a growing, voracious following.

Joe is certainly a star on the rise, moving from the likes of the Robin 2 in Bilston not so long ago to the NEC now and a headlining showcase at the Royal Albert Hall next May.

For those who have discovered him it's easy to see why Bonamassa's technique is mesmerising, his command of his guitar, whether a Les Paul or an acoustic, is absolute, and he is utterly comfortable taking centre stage without ever appearing arrogant.

He pays homage to his own heroes, mixing the fire of Cream-era Clapton, the soul of Free and the bite of ZZ Top, at one point taking on the latter's Just Got Paid only to see it metamorphosise briefly and magically into Led Zeppelin's Dazed and Confused.

There are doubters, particularly in the traditional blues fraternity, but on this showing, Joe Bonamassa is the real deal.

Support came from the winning Imelda May, a little lady with a big voice, who got the crowd warmed up with a mix of rockabilly and skiffle, drawn largely from her Love Tattoo album.