Now Serving: Royal Tea Live From The Ryman Joe Bonamassa

• 1 When One Door Opens (Live) 08:21
• 2 Royal Tea (Live) 04:38
• 3 High Class Girl (Live) 05:41
• 4 Lookout Man! (Live) 06:49
• 5 Why Does It Take So Long To Say Goodbye (Live) 09:34
• 6 A Conversation With Alice (Live) 07:35
• 7 I Didn't Think She Would Do It (Live) 04:34
• 8 Beyond The Silence (Live) 07:14
• 9 Lonely Boy (Live) 06:33
• 10 Cradle Rock (Live) 05:16
• 11 Walk In My Shadow (Live) 04:29
• 12 A New Day Yesterday / Starship Trooper - Wurm (Live) 08:56
• Total Runtime 01:19:40

Info for Now Serving: Royal Tea Live From The Ryman

When COVID-19 put the live touring industry on hold, guitar hero Joe Bonamassa did something unprecedented for his fans – he put together a one-night-only show at the iconic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN to be livestreamed for fans everywhere. That night he united people across 44 countries worldwide for a phenomenal live music presentation of his brand-new album “Royal Tea” before it was even released.

The stellar performance includes 12 incredible live tracks, featuring the best from his latest studio release Royal Tea, Joe’s his 24th #1 record on the Billboard Blues chart. Royal Tea was recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London and at the time of the show at Ryman Auditorium, was unreleased, so fans got to hear the new music for the very first time. It also includes 3 electrifying tracks from his 20th anniversary album A New Day Now. Get your serving and relive the excitement time and time again with this once-in-a-lifetime release from one of the most celebrated Blues Rock entertainers!

Recalling the magical night, Bonamassa shares, “I have always wanted to film a show at the legendary Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. Our band has had the honor of playing there now 8 1/2 times over the past 10 years. The audience is always alive and electric, hanging on every word and phrase. It feels like the greatest, most intimate gig you will ever do but there are 2,300 people sharing this joy and musical journey. I love the place as it is a national treasure and selfishly close to my house. Here’s where I get to the 1/2 part. We missed you. As great as it is to be on that stage in any capacity, YOU the fans make it special. You are part of the show and a big part of it. As this show was being filmed live, almost 100,000 eyes were on us in various forms around the world in front of TVs and computers alike. But you were not in the room with us.”

In normal times, the legendary venue typically seats 2,300, but for one night only, the real crowd was the size of a major stadium, and in-house nearly every seat was filled with a custom cardboard cutout of a fan. The event sold over 17,000 tickets, reaching a global audience and bringing people of all different cultures together during a time when it often felt like the world was falling apart. Considering the number of households watching concerts together from home, one ticket could actually account for an entire family, so the true number of viewers would likely skyrocket.

Joe continues, “We played as good as we could in front of those 1700 cardboard cut outs of your faces and tried to imagine you there. For split seconds I would catch a glimpse of the room and it almost felt normal. Then the song would end and there would be dead silence. Only the footsteps of our crew could be heard. With all of that said, this DVD is a snapshot of a concert performance within the confines a vast sea change of the world. A world that had temporarily deemed us unnecessary. Nobody knows when I will ever get back to this stage in front of a full house again, but I sure do know that I do love it and miss you greatly. This show counts as a 1/2.”

The night at the Ryman should also be celebrated as an event that brought the music industry together. Between ticket sales and donations during his After Party Showcase, the event raised $32,000 for Bonamassa’s Fueling Musicians program, presented by his non-profit Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation (KTBA). Supporting artists for over a year amid the pandemic, to date the program has secured $460,000 in funding for qualifying touring musicians who are suffering financial hardship since their careers have been put on hold. The program provides immediate $1,500 cash payments for essential living expenses to help musicians stay afloat until they can get back out on the road.

As for the amazing set list, Bonamassa has made a career out of taking risks and venturing into uncharted territory throughout his wide-ranging career and outstanding live shows, and the delivery at Ryman Auditorium was nothing short of perfection. Bonamassa shines brighter than ever, always adding new genre-bending flavor in his guitar playing and his trademark spin on the vocals. It’s no wonder he’s often praised for bringing new audiences to the Blues Rock universe. Bonamassa already has an incredible catalogue of live and studio releases that continue to evolve and catch the ears of music critics far and wide. “Now Serving: Royal Tea Live From The Ryman” provides much needed invigoration and will give music fans back the unbelievable feeling of being at a live concert event. With the audio/visual experience they’ll get with this release, they’ll get front row seats for one of the best touring acts around!

“A large portion of Joe’s appeal lies in his super nerd tendencies, attention to detail and genuinely enormous breadth of chops. And you sense that he cares – really cares – about all this.” - Classic Rock

“Joe’s heartfelt performance succeeded in taking the edge off what has been an awfully long break, and there’s no doubting at all the untrammeled power of a Joe Bonamassa live performance, even in an empty room.” 8.5 - Sonic Abuse

“If you’ve ever attended a live Bonamassa show you know that Joe doesn’t cut corners. Every detail is meticulously planned…With his livestream concert, Bonamassa shows the music industry that livestream shows are a viable alternative for artists when done in a professional manner...incredible guitar, a tight performance with top notch production and sound.” - Blues Rock Review

“With impressive production and great sound, blues/rock guitar master Joe Bonamassa and the band pulled off a top tier show.” - Rock & Blues Muse

Joe Bonamassa, guitar, vocals
Rob McNelly, guitar
Michael Rhodes, bass
Greg Morrow, drums
Jimmy Hall, harmonica, vocals
Reese Wynans, keyboards
Dannielle DeAndrea, vocals
Jade MacRae, vocals

Recorded at the Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN September 20 2020

Joe Bonamassa
Blues-rock superstar Joe Bonamassa is one of the most celebrated performing musicians of his generation. A five-time GRAMMY-nominated artist and 15-time Blues Music Award nominee - with four wins - he recently notched his 31st No. 1 album on the Billboard Blues Chart with his latest tribute album The Spirit Of Rory Live From Cork, extending his record for the most No. 1 albums in the chart’s history. With over 50 releases spanning studio and live recordings, he has built a far-reaching, multi-genre catalog.

Beyond performing, Bonamassa plays a central role in today’s blues landscape as a producer and curator. Working closely with Josh Smith, he has produced albums for artists including Joanne Shaw Taylor, Marc Broussard, Larry McCray, and Jimmy Hall through his Journeyman and KTBA labels. He also curates and headlines sold-out destination events like Keeping the Blues Alive at Sea and Sound Wave Beach Weekend, while his Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation has funded hundreds of music education projects across the country.

This album contains no booklet.