Live report JOE BONAMASSA, Barclays Arena, Hamburg – April 22nd, 2026

It’s been a while since I last saw Joe Bonamassa perform live. If I remember correctly, the iconic guitarist played five shows at the Carré Theatre in Amsterdam in March 2015, and it was a great experience. While tonight’s venue, Barclays Arena in Hamburg, certainly can’t compete with a location like the Royal Theatre Carre, music fans have still found their way to the arena. This is the first stop on the tour for Bonamassa and his bandmates, a tour featuring two legs.

Last year, the blues guitarist released the brilliant new album “Breakthrough”, which will play a role in tonight’s show. It is a few minutes before 20:00 when the lights go down and an intro announces the guitar master. During the intro the band enters the stage followed by Joe Bonamassa who starts his show with the the title track from the latest studio album. It’s the beginning of a rock and blues spectacle, and everyone is fully captivated. People’s jaws drop due to Bonamassa’s intricate guitar playing and great voice.

One of the most fascinating things about Bonamassa is not only that he is an exceptional guitarist. He is a great singer, too. And it’s not just his voice that sings; his guitar sings too, from thunderous blues riffs to those fragile moments when you could hear a pin drop. Bonamassa is constantly in dialogue with his guitar, which is exciting to watch and listen to.

Tonight is all about the music, as is clear from the stage scenery. There are no gimmicks. It’s the band and a skillfully designed lighting setup that complement the music beautifully.

We are listening to musicians who are masters of their craft and use their toolkit to create the perfect blend of song and solo, as demonstrated by the awesome “Last Matador of Bayonne”, supported not only by the background singers’ vocals, but also by them swinging fans. Then there’s the grooving “Trigger Finger” and the powerful “Pack It Up”.

Tonight is all about Joe Bonamassa, but he also gives his band members a chance to shine. Each of them gets a solo, starting with keyboarder, Lachy Doley, who demonstrates all his skills during the above-mentioned “Pack It Up”. Meanwhile, drummer Lemar Carter hits the drums hard during his solo, and background singers Danni D’Andrea and Jade MacRae showcase their vocal talents during “I Want to Shout About It”.

Around halfway through the set, Joe Bonamassa introduces the band in a humorous and unusual way. He starts by saying that Hamburg is always a great place to play a show, but could the city get an airport with direct international flight connections? What follows is the travel itinerary of each band member, including all the stopovers. This makes everyone smile, especially when Bonamassa mentions him running through Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam to catch the flight to Hamburg, an experience I can relate to. Fortunately, everything worked out and he is now on stage.

After finishing the regular set with “A Million Miles Away”, Bonamassa and his band return to the stage for an encore. He gave the fans the choice of D minor or D major, before picking up the Les Paul and playing “Sloe Gin” by Tim Curry.

Tonight was a great opportunity to experience excellent, passionate and expertly performed music. Listening to Joe Bonamassa is a delight. It was a jaw-dropping treat for fans of great music, and everyone who came to the Barclays Arena tonight was rewarded with a memorable show that will be remembered for a long time.