REVIEW: Joe Bonamassa, Hampton Court, June 12.

NOW regally crowned as this planet's greatest Blues-Rock guitar king, Joe Bonamassa took Hampton Court back to a right royal time of Henry VIII when he put heads in a spin beneath an ermin sky.

As deep blue turned to a dwindling crimson, JoBo took to the outside stage at King Harry's palace on a sultry evening meant for passion, writes Paul Thomas.

And the winners of your Observer's special Royal Wedding competition package were in awe of some of the best Blues-Rock you are ever likely to hear.

Sky TV IT specialists, Karen Sayer, 33, and partner Regan Stewart, 41, joined me and my son Morgan for an evening which sets aside the true Blue from the wannabe's with a title to his throne.

Miss Sayer, of Langley, said: "It was just awesome, it's the first time I have seen him, but it won't be the last. I've never heard anything like it in my life. How does he do those things with a guitar?"

Within seconds of a red hot set in front of eager fans and newcomers to his brand of beautiful axe-playing the crowd was in the palm of a hand that can make you weep with admiration.

Trademark dark suit and shades, a revolving courtroom of guitar changes, a horn section of excessive talent, keyboards drums, bass and two great backing singers were all you needed for one of the best nights out of rock that you'll experience.

Genius, Joe opened with four songs from an album not due out till September King Bee Shakedown, Evil Mama, Just Cause You Can Don’t Mean You Should and Self Inflicted Wounds followed by Some Other Day, No Good Place For The Lonely, How Deep This River Runs, Breaking Up Someone’s Home, Slow Train, Boogie With Stu and Last Kiss before the 'crowd get what they want' said JoBo, Sloe Gin.

His fingers are on fire and his soulful passion for playing means there is a deeper expression in his truthful exploration of how to take this genre forward.

His ability to find every conceivable inch of the fretboard is nothing short of sensational, bending and twisting strings that haven't been so in chord than those at a royal wedding.

Hampton Court wasn't rocked like this since Henry VIII went through six wives.