Blizzard Auditorium plays host to real ‘guitar hero’

Chester Roush
Staff Writer
Use whatever metaphor you want, but Joe Bonamassa rocked the house.

The blues guitarist played in the ECC Blizzard Auditorium on Saturday, March 7, drawing a diverse crowd of young and old.

The audience responded to the show with great enthusiasm, erupting into applause after each solo, with a standing ovation when Bonamassa played the Gibson “Flying V” electric guitar. Bonamassa’s solo acoustic set also had the audience clapping in time with the rhythm, and throughout the performance people tapped their feet and hands to the music.

Accompanied by Carmine Rojas on drums, Rick Melick on keyboard, and Bogie Bowls on bass, Joe Bonamassa coupled his soulful vocals (filled with such lines as “slow gin, slow gin, wash away the pain, inside”) with truly virtuosic guitar to fashion a great performance. Bonamassa also took time to recall his early days playing at ECC.

“You always remember where you came from,” Bonamassa told the audience between sets.

Bonamassa and his band debuted at the Blizzard Theatre several years ago, an event recalled by Director of Performing Arts Steve Duchrow.

“I’ve had a long history with Joe,” said Duchrow. “[ECC] was the first performing arts center to ever present him back in 2002 or 2003, and this is the fourth or fifth time I’ve presented Joe.”