PDC
Well-known member
Got to see Satriani and Vai at the Uptown in Kansas City last night. Killer, killer venue filled with history and vibe. Vai played the opening set. At 63, he still looks great, and performs with tons of energy. Looks like he was using some Synergy modules with a Fryette LX-II for power and one of his OG Carvin Legacy cabs. Of course, he had great tone - super distinctive - has that glassy, stretchy, smooth, ‘rubber band’ thing going on. Of course, he tours with killer backing musicians. His chops are just incredible. Not just from a speed/clarity perspective - but never an errant open string ringing, never a bend off by even a cent above or below the target pitch. The dude epitomizes physical mastery of the instrument. For my limited musical palette, some of his stuff is SO ‘outside’ that it can be hard to get your toe tapping, finding the groove, and anticipating points of musical ‘resolution’ in the piece. But that says everything about me - not him. Killer set and glad to see he is still out there, doing the Vai thing as well as he ever has.
Satriani played the second set. 67 years old and still fit and all over the stage. His 3RD Power heads and cabs were on display and his tone was really good. Just meatier and chunkier than his previous ‘Scholz Rockman’ kind of sound. Like Vai, Joe just has such command and control of every note he plays. Picked, legato, tapped - everything super clean and precise. No unintended ‘double-stops’ no errant open strings ringing out, no bends ‘almost’ to pitch.
Where some of Vai’s stuff can sound pretty trippy, Satch still brings down the house with foot-tappers like Surfin’ with the Alien, Satch Boogie, Big Bad Moon and the like. A bit more ‘accessible’ song structure and melodies going on. (When I think how impressive his playing is, I gotta remember, he’s been playing the core favorites for over 30 years now. Surfin was released in 1987.)
I would need to listen to the tune they recently recorded together and played together for their encore a few more times to try to get a feel for it. After their encore, Joe and Steve shared the stage and finished the show with covers of ‘You Really Got Me’ and ‘Enter Sandman.’ That’s when I snuck out to the street to get a jump on the unavoidable Uber rush.
All in all, a great night.
Satriani played the second set. 67 years old and still fit and all over the stage. His 3RD Power heads and cabs were on display and his tone was really good. Just meatier and chunkier than his previous ‘Scholz Rockman’ kind of sound. Like Vai, Joe just has such command and control of every note he plays. Picked, legato, tapped - everything super clean and precise. No unintended ‘double-stops’ no errant open strings ringing out, no bends ‘almost’ to pitch.
Where some of Vai’s stuff can sound pretty trippy, Satch still brings down the house with foot-tappers like Surfin’ with the Alien, Satch Boogie, Big Bad Moon and the like. A bit more ‘accessible’ song structure and melodies going on. (When I think how impressive his playing is, I gotta remember, he’s been playing the core favorites for over 30 years now. Surfin was released in 1987.)
I would need to listen to the tune they recently recorded together and played together for their encore a few more times to try to get a feel for it. After their encore, Joe and Steve shared the stage and finished the show with covers of ‘You Really Got Me’ and ‘Enter Sandman.’ That’s when I snuck out to the street to get a jump on the unavoidable Uber rush.
All in all, a great night.
they are both very good musicians