Well.. I went to the G3 show last night and I wasn't disappointed. It was a great show. Here's the full story with all spoilers included:
My friends and I got about there twenty minutes early, but the line had already stretched on for about two blocks. Considering the Fillmore Auditorium here in Denver isn't that big of a venue, the turnout really surprised me. Due to technical difficulties, we stood in line for about an extra 45 minutes to an hour (I never wear a watch so I'm approximating).
When we finally got in, it took about 15 minutes for Yngwie to appear on stage. After navigating around a bunch of guys with afros and big hair, I finally got a good view of him, and man... he sure can put on a show. He played a great set consisting of about half of the Rising Force album, along with other classics such as Blitzkrieg. The problem was, though, that he BSed his way through most of my favorites, like Black Star and Far Beyond the Sun. Instead of playing the songs note for note with a few little improvisations here and there, he shred through the whole songs, stopping to play a riff every once in a while to distinguish one song from the next. The only things that set Black Star apart from any other songs, for instance, was the bass line, Yngwie playing the main riff about twice, and the acoustic intro. Despite this problem and the fact that Yngwie was TOO GODDAMN LOUD, the set was really enjoyable. The guy did all kinds of crazy stage antics, like swinging his guitar, throwing it, smashing it, just about anything a live guitarist can do.
Next was Steve Vai, who was the biggest surprise of the night. Not being a huge Vai fan, I was blown away after seeing him. His technical skill is amazing, and I don't get impressed too easily anymore. I'm not too familiar with his songs so I can't tell you what he played, but a few of them sounded pretty familiar. Also, Tony Macalpine played keys/guitar for Vai, and Billy Sheehan played bass. The set was great. Some of the best parts of the set were: Steve Vai playing a 3-neck guitar, Sheehan's bass solo, Tony MacAlpine and Steve doing double harmonies, and all of the guitar players (Steve, Tony, Billy Sheehan, and Steve's rhythm guitarist) lining up together and playing each other's guitars with the left hand while picking their own with the right.
Satch was up next and he put on a good show as well. He played all of his songs flawlessly, with perfect dynamics and anything. Joe is a true professional. Among his setlist were classics such as: Always with Me, Always with you, Mystical Potato Head Groove Thing, and Satch Boogie, along with lots of other fan favorites. His playing was fantastic but he didn't really do much to entertain the crowd like Yngwie or Vai. Nevertheless, a solid set.
Finally, after Joe's last song, he invited Yngwie and Vai up on stage for the famous jam session. They played three songs: Keep on Rocking in the Free World, and a couple Hendrix tunes. All three of the guys sang at one point or another. They're all pretty decent singers actually. The whole solo duel thing was ok, I guess. Maybe I was tired by then or maybe Yngwie was too loud for me to hear Vai, but I didn't find it to be the best part of the night. Yngwie's shredding was a bit out of place, and I couldn't hear Vai very well. Still, it was fun to watch, a classic moment in guitar.
All in all, I had a great time at G3, and to any fan of shred, I recommend you go see this show. You'd probably even enjoy the show even if you aren't a guitarist seeing as how Vai and Satch songs have appeal to non-guitarists as well.
Serge
