Watch Eric Gales and Joe Bonamassa treat an intimate Memphis crowd to a 13-minute, dueling solo-fueled I Want My Crown

Last Friday (January 28), blues guitar master Eric Gales released his highly-anticipated new album, Crown. 

To celebrate, that same evening, Gales hosted a release party at Railgarten in his hometown of Memphis, Tennessee, wowing the crowd with a searing, 12-song set packed with Crown highlights, and choice cuts from Gales's extensive back catalog. 

To close the proceedings, Gales invited his friend, Crown co-producer and fellow electric guitar master Joe Bonamassa to the stage for a 13-minute, dueling solo-charged rendition of I Want My Crown. You can check it out above.

Before we get to the good stuff, we'd be remiss if we didn't mention that – before the six-string fun – Gales says, "hey, wait a minute. Don't this look like the cover of Guitar World magazine?" before striking a heroic pose with Bonamassa. 

The latter plays a Les Paul onstage, rather than the Firebird he holds on the cover, but otherwise, we're inclined to agree!

To start things off, Gales and Bonamassa embark on a three-minute funk vamp, trading sending slinky lead lines back and forth over a wah-drenched backdrop before Bonamassa, playfully, says "start the fucking song, Eric!"

Start the song Gales does though, racing through the verses before inviting the crowd to watch as he and Bonamassa "step into the ring."

What ensues, of course, is some top-tier call-and-response blues duelin'. The duo are having a blast, and stretch out a bit more than they do on the equally fiery studio version of the song.

Bass guitar star MonoNeon is even on hand as well, contributing a furiously funky solo of his own to the proceedings. 

Crown is available now via Provogue Records/Mascot Label Group, and on all streaming services. Keep an eye out for our forthcoming interview with Gales and Bonamassa, and – if you can't wait – pick up a copy of the Gales/Bonamassa-fronted, February 2022 issue of Guitar World from Magazines Direct.