Is anyone going to see Joe Bonnamassa?

xSkarloey

Just thinking aloud, but...

I keep hearing his gigs advertised on the radio (Talksport when I have it on for commentaries)and LBC during the day.

Do you think they're having trouble shifting tickets? I recall hearing albums advertised on talk radio but very rarely gigs.

richardhomer

I'd rather have third-degree burns....

beed84

I might go to see him just to give him evils.

Si_

He's taking the Pi$$ these days with the ticket prices and I think it's putting a lot of proper fans off. I've seen him 5 times live now in the last 3-4 years and prices have gone from £25 the first time to £150+ for the recent gigs.  I also now find his shows a bit boring, the last one I saw in Leeds was quite dull. 

xSkarloey

£100+ for a gig is extracting the urine.

If it's pricey enough to make people think twice then no wonder they're having to push it hard via radio ads.

"The Guitar Event of the Year" it's billed as.

Arf.

bingefeller

I wouldn't think he would have problems shifting tickets.  I always assumed most of his fans were dentist / solicitor / doctor types with plenty of cash and who enjoy "heavy blues rock" music.  I bet loads of TGP'ers will be there.

RocknRollDave

bingefeller said:

I wouldn't think he would have problems shifting tickets.  I always assumed most of his fans were dentist / solicitor / doctor types with plenty of cash and who enjoy "heavy blues rock" music.  I bet loads of TGP'ers will be there.

When I went to see him, Syd Little was in the audience.

bingefeller

RocknRollDave said:

bingefeller said:

I wouldn't think he would have problems shifting tickets.  I always assumed most of his fans were dentist / solicitor / doctor types with plenty of cash and who enjoy "heavy blues rock" music.  I bet loads of TGP'ers will be there.

When I went to see him, Syd Little was in the audience.

lol that's weird.  Did he do any jokes to get the crowd riled up a bit?

RocknRollDave

bingefeller said:

RocknRollDave said:

bingefeller said:

I wouldn't think he would have problems shifting tickets.  I always assumed most of his fans were dentist / solicitor / doctor types with plenty of cash and who enjoy "heavy blues rock" music.  I bet loads of TGP'ers will be there.

When I went to see him, Syd Little was in the audience.

lol that's weird.  Did he do any jokes to get the crowd riled up a bit?

haha nope, but he did make me think to myself "Is THIS my peer group?!"

TinLip

I'm going - got a free ticket so who am I to look a gift horse in the mouth?

I'll be the only one wearing the leather biker jacket that has actually been used as such.

FelineGuitars

High ticket prices will be putting people off perhaps

However I really don't understand the anti Joe Bonnamassa sentiments...or the same sentiments for Nickelback.

Nobody has been able to explain it to me in terms that make any sense.

The "Oh he's popular with Doctors and Dentists and other people who drive nice cars and play golf" doesn't cut it as an explanation.

I'd like to hear why these two artists are so reviled in a way that can help me understand why.

xSkarloey

I believe Nickelback are the ones about whom someone started a fundraising campaign to pay them not to come to London.

What a waste of time. If people don't like something just turn it off. No need to waste energy on bleating about it.

I still think that the tag line about 'guitar event of the year' is hyperbole, but if people want to spend their money on it that's up to them.

It's just the heavy rotation of the ad since before Xmas that got me thinking.

Interestingly I've just heard it again on the radio, and it says something like 'give someone the gift of music and buy a ticket,' which is something else that sounds a bit odd to me, but there you go....

Flink_Poyd

FelineGuitars;558337" said:

However I really don't understand the anti Joe Bonnamassa sentiments...or the same sentiments for Nickelback.Nobody has been able to explain it to me in terms that make any sense

@FelineGuitars
Some people get the dubious tag of being fashionable to dislike and I think they fall into that category.
I'm not a massive fan of either but there are some Nickelback songs I quite happily sing out in the car, How You Remind Me being one. The front man having Spaniel hair probably doesn't help and they take the hate pretty well.

Joe Bonamassa I genuinely haven't heard much if him other than what comes on Planet Rock and most of it does nothing for me.

I'd quite happily swap places with either, especially Nickelback bloke as I'm not quite old enough to be Avril Lavignes dad

Toon

I drove past the Hammersmith Apollo tonight about 7 o clock....a few folks milling around but at £75-£120 a ticket they were probably touts. No chance.
I've seen him 8 times but never in last 3 years since he went stellar. First time : Cheese & Grain, Frome and £12 a ticket.
Average US venue tickets about $60. Rip off Britain.
No the wonder he has 5 Bursts! Must be saving for his 6th.

xSkarloey

@Toon

Didn't know it was tonight. 

A pal of mine had a similar experience. He saw him play a while ago now for a tenner or so in somewhere like Carshalton. 

Toon

Yeah tonight is the first of 4 gigs this week. Not quite Clapton esque 12 nights at RAH but that's probably what his arrogance is attempting to emulate.

cruxiform

I'm going to see him on Friday. I last saw Bonamassa play at Sutton Football Club years ago, he was great. I like his music and his playing. If people don't like him then it's of no concern to me, there's plenty of artists mentioned on this forum I don't like too.

xSkarloey

cruxiform;562119" said:

I'm going to see him on Friday. I last saw Bonamassa play at Sutton Football Club years ago, he was great. I like his music and his playing. If people don't like him then it's of no concern to me, there's plenty of artists mentioned on this forum I don't like too.

And I hope you have a good time.

Like all popular performers he divides opinion somewhat, though I suspect him being a guitarist means those opinions are more strongly expressed.

Either way I explained why I posted this in the first place. With that in mind if you don't mind doing me a favour you could give me an idea of how well attended it is, just to satisfy my curiosity.

boogieman

I think he sees himself, and is marketed as, the New Clapton (and I suppose he does appeal to a similar audience) so his management probably just price the tickets accordingly. I saw him at Shepherds a Bush a few years back, tickets were about £20 I think. Frankly I wouldn't pay much more to see him again. He's ok, just very derivative IMO, a bit of a chameleon style-wise.

xSkarloey

The New Clapton? I thought that was meant to be John Mayer?!

boogieman

John Mayer is very different animal to Clapton IMO.. For a start he wears about three different hats: SRV/Hendrix styled blues, folksy Americana, angsty teenage girl idol. Joe is much more simple old school blues rock, so he's more akin Clapton. I agree JB brings nothing new to the table, which was kind of the point I was making in my first post.