Satriani Live Review

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(More customer reviews)I've been a Satriani fan since his first album, and especially after the release of Surfing with the Alien. My one gripe was how static and simple the support parts in his compositions were, specifically, the drums and bass. More recently I've gained a greater appreciation of why this was so. First to highlight his incomparable ability to write an amazing guitar melody, and second (and more obviously) to highlight his amazing technical virtuosity. Nevertheless, this lacking in the support areas has been addressed continually over the years, for example, with the frequent use of the unbelievable Stuart Hamm on bass.
This live CD & DVD set is by far the most dramatic step forward in the area of support, and it is what makes this a definitive Satriani live CD/DVD. Specifically, the extended versions, the jam-outs (or jam-ins), which include some very interesting stretching on Joe's part also, highlight the dynamic nature of this big step.
In recent years, Joe has used the reliable backing of bassist Matt Bissonette & Satriani stalwart drummer Jeff Campitelli. And while Bissonette is a decent and very reliable musician, he is not by any means a mind-boggling technical virtuoso, as is the aforementioned Stuart Hamm. Likewise, Campitelli had never really pressed any buttons for me as a drummer, as my leanings in that area tend to be toward the likes of guys such as Neil Peart, Vinnie Colaiuta, Terry Bozzio, etal. I have been to many G3 shows, and the energy level always seemed to be higher when Steve Vai was out with his amazing band (particularly with the likes of Billy Sheehan on bass in recent years, and Tony MacAlpine on Second Lead Guitar and Keyboards). Satriani was always reliable and perfect, but the energy never quite seemed to go through the roof, like in Vai's band.
Another G3 repeat offender, John Petrucci, guitar player for the current greatest band in the world, Dream theater, last toured with G3 with Dave LaRue on Bass and Dream Theater cohort Mike Portnoy on drums. It was much of the same thing - high energy. What would you expect from 2/3rd's of your members being Dream Theater guys?
I bring this up because now Dave LaRue is touring with Satriani and is the bass player on this live outing. And he is the one difference in the lineup. I have been familiar with LaRue's phenomenal abilities as a bass player for many years, having seen him play in the Steve Morse Band, the Dixie Dregs, as well as a previous G3 tour that Petrucci performed on as well. LaRue is not only a virtuoso who can stand toe to toe with any other bass player, but he is also a team player. When the required playing is to sit back and support & do the great support job Bissonette had done in recent years, he does it and he does it well. However, when it's time to stretch...
Then there'e Jeff Campitelli. Always has been a GOOD drummer. Well, we're hearing some stretching from him on this recording as well. This recording proves his abilities as an excellent drummer. His performance in the jam sections with LaRue and Satriani is superb.
Next there's rhythm guitarist Galen Henson. He fills in the spaces accurately, doesn't make mistakes and never gets in the way. A perfect shadow for all the holes that are hard for one guitarist, even Joe Satriani, to fill up.
And then Joe. Always amazing. But now that he's freed himself up a bit to stretch out and to play off of the other musicians more, and not always just in front of/on top of, however you want to say it, he is truly shining on another level.
I am a big fan of Rush. And one of the many great things you always notice about Rush is how well they play as an ensemble. They are all virtuosos, and they are virtuosic together, as a unit. Similarly, this ethic is displayed by Satriani's band on this live outing also.
The most important thing about this is that the wealth of new tracks from Super Colossal (one of his best CD's in years) are well performed, and the older, tried and true mainstay tracks have almost all been given a new spin, making this an ideal live performance.
Finally, Satriani's guitar tone is ridiculously amazing. This should be used to sell the JS model Ibanez & to sell whatever amp setup he is using.
Highlights: "Cool #9," "Circles" & "Always with me, Always with you." Especially the jamming: The jam-in on Cool #9 & the jam-outs on the other two tunes. For the newer songs, "One Robots Dream."
This is what I've always wanted to see Joe do, to stretch out. And now that he has done so, he's exceeded my expectations, which I did not think possible, because they were very high.

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titolosatriani live!artistajoe satriani n. dischi2data27 ottobre 2006supportocd audiogenerehard rock e metal----branidisco 11.flying in a blue dreamascolta2.the extremistascolta3.redshift ridersascolta4.cool # 9ascolta5.a cool new wayascolta6.satch boogieascolta7.super colossalascolta8.just like lightninascolta9.ice 9ascolta10.one robots dreamascolta11.ten wordsascolta12.the mystical potato head groove thingascolta13.the meaning of loveascolta14.made of tearsascolta15.circlesascolta16.always with me, always with youascolta17.surfing with the alienascolta18.crowd chantascolta19.summer songascoltadisco 21.the wordsascolta2.the mystical potato head groove thingascolta3.the meaning of loveascolta4.made of tearsascolta5.circlesascolta6.always with me, always with youascolta7.surfing with the alienascolta8.crowd chantascolta9.summer songs

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Bump Ahead Review

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(More customer reviews)The problem with pop music--even when it comes to quality bands like this one--is that artists get defined by one big hit song. For Mr. Big, it was the ballad "To Be With You" off their previous album to this one. While that is a great song and album, this effort is about equally as good. The band stayed true to their sound while adding a few nice twists.
This band is not just a ballad band. Take the opening track on the album, the hard-rocking "Colorado Bulldog". Catchy, with a prominent bass line done by the great Billy Sheehan, this song kicks. Nearly as impressive is the next track--the uptempo, melodic "Price You Gotta Pay". The third track is the first ballad--the lovely "Promise Her The Moon", but that is followed by another mid-tempo rocker, the attitude-laced "What's It Gonna Be".
Next comes a cover that on the surface doesn't seem to fit but is actually very nicely done--"Wild World". The emotional way in which Eric Martin delivers it here brings a nice new twist to an old song. This was also the only top 40 charter on this album. Following is a mid-tempo but also melodic track--"Mr. Gone", which is followed by another true rocker in "The Whole World's Gonna Know".
Out of the final four tracks, two of them are ballads. "Nothing But Love" is pretty good, but "Ain't Seen Love Like That", which I remember getting a little radio airplay, is a bit better. The former is the track that gives me my one slight criticism of this album: the "one too many ballads syndrome". Both are still quality songs, though, and they are broken up by the catchy "Tempermental". The last track is another rocker of sorts, "Mr. Big". Further proof that these guys excel on more than ballads.
No one was giving these guys the time of day back when this album came out, as the Pearl Jams and Nirvanas of the world overshadowed all else. Nonetheless, this is a strongly-recommended listen for melodic rock fans and fans of '80s rock. Brief popularity aside, this band is far better than average musically--something that this album demonstrates.

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Japanese only SHM pressing. Includes two bonus tracks. The SHM-CD [Super High Material CD] format features enhanced audio quality through the use of a special polycarbonate plastic. Using a process developed by JVC and Universal Music Japan discovered through the joint companies' research into LCD display manufacturing SHM-CDs feature improved transparency on the data side of the disc allowing for more accurate reading of CD data by the CD player laser head. SHM-CD format CDs are fully compatible with standard CD players.--This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

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Joe Satriani: Satriani Live (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)This Satriani live video event is less glitzy than "Live in San Francisco" from 2000. The Anaheim stage is sparse, not as many lights, and Joe and the guys just get down to business, which in this case involves performing most of the material from the 2006 album "Super Colossal," with only five older tunes thrown in for variety (Blue Dream, Cool #9, Summer Song, Potato Head, Extremist). The technique is stellar as always--you can count on that from Joe. But they must have used between eight and twelve cameras to film this concert, because they jump cut between them constantly. You don't stay with a single camera angle for any longer than three seconds, so it gets annoying. I'd have filmed a more "guitar fan" friendly video with just a single hand-held DVD cam. The whole idea should be to make Joe and his fingers the main attraction. Joe is certainly the focal point here, but the trouble is one second you're looking at him from overhead, the next you're looking at him from a distance, the next you're looking at him several feet away from the left...you get the idea. You're not gonna pick up a lot of Joe's guitar technique by studying this. It's just too jumpy, which is an insult to fans of instrumental rock, who by definition have shown over the years that we're not ADHD kids hooked on stutter-shot MTV production values. For God's sake, next time just take a camera--ONE camera--and train it on Joe for a while without moving. The sound is good here, but you'll get dizzy watching it. The clamshell DVD case should come with dramamine tablets! Good bonus features, though. A lot of content on this two DVD set for the price.

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Back to Budokan Review

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(More customer reviews)First off, the double disc I ordered and received from Amazon was an Import, hence the $20 price tag. For this band, I will gladly pay that price.
This release basically contains all of the best from the first 4 Mr. Big releases. Highlights that aren't as mainstream include "Baba O'Riley" "Promise Her the Moon" and "Next Time Around". Its truly a shame the original four didn't stay together as they are sorely missed by many of us. While I doubt we will see a US tour anytime soon, its very good of them to recognize their loyal Japanese fans with this double live disc, and the target song "I Love You Japan". Its true Mr. Big was far more popular overseas than in the US, but Eric, Paul, Billy and Pat prove that they can still shred with the best of them.
If you are a long-time fan or just checking out a different band for a change, this live compliation is a must.

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Two CD release recorded during the Next Time Around Tour in 2009.Mr. Big is a Rock supergroup that formed in 1988. The band is a quartet composed of Eric Martin (vocals), Paul Gilbert (guitar), Billy Sheehan (bass), and Pat Torpey (drums). The band is noted especially for their excellent musicianship, intense live performances, and well-crafted songs. Prior to the formation of the group, each of the members already had a reputation of being virtuosos as well as established songwriters. Their songs were often marked with Eric Martin's strong lead vocals, four part band vocal harmonies, and a technical proficiency in all instruments. Their hits include 'To Be With You' (Billboard Hot 100 #1 single in 1991). Features two bonus new studio recordings plus an acoustic version of 'To Be With You'. Frontiers. 2009.

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G3 Live in Concert Review

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(More customer reviews)This disc is a recording from the first G3 tour. The three axmen that are featured are Joe Satriani, Eric Johnson, and Steve Vai. Each member has three of their own songs and then all three are on stage for a trio of covers. Satch is featured first. He plays "Cool #9", "Summer Song" and "Flying in a Blue Dream". His playing is typical Satch. He does a little improv in the intro to summer song but other than that the songs are duplications of the studio versions. This isn't a bad thing and fans of Satch won't be dissapointed. Joe is known for his great melodies and his jaw dropping technique. Both are displayed here. His ability to improvise material to new heights isn't on display here. If you want that then buy "Time Machine". I still would get this because Joe is still Joe. Eric Johnson is next. On "Zap" he boogies and shows off his tone. Also the rest of his trio is given the opportunity to do their thing as they trade fours. "Manhatten" is Eric displaying all types of techniques. The song has a jazzy vibe and is quite different than "Zap" in terms of mood and style. "Camel's Night Out" is the closer of Johnson's set and he explodes during it. This song is a chance for Eric to display all of his tricks and he does. Eric Johnson fans should be loving his three song set as it shows off his versatility, virtuosity and unique tone. Vai is the last to go and go he does. Steve is the sorcerer. All kinds of maniacal guitar playing is on display during his set. "Answers" has Vai interweaving lines with Keneally. Then he lets the pyrotechnics loose. Two handed technique, blinding alternate and sweep picking,whammy bar madness, and the joy of playing with feedback are all used in his closing cadenza to this tune. "For the Love of God" is an incredible example of emotion. The main melody lines are moving and the solo invokes all kinds of emotion. This is one of Steve's best compositions. "The Attitude Song" is the closer and is Vai at his wildest. Fellow guitarist Mike Keneally adds to the mix of unison lines. The tremelo bar work is unreal. Vai is a madman and he doesn't have any of his "bizarre" overdubbing that is on some of his lesser studio discs. If you get the DVD you will see that Vai is a magician on stage and has a commanding presence. The three cover songs have all the men on stage and they seem to have a good time with another. The highlight is the trading of fours during "Redhouse". During all three covers each guitarist gets to solo and they all do so very well. "G3" is a great disc and it is a tribute to these three that they were able to put their egos aside and do a project like this. If you like guitar orientated rock or are familiar with any or all of these guys then buy it now.

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Joe Satriani - Live in San Francisco (2000) Review

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(More customer reviews)I'll take this DVD over "G3" every time. "Joe Satriani - Live in San Francisco" is a superb combination of great playing, great sound, and good camera work and editing.
This concert, recorded at the Fillmore in December of 2000, showcases 24 songs plus a short blues introduction (not listed) and a bass solo. Eight studio albums are represented, from "Not of This Earth" (1986) through "Engines of Creation" (2001; not yet released at the time). "Crystal Planet" (1998), "Surfing With the Alien" (1987), and "Flying in a Blue Dream" (1989) were the most represented, with six, five, and four songs, respectively.
Overall, the performance has all the ingredients that make for a superlative rock 'n' roll concert: well over two hours of music, tight playing (one of the band's "on" nights), enough variation on the songs to make them "live" without losing the essence of the music, varied camera views (without going overboard on the tilted angles, thank you), and expert sound mixing. Disc 1 features thirteen songs, with very little down time between numbers; no need to go into detail about every song; they're all great. Disc 2 adds eleven more, plus a little more flavor with the opening blues intro and a bass solo by Stu Hamm that incorporates classically themed arpeggios, popping/hammering techniques and even a rendition of "Foggy Mountain Breakdown." Also, "Big Bad Moon" features Joe singing and playing a harmonica that doubles as a slide (clever). As opposed to his G3 "power trio," Joe enlisted the services of Eric Caudieux, who added rhythm guitar and keyboards, which is a smart move since as the "middle" was severely lacking from the G3 show. Still, I would have preferred that Eric made it out front even more often, similar to what guitarist Mike Keneally does in Steve Vai's band. Jeff Campitelli keeps his driving drum beats going throughout. Even with my audio system set to "DVD Stereo" the tunes still rocked. Users of 5.1 will be really pleased.
For the most part, the camera work is very good. Lots of angles are available both from the boom-mounted unit over the audience, and a few hand-held "roamers." The vast majority of the time, what's on the screen is exactly what I want to see: Joe's playing posture and fingering are highlighted 80% of the time, as it should be. Seeing the cameramen moving around all over the place was a little distracting at times, but not enough to damage the video presentation. Check out the feature that allows for four different camera angles on three of the songs: the hand-helds provide a more intimate dynamic perspective, mostly from on stage. Also worth watching is the nine-minute backstage commentary where Joe explains his influences, describes his pedal effects, etc.
Satriani fans MUST get this DVD. It's great for other guitar/rock fans as well.

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Black Swans & Wormhole Wizards Review

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(More customer reviews)From start to finish this album is really fun to listen to. I hadn't even read anything about the CD...just popped it in and started listening. Right away you know something is different: the keyboards. Once again Joe has changed studio bands bringing in Mike Keneally on keys and Allen Whitman on bass.
Not knowing what to expect after recent releases, (Super Colossal and Professor Satch were very technical and the Chickenfoot project was lame) I was happy once I heard the first note. There is amazing guitar work as one would expect on a Satch album, but it's not overdrive...the disc is full of solid, no BS guitar riffs with several keyboard solos. I think playing in a band (Chickenfoot) may have changed his approach a bit.
My favorite songs are "Premonition" , "Pyrrhic Victoria" , "Two Sides To Every Story" (very jazzy!) and "Wormhole Wizards". There is even a ballad "Littleworth Lane" which I can envision being played with the 10-minute solo live in concert.
Overall this a very impressive effort and my favorite since "Strange Beautiful Music" & "Crystal Planet".

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Satriani s 14th studio album, Black Swans and Wormhole Wizards, produced and recorded by Mike Fraser (AC/DC, Metallica) and Satriani, has recently been completed and is set for release on October 5, 2010 through Epic Records. Joe is joined once again by veteran Satriani bandmate Jeff Campitelli on drums, and newcomers, keyboardist Mike Keneally (Frank Zappa, Steve Vai) and bassist Allen Whitman (Mermen) also adding to the sound. Satriani s classic sound is accompanied by a surprisingly rich texture of new material as well. This 11-track album s first single "Light Years Away" is destined to be a hit, with several other high energy offerings, like Wormhole Wizards and Premonition. Satriani s World Tour promoting Black Swans . . . will begin in this fall, kicking off on October 16 in Dublin, Ireland with the North American dates starting on December 1 in Atlanta, hitting cities such as Chicago, New York, Boston and more (a second January 11 leg TBA).

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G3 - Live in Concert (1996) Review

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(More customer reviews)Three extremely talented and unique guitarists come together for one of the best concerts I've ever seen! Viewing this made me feel like I was on the front row! And the most amazing thing (besides the music) is that sells for just 10 bucks! Absolutely the wisest 10 bucks I've ever spent! I give it 15 stars!
Some may think this is a contest to see who is the best but I don't look at it that way. SATRIANI, JOHNSON, AND VAI each bring something unique to the concert. G-3 LIVE IN CONCERT is a 3 song live playing of each artist and then they all jam together at the end in complete rapport and friendship. You can tell they all respect each other alot. The running time is 75 minutes of "glued to your seat" entertainment! NOW THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKIN' 'BOUT!
Here are the songs in order: SATRIANI plays 1) Cool No9 2) Flying In A Blue Dream and 3) Summer Sky. The second is my favorite. JOHNSON plays second. His songs are 1) Intro Song 2) Manhattan and 3) SRV (Which is dedicated to the late, great Stevie Ray Vaughn.) The second is my favorite. VAI plays last. His songs are 1) Answers 2) For The Love Of God and 3) The Attitude Song. Again the second song is my favorite.
"THE JAM SONGS" (FEATURING ALL 3 G-3'S) are: 1) Going Down 2) My Guitar Wants To Kill Your Mama and 3) Red House (in honor of the late, great Jimi Hendrix.) The third song is my favorite.
I highly and whole-heartedly recommend this videotape--incredible sound, very entertaining, diverse, and fun to view. You will not be disappointed; trust me! BUY THIS NOW! DON'T MISS IT! There isn't a single boring moment or bad song; these guys ROCK! It will make you a fan of all three if you aren't already!

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Studio: Sony MusicRelease Date: 09/10/2002Run time: 75 minutes

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G3: Live in Tokyo (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)G3 returns in fine form with "G3 Live in Tokyo". The same formula as the last two g3 DVDs is repeated. Joe Satriani teams up with Steve Vai and find a third guitarist worthy of sharing the stage with them. Each member performs his own set and then all 3 jam on stage together. It worked on the previous 2 DVDs and it works again. This time, with the addition of John Petrucci of Dream Theater/LTE, is the best time. Yes, there is only 90 minutes worth of music, but if you want the full G3 experience go see them. The 90 minutes is a great deal for under $15. Now to the show:
John Petrucci plays a couple of songs from his "Suspended Animation" disc. I saw G3 with Petrucci back in 2001 and thought that he should release the music he was playing. Now he has. Both songs showcase Petrucci's ability to combine speed, tone and phrasing in an instrumental form. Both songs have a couple of tone and time changes, and Petrucci shows why he is considered one of the best guitarists in the rock genre. (Or any genre for that matter) Fans of Dream Theater or any of John's other projects won't be dissapointed. John is joined by, DT drummer, Mike Portnoy and Dave Larue of Steve Morse and Dreg's fame. The rhythm section is solid and all over John's music. A very good set.
Steve Vai is next and continues to be the most energetic of the G3 members. Vai opens with "The Audience is Listening" from Passion & Warfare and it is a blistering version. Steve and bassist Billy Sheehan go wild during this song. They trade fours, exchange picking hands, and play some high speed unison lines. These two have been mesmerizing together since the David Lee Roth Band, and have taken their showmanship to new levels. "Building the Church" and "K'm-Pee-Du-Wee" are the other Vai tunes and Steve is his amazing self. Vai has been guilty of composing tunes that I can't identify with, but these are both great compositions and Steve's playing is true virtuosity at its best. Great set from a great showman.
Joe Satriani's set is also very good. He plays great versions of "Up In Flames" and 'Searching' but is guilty of not stretching out as far as he can. Still, both of these songs are excellent and show Satch's unparalled ability to combine catchy melodies with guitar virtuosity. 'War' is a song that Satch stretches out on and improvises a unique ending. Excellent version.
As always, the DVD ends with all 3 guitarists on stage. "Foxey Lady" is the first tune. Mike Portnoy plays drums on this tune. How can you go wrong with these 3 guys jamming to Jimi? The last two songs have Jeff Campitelli on Drums and Billy Sheehan joins Matt Bisonette on bass. The two bassists alternate taking the vocal duties and do a decent job. Both songs feature each guitarist taking a solo spot and then all 3 trading 4s at the end. More G3 madness done right. As always, if you aren't a fan of guitar, you won't be a fan of this. If you are a fan of any of these three, then you should get this. I am a fan of all 3, and find it to be the best of the 3.


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