In his youth, he was nicknamed Smokin’ Joe Bonamassa, and years later that smoke is even thicker as evident on Bonamassa’s latest offering, the two disc audio of his performance at New York City’s Beacon Theatre.
This is the same performance that was released on DVD earlier this year, and parts of the performance have been broadcast on the PAL television network. If you saw the performance, you don’t have to be told how remarkable it was. For those of you who don’t collect DVDs, or just want to have the audio, this set is an excellent addition to your collection.
Over the years, Bonamassa has released a number of live recordings in addition to putting out a new studio offering. While some performers put out live albums when they don’t have anything else to promote, Bonamassa’s live performances evolve so quickly that a live album every few years isn’t redundant.
If you are familiar with his “Live from Albert Hall” album from 2009, you may wonder if there was any way he could top that historic performance. After one time through “Beacon Theatre: Live from New York,” it more than lives up to the standard he set in the Albert Hall release.
The material from what was his latest studio album at the time, “Dust Bowl,” is fantastic, especially a seven minute version of the title cut that features some extended soloing and finds Joe in great voice.
You also get two songs from Bonamassa’s collaboration with Beth Hart, “Don’t Explain.” If you haven’t heard Beth Hart sing before, you will definitely be impressed with her performance on the two tracks from the album, especially the gut wrenching version of “Sinner’s Prayer.”
Joe collaborates with Paul Rodgers and John Hiatt as well, but my favorite songs feature Joe and his band, including the best live version of Leonard Cohen’s “Bird on a Wire” that I have ever heard and a version of “Young Man Blues” that rivals The Who’s version on “Live at Leeds.”
If you want a free song from the album to “test drive” it, you can download “When the Fire Hits the Sea,” right here When the Fire Hits the Sea .
