Bonamassa honors Wynans, salutes Gallagher, and performs Grammy nominated songs in KC

Fresh off his fifth career Grammy nomination with Breakthrough, Joe Bonamassa’s fall tour stopped through the Midland Theatre in Kansas City, Missouri. Joining Bonamassa was his 7-piece band, consisting of guitar virtuoso Josh Smith (rhythm guitar), the smooth rhythm section of Calvin Turner (bass), and Lemar Carter (drums), powerhouse vocalists Jade MacRae and Dannielle De Andrea, and, of course, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Reese Wynans on keys. It was recently announced that this fall tour would be the final tour with Wynans.

The show began at 8 PM sharp and fittingly started with the title track, “Breakthrough,” followed by another track from the new album, “Trigger Finger.” Both are high-energy rockers to get the crowd going early.

“Happier Times” made its way back into the set list after several years. The song originally appeared on The Ballad of John Henry and notably Live From The Royal Albert Hall. The song got reworked a bit with a keyboard intro from Wynans and was one of the standout performances of the night.

“Double Trouble” and “Pack It Up” brought the show back in the blues direction. On “Double Trouble,” Wynans had a chance to really shine on keys, and the crowd absolutely loved his solo.

After “Pack It Up,” Bonamassa got on the mic and mentioned that he’s been playing Kansas City for 30 years. He then made some jokes about uniting Kansas City, Missouri, and Kansas City, Kansas, which prompted laughs from the crowd. Bonamassa proceeded to introduce the band and referred to Reese Wynans as the GOAT. Wynans earned a standing ovation from the crowd.

Over the summer, Bonamassa tipped his hat to Rory Gallagher with a series of tribute shows. Bonamassa is continuing that on this tour, playing one Rory song per night. Joe covered one of Rory’s most notable songs with a great rendition of “A Million Miles Away.” Rory is still so underappreciated by many, and it’s great that Bonamassa is helping to keep his memory alive for new generations.

For the encore, Bonamassa and his band returned with a longtime fan favorite, “Mountain Time.” Mountain Time” is one of those songs that can give you goose bumps no matter how many times you’ve heard it. It’s one of those songs that you just need to hear live. Bonamassa’s guitar was next level.

The 2-hour show was a powerful reminder of why Bonamassa is one of the premier live acts today. Killer guitar and world-class musicianship. With Reese Wynans nearing his final bow with Bonamassa, the performance felt both celebratory and historic.

SET LIST

Breakthrough
Trigger Finger
24 Hour Blues
Done Got Over It
Happier Times
Drive Past The Exit Sign
Double Trouble
Pack It Up
Heart That Never Waits
Shout About It
It’s Hard But It’s Fair
A Million Miles Away
Mountain Time (encore)

View the two page photo gallery below.

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