Well...I went. My overall rating of the show was two thumbs up...but you have to be in the mood to listen quickly as I lost count at 2,487,394 notes
I really enjoyed the show...yes, there was a lot of overplaying, but IMO there was a lot of good overplaying in there.
I've listened to Yngwie on and off since he first came to the US. I hadn't seen him live since the early/mid '80s when he opened for AC/DC. Near as I can tell he's still using the same amps...FIVE full Marshall stacks on his side of the stage (four of them were on). How many of us can say that we're still using the same amp nearly 20 years later? Hmmmm?
Oddly enough
Yngwie never introduced his band...and he gave himself two solo spots. His bassist was a small built guy, barely taller than and SVT 8x10 and head. Played a Warwick Thumb with a pick.
Steve Vai was incredible...it's amazing to me how anyone can play like that. Such command of the instrument an all that it's signal is routed through. And his band was awesome too...Tony McAlpine on guitar and keyboards and another guitarist who's name I forget.
I really admire Steve for surrounding himself on stage with guitarists that can go note for note with him (and do on a regular basis).
It was fun seeing Billy Sheehan in person. I wish his tone was cleaner, but hey, it's HIS tone. Such dexterity that fella has!!!
I took a little walk up front as the crew was setting up Vai's stage and looked at Billy's rack (is it wrong for a guy to check out another guy's rack?) Anyway, I had to laugh as it appeared that while there was an Ampeg SVP-BSP in the rack, Billy was using his old Pearce BC-1 instead. He also used two 8x10s and SVT-4Pro heads. There was a bunch of other stuff, but I couldn't tell what it was.
Satriani was awesome too... I own his first two CDs but haven't really kept up with his music. I preferred Joe's tone of the three last night...
Like Vai, I am floored by the control that Joe has of his sound. Matt Bissonete sounded great (when I could hear him).
The jam at the end was quite interesting...a lot of trading fours, the let Yngwie start off with Voodoo Chile, then they jammed, then Steve started Little Wing, and they jammed then Joe started (and sang!!!) Keep on Rockin' in the Free World.
I think of all the songs that were played during this nearly 4 hour show, only four had vocals. That's fine for me, but I rarely listen to the lyrics anyway...
Oh, and to answer my earlier question...Billy was nowhere to be seen afterwards...bummer I do want to shake his hand someday. Yngwie's keyboard player was out front talking to people but there was such a crowd around I didn't stick around...plus it was almost midnight, I had been up since 4:30 am and still had an hour+ drive ahead of me to get home...
If you're remotely interested in any of these musicians, I strongly suggest that you go see the show.
Oh, and all the kick drums sounded great!!!!
