Steve Vai is what you could call a "man for all seasons". An incredibly talented guitar player, Steve Vai is also a showman who knows how to work a stage and a crowd. Vai is also a genuinely nice guy. Knowing all of that from seeing Steve Vai at G3 in '03, I still wasn't quite prepared for what I got during the Real Illusions Tour. Steve Vai and The Breed outdid themselves in style.
Opening act Eric Sardinas started the show with his Texas and Delta Blues slide guitar. The crowd loved him, especially when he stepped from the stage to the barricade rail, balancing for a second or two, then heading right down into the crowd. Sardinas followed that up by using a beer bottle for a slide - a "routine trick" - except the beer bottle was full. Sardinas shook it before playing, so beer spewed everywhere, dousing the front rows. Even those who got a little wet were too busy egging Sardinas on to care.
The crowd was pumped when Steve Vai took the stage. If you haven't had the pleasure of seeing Steve Vai perform live, let me tell you, the man knows how to make an entrance. No flash or hoopla is needed when Vai takes the stage - his music does all the talking. Steve came out quietly, with a double neck guitar, starting off a phenomenal show.Even though the new CD "Real Illusions: Reflections" wasn't covered in its entirety, there were enough old favorites to definitely make up the difference. The set list included:
- Glorious
- The Audience Is Listening
- Km Pe Du We
- Building the Church
- The Crying Machine
- Whispering A Prayer
- Dying For Your Love
- Answers
- Midway Creatures
- I'm The Hell Outta Here
- My Guitar Wants To Kill Your Mama (with Eric Sardinas)
- For The Love of God
Other show highlights included solos by members of the Breed (even though Jeremy did almost fall during his drum solo when he tried to climb up on the bass cab), a killer acoustic set, Steve Vai's jokes about his new neighbor (Britney Spears) and critics and guitars that won't stay in tune, and inclusion of the audience in the filming a Motorhead's 30th Anniversary tribute.
The post-show atmosphere was just as great. Steve Vai and members of the Breed were as genuine as you could possibly imagine. The musicians came out, after quick showers, and chatted with the fans, signing autographs and posing for photos. Steve Vai was feeling under the weather, but it didn't stop him from greeting all his fans. Billy was celebrating his birthday and had some serious "blue cup beverages" waiting for him, but he too took the time to speak to every fan. Tony was a trip - talking to my 14-year-old (guitar playing) son like they'd known each other for years. Jeremy and Dave were great too, and I wish I'd had more time to talk with both of them.
If you have a chance to catch Steve Vai in concert you owe it to yourself to go. The show, the music and the people are experiences that you won't soon forget.
