This summer, the celebrated music maestro JOE BONAMASSA will release “Breakthrough,” his most ambitious and genre-defying record to date (out via J&R Adventures). The 2025 album marks the start of another creative chapter for the internationally renowned guitar hero.
In the meantime, the master of conceptual-blues has been busy entertaining crowds here in the UK. We witnessed the extraordinary aural tapestry of his show at the Brighton Centre, a famous textured concrete concert hall situated on the South Coast: (The Who, The Jacksons, Queen.)
The opening number, “Hope You Realize It (Goodbye Again),” eased the audience and musicians into the vibe. Bonamassa’s amazing rock ‘n’ roll boogie started with dazzling rhythms and brought an alliterative organ/guitar battle. The lively tune quickly filled the Brighton Centre with delighted shouts of approval and ululations of unshackled admiration!
the Brighton Centre soon filled with delighted shouts of approval and ululations of unshackled admiration!
RAW RAMP
Bonamassa’s potent gruff vocals shone in his masterful rendition of Bobby “Blue” Bland’s “Twenty-Four Hour Blues.” This song revealed incredibly delicate musicality conveyed on the Les Paul… bringing sounds that glittered with the translucency of scattered jewels and that hung in the air with the fluidity of honey. What a superb performance!
“Well, I Done Got Over It” taken from “Blues Deluxe Vol. 2” was a handclapping funky-glitz call-and-response with talkative guitar/organ interplay and a sequence of establishing rhythms perfectly laid-down by drummer Lemar Carter (Demi Lovato.) At Brighton this number abounded with focused energy and intense feeling.
The hauntingly suspenseful “Self Inflicted Wounds” (from 2018’s “Redemption”) displayed a magnificently blossoming Roger Waters-like Pink Floyd-cum-early Moody Blues soundscape. The guitar-play on this piece came across like a blend of oils and colours. The impeccable arrangement was enhanced by Jade Macrae’s elegant backing vocals. The Sussex audience was then treated to an effusive expression of deep feeling developed by a ravishing guitar inter-harvest with Josh Smith (recognised as one of the world’s best blues guitarists in his own right.) Transfixing!
The vintage R&B continued with “I Want To Shout About It”, a Billy Joel-esque skit reminiscent of Berry Gordy and Billy Davis. This was a pleasing trad-sounding rumble that featured mesmerising organ play by the world-famous keyboardist Reese Wynans… while Josh had a chance to weave a well-received guitar solo into the fancywork. This guitar and keyboard comb brought Sugarloaf to mind.
Bonamassa achieved a perfect synergy between agony and redemption…
RAW RAMP
In his landmark composition “The Last Matador of Bayonne,” Bonamassa combined the grandeur of a full band with his distinct guitar skill to depict the fortitude, bravery, and reflective nature of a matador confronting his (perhaps unwanted) destiny. With his thunderstone vocal delivery, Bonamassa achieved a perfect synergy between agony and redemption.
The rock ‘n’ rollin’ junket “The Heart That Never Waits” had top-notch background harmonies from the eyeworthy Jade MacRae (daughter of the influential keyboardist Dave MacRae) and Danielle DeAndrea. While high-sailing soul-searcher “Is It Safe To Go Home” (the focus track from 2023’s Blues Deluxe Vol. 2, music video shared below) was pushed with the rawest vocal emotion we’ve heard from Joe, together with a set of the sweetest honey-licks (Gary Moore-ish guitar), to deliver a lemon-tang and cherry-syrup confection… Heavenly!
What a performance! What a show! What a night!
By day, and by the minute… and most certainly by the fretboard tweeze, Bonamassa excels!
A spectacular event!
Words: © Neil Mach
Pictures: © Chris Griffiths
Breakthrough 2025 album pre-order link: https://shop.jbonamassa.com/collections/breakthrough
RAW RAMP 