Tom Morello SEGA 2024
After dropping out of guitar lessons in high school, I started playing again when I heard Audioslave in the early 2000s, and eventually made the switch to electric guitar. Tom Morello's guitar riffs, bizarre solos, and effects motivated me to play again and enjoy it. So when I heard Tom Morello was playing at Gebouw T, I naturally had to be there!
On Thursday, July 4, 2024, Tom received the SENA European Guitar Award. This lifetime achievement award recognizes guitarists who have had/have had a significant influence on the guitar world. The award was presented by Bergen op Zoom Mayor Margo Mulder, a longtime fan herself who enthusiastically rocked along during the performances. Videos provided an overview of Tom's career, and congratulations were also shared by other past winners. Tom also gave a speech about how he had learned from many major mistakes, including, like me, giving up guitar due to boring lesson materials.
After receiving the award, Tom played a varied set himself, featuring new and old material, along with medleys of Rage Against the Machine riffs. "The Ghost of Tom Joad" was a highlight for me, a Bruce Springsteen song he always played when he toured with the Boss as part of the E Street Band.
During the show, he pulled out all the stops with his unique guitar techniques and effects, playing with a guitar cable, using his teeth, or scratching his guitar—it all came together. Besides Tom, various Dutch artists also played covers of songs from his career. A fantastic evening with a top guitarist. Luckily, I still have the records and the setlist!
