Guitar legend Joe Bonamassa fulfills a promise that he made 10 years ago and performs a special UK concert, marking the 10 year anniversary of his first ever UK show.

“I can’t begin to thank Mr. Kyps enough for taking a chance with me 10 years ago, as well as those original fans that got me started in the UK,” Joe Bonamassa

Ten years ago little known Blues guitarist Joe Bonamassa travelled from the States to play his first UK gig to a small crowd at Mr. Kyps. Kyp was so impressed by the music he was sent he even agreed to finance the show himself.

The gig went down so well he returned again and again and as the crowds grew so did the size of the venues he played all over the country. Joe returned one more time and at the end of the night he made a promise to return one day to play again.

A lot of water has passed under the bridge since then and the name Joe Bonamassa can now sell out the Royal Albert Hall and larger arenas up and down the country but tonight he made good on that promise and returned to Kyps to play to a packed house.

The lucky 300 competition winners packed into Kyps and right from the start were treated to a Blues Master class delivered the way only the man and his band can. Shoehorned onto the stage the show was free of backdrops and effects it was pure music and it sounded perfect.

Of course you want musicians with real talent to go onto bigger and better things but you also want them to remember the people and venues that helped them along the way.

Tonight’s gig was just as much about the venue and the owner as it was about the guys on the stage. Joe acknowledged this and thanked Mr Kyp for his support. Many small clubs are struggling to survive and could do with the support of the million selling acts they helped to get where they are today.

Joe Bonamassa did that tonight and people got to see the Blues played in the perfect setting.

Allan Jones for the Daily Echo

News Broadcast Footage Courtesy of BBC South

Live Concert Video Courtesy of Natasha Cornblatt