Upstate guitar legend makes SPAC stop
Utica’s Bonamassa rocks out with star-studded band
SARATOGASPRINGS, N.Y. » Lauded guitarist Joe Bonamassa stopped in the Spa City on his summer tour this week, giving fans a memorable night of rock and blues music.
The upstate New York native, considered one of the best guitar players of his generation, performed Tuesday night at THE Saratoga Performing Arts Center to a paviliononly audience of appreciative fans.
“My name is Joe Bonamassa from just down there in Utica, New York,” the frontman said as he introduced himself to the crowd.
No stranger to the SPAC stage, the last time Bonamassa was in town, he played a tribute to The Three Kings: Albert, B.B. and Freddie. On Tuesday, he switched gears and played a lot of rock numbers, with some bluesy tunes mixed in.
Bonamassa started the show with three songs from his most recent release, 2016’s “Blues of Desperation,” his 12th studio album. “This Train,” “Mountain Climbing” and the title track kicked off the concert, before Bonamassa delved into some of his earlier work.
Each song was long, with lots of improvised solos, mostly by Bonamassa. As usual, the guitarist impressed show-goers with his fast and fancy fingerwork, all while maintaining his cool guy persona.
Bonamassa got his start when he opened for the legendary blues musician B.B. King in 1989 at age 12. Now 40, Bonamassa is still pleasing crowds with his intricate and distinct guitarplaying skills.
Throughout the set, Bonamassa and his band pulled hits from throughout his musical career, from “Slow Train” off his 2011 release “Dust Bowl” and the title track from 2012’s “Driving Towards the Daylight” to “Last Kiss” off the 2009 album “The Ballad of John Henry.” Later in the evening, Bonamassa covered some classic Led Zeppelin, performing “Boogie with Stu” and “How Many More Times.”
Bonamassa played for more than two hours straight, switching to a new guitar between just about every number. The night ended with a one-song encore, a final cover of “Hummingbird,” a song originally written by Leon Russell that later became a B.B. King staple.
“I really loved it,” said local event-goer Elaine Vandenburgh after the show, calling Bonamassa “not only a phenomenal artist but literally a class act.”
After discovering Bonamassa through his PBS specials, Tuesday was Vandenburgh’s first time seeing him live, she said, considering it “such a professionally delivered show.”
Bonamassa let his guitar do most of the talking on stage, but made some comments while introducing his band, which included drummer Anton Fig, a longtime member of Paul Shaffer’s band on “The Late Show with David Letterman,” and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Reese Wynans on keyboards, along with bassist Michael Rhodes, three female backup singers and a horn section.
“What a lovely gathering,” Bonamassa remarked to the audience in the SPAC amphitheater. “Thank you for coming.”