so tonight..i got to attend something special...
At a local music store... Jon Oliva did an acoustic/piano storyteller type deal...... and wow.
( this is all kind of scattered info...just throwing down what i remember)
I'll start off by saying I'm a Savatage fanboy.. seated right in front of Jon!! 50 seats and some standing behind us around the store.
It starts with Jon saying hello and a few lil things but then right off the bat...technical problems!!! Guess the lil disc player they were using for some backing tracks ran out of batteries..... Jon was hilarious killing time til they found some.......
Started off with a Welcome to the Festival type song...to 'set the mood' he says. Then played a song called "Stay" that was left off of Streets (great song). Covered Eleanor Rigby and told how it was the song that got him wanting to be a song writer. Then played If I Go Away from Streets.
Then did a Savatage Q and A
Then talked about the TSO came to be and how the songs were written. How he worked with all these 'stuffy' professional musicians... and how problems arose because Jon doesn't write or read music!! And then how it all worked out. And played some bits and pieces.
Talked about JOP and the writing process..out of tune guitars and Criss Oliva's contributions. I also didn't know Jon was left handed....hmm
Also played Alone You Breather and Believe. A few others....
There was a fan participation song.... And honestly i can't remember what song it was :/
Lots of other funny things happened and were said. Jon also had the best Diet Coke he ever had!!! (it wasn't really DC of course
)
Jon...guitarist Matt Laporte and drummer Chris Kinder all hung out after..signed stuff...did pics with fans and chatted. Matt played through out and Chris did a bunch of the technical stuff...backing tracks etc... The were all just really cool genuine people and were really appreciative of the people that were there.
Just and incredible evening that went by way to fast.....
OH...the soundcheck was pretty funny too... especially when Matt answered his phone in the middle of it!!
OH... so right when it was over... they were gonna go sign some autographs... Jon said he had to go to the bathroom first!! He gets off the little stage there... starts walking to the bathroom..stops right in front of me..shakes my hand and thanks me for coming.....
.... then continues on past everyone else 
Think that is it...will add some more if I remember more....
At a local music store... Jon Oliva did an acoustic/piano storyteller type deal...... and wow.
( this is all kind of scattered info...just throwing down what i remember)
I'll start off by saying I'm a Savatage fanboy.. seated right in front of Jon!! 50 seats and some standing behind us around the store.
It starts with Jon saying hello and a few lil things but then right off the bat...technical problems!!! Guess the lil disc player they were using for some backing tracks ran out of batteries..... Jon was hilarious killing time til they found some.......
Started off with a Welcome to the Festival type song...to 'set the mood' he says. Then played a song called "Stay" that was left off of Streets (great song). Covered Eleanor Rigby and told how it was the song that got him wanting to be a song writer. Then played If I Go Away from Streets.
Then did a Savatage Q and A
Then talked about the TSO came to be and how the songs were written. How he worked with all these 'stuffy' professional musicians... and how problems arose because Jon doesn't write or read music!! And then how it all worked out. And played some bits and pieces.
Talked about JOP and the writing process..out of tune guitars and Criss Oliva's contributions. I also didn't know Jon was left handed....hmm
Also played Alone You Breather and Believe. A few others....
There was a fan participation song.... And honestly i can't remember what song it was :/
Lots of other funny things happened and were said. Jon also had the best Diet Coke he ever had!!! (it wasn't really DC of course
)Jon...guitarist Matt Laporte and drummer Chris Kinder all hung out after..signed stuff...did pics with fans and chatted. Matt played through out and Chris did a bunch of the technical stuff...backing tracks etc... The were all just really cool genuine people and were really appreciative of the people that were there.
Just and incredible evening that went by way to fast.....
OH...the soundcheck was pretty funny too... especially when Matt answered his phone in the middle of it!!
OH... so right when it was over... they were gonna go sign some autographs... Jon said he had to go to the bathroom first!! He gets off the little stage there... starts walking to the bathroom..stops right in front of me..shakes my hand and thanks me for coming.....
.... then continues on past everyone else Think that is it...will add some more if I remember more....
