My First Steve Vai Concert

[rocketman]

So I took my 11 year old to see Steve Vai this past weekend. I must admit that I don't have any of his records. But I always wanted to see him play live. Got seats front and center eight rows back so I had a great view.

 

I thought I'd get bored of two hours of shredding. It was nothing like that at all! He had an electric harpist (Deborah Henson-Conant) who is just amazing. Vai started out playing some new music and then went into some of his older tunes. He then did an acoustic set which was a good break. Then he just let loose.

 

Okay, so we all know that he's not from Earth in terms of his playing abilities (someday I'll find the planet he came from!). But what I didn't know is that he is a great entertainer. He had the audience laughing and engaged us throughout the concert. At one point he asked a young girl, around my son's age, on stage. He asked her to make up a beat. He then asked her to sing a bass part. Then he told the band to play back her parts, which of course they did perfectly. Then he asked her to sing a melody. He ran with it directing his band and letting everyone feed off of one another. Before all this he said "we're going to play a tune that doesn't exist yet." Well, he did!!

 

Bottom line is that he put on a great show. I found a new appreciation for his music and I found out that he truly wants to make his shows memorable. My son loved the show too.

 

It's a must see.

[RowdyMoon]

Sounds cool...also sounds like his time with Zappa had some effect on him...

[quapman]

Sounds awesome!

 

If I ever had the chance to see him I would jump at it. I saw him playing with Zappa in 81 and I didn't even know who he was until that night when I came out of there thinking, "how is it possible Zappa needed a better guitar player than himself".

Following that concert tour I never really heard of him again until his first album Flex-Able was released.

And ya Rowdy is right. That first album was heavily influenced by Zappa's music. And is still my favorite Vai album.

 

Sounds like you caught and awesome show.