Steve Vai

rockyracoon

rockyracoon

...
Aug 1, 2005
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Batavia, IL
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Saw the guy in Milwaukee last night at The Pabst Theater. I've seen him a few times now, but this may have been the best show. Sure, he is minus the likes of the amazing Mike Keneally, the incredible Mike Mangini, or even the comical Phillip Bynoe. However, he does come equipped with the faithful Dave Weiner, badass drummer Jeremy Colson(Dali's Dilemma), and Byran Beller on bass. Not to mention 2 violinists that absolutely tear shit up.


Some of the highlights for me were opening with Now We Run(from PCU), Freak Show Excess, The Crying Machine, Fire Garden Suite and the encore of Liberty, Answers and For the Love of God. Anyway, it was an unbelievable show and Vai had my jaw on the floor, as he always does. Hope anyone interested in catching this tour decides to go.
 
Yeah I think Mark Woods is with him right now, who I mentioned in another thread plays with the Trans Siberian Orchestra, and is just the shit when it comes to electric violin.

I would love to see him live (minus G3, as his material is better for a non-G3 setting). But no Atlanta date.
 
I've seen him with Roth on both Roth tours, and half a dozen times solo. Passion & Warfare is one of my Top 10 CDs of all-time. However, everything he has done since has been ruined by an overabundance of self-indulgence. If I could sit Stevie down and give him some advice, I'd say the following:

1. Shut the f**k up. No one wants to hear you sing.
2. Get back to basics. Stop trying to see how little the guitar can sound like a guitar and just play.

Zod
 
Its too bad that the market failure of P&W ended the Vai band and all the promise that was there with that.

But I have to disagree with you Zod. On his latest album I think he has finally reached a singing point where he is nice to listen to. I think he does wank for wank or weird for weird sake at times. But as is displayed on the latest album, Sound Theories, he has amazing compositions and really focus on feeling in much of what he does. On Real Illusions: Reflections I thought that Lotus Fleet is one of the best songs he's ever done. Building the Church and Dying for your love are also amazing imo, Under it All is pretty damn sweet too. But I could care less for Yai Yai, and Freak Show Excess... I just have to be in the mood for.
 
General Zod said:
I've seen him with Roth on both Roth tours, and half a dozen times solo. Passion & Warfare is one of my Top 10 CDs of all-time. However, everything he has done since has been ruined by an overabundance of self-indulgence. If I could sit Stevie down and give him some advice, I'd say the following:

1. Shut the f**k up. No one wants to hear you sing.
2. Get back to basics. Stop trying to see how little the guitar can sound like a guitar and just play.

Zod
Click to expand...
i disagree
the vocals on fire garden were quite enjoyable, and vai's guitar work is almost always a pleasure.

i think hes doing just fine myself, better than yngwie is. the only difference between any of yngwies albums now are the singers.
 
I don't know about "market failure". Vai took the $'s offered by the Roth/Whitesnake records/tours so he COULD continue on as a solo artist. I'd love to know the sales figures for P&W, as I'm almost certain that it is his best selling solo release thus far. I'm pretty sure I've read that the Sex & Religion band was his last collaberative effort, as far as trying to do an honest to goodness band. I've been a Vai fan since his days with Zappa, and what I think is missing, is the hunger to be the alpha-male, or leader of the pack when it comes to guitar players. Not that I don't adore most of his playing now, it's just that I believe he has become complacent in what he is doing currently, and doesn't have the edge he once had. Sound Theories is probably one of the best things he's done since Fire Garden & Alien Love Secrets (which is really an EP, IMO). While I agree with Zod, Vai's singing doesn't bother me, but give me the hunger/aggression of the DLR Band days.

I'm SOOOOO pissed I couldn't be in Milwaukee last night, or Chicago tonight. Some of the Keneally/Beller fans might know that Phil Bynoe was chosen over Bryan Bellar during the previous round of auditions Vai had. Beller is smart, he knows not to burn his bridges, and finally got the touring gig. It would have been SO cool to see him finally performing on stage with the Vai band. It's quite an accomplishment, and I know he's having a lot of fun, and learning a lot along the way. :rock:
 
Damnit I got my albums confused... Sex & Religion was the one that didn't do too well. Yet its one that I love a lot...
 
J-Dubya 777 said:
I don't know about "market failure". Vai took the $'s offered by the Roth/Whitesnake records/tours so he COULD continue on as a solo artist. I'd love to know the sales figures for P&W, as I'm almost certain that it is his best selling solo release thus far. I'm pretty sure I've read that the Sex & Religion band was his last collaberative effort, as far as trying to do an honest to goodness band. I've been a Vai fan since his days with Zappa, and what I think is missing, is the hunger to be the alpha-male, or leader of the pack when it comes to guitar players. Not that I don't adore most of his playing now, it's just that I believe he has become complacent in what he is doing currently, and doesn't have the edge he once had. Sound Theories is probably one of the best things he's done since Fire Garden & Alien Love Secrets (which is really an EP, IMO). While I agree with Zod, Vai's singing doesn't bother me, but give me the hunger/aggression of the DLR Band days.

I'm SOOOOO pissed I couldn't be in Milwaukee last night, or Chicago tonight. Some of the Keneally/Beller fans might know that Phil Bynoe was chosen over Bryan Bellar during the previous round of auditions Vai had. Beller is smart, he knows not to burn his bridges, and finally got the touring gig. It would have been SO cool to see him finally performing on stage with the Vai band. It's quite an accomplishment, and I know he's having a lot of fun, and learning a lot along the way. :rock:
Click to expand...


Dubs, sorry you missed the show. I assumed you were there and kept my eye out for ya, but a shame you couldn't make it. We went to Sonata at Metro tonight, ducked out a bit early to high tail it over to HoB to catch Vai. We got there just in time, but the place was so jam-packed it was not even worth sticking around for more than a few tracks. Couldn't see shit, and it will probably go down as the only real disappointment I've ever had at HoB. Either way it was a risk and no big deal. The Milwaukee show delivered what was needed. Additionally, I think Vai's vocals are perfectly fine, and it's not like he sings for many songs. The crowd certainly seemed to enjoy them as well.


Had no clue about the Byran Bellar/Phil Bynoe thing. Pretty cool that he ended up getting the gig in the long-run. He was actually the only guy we were able to talk to after the show and you could really tell how excited he was to be playing with Vai and the others. We picked up his solo disc, have yet to listen. Really nice guy though.
 
Cheiron said:
On his latest album I think he has finally reached a singing point where he is nice to listen to.
Click to expand...
My problem isn't merely with the quality of his singing (which I still feel is weak, at best), but more with him singing at all.

Cheiron said:
...Sound Theories, he has amazing compositions and really focus on feeling in much of what he does. On Real Illusions: Reflections I thought that Lotus Fleet is one of the best songs he's ever done. Building the Church and Dying for your love are also amazing imo, Under it All is pretty damn sweet too.
Click to expand...
I'm not suggesting that he hasn't written a decent song since P&W. However, the good songs get lost in the soup of ego-driven guitar masturbation.

Zod
 
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