These gigs were a whole bunch of fun Live if you ever had the opportunity to attend one. I’ve seen two of these, and the last one I saw was Petrucci and Satriani, but with Paul Gilbert opening instead of Vai on the bill.
Now the first side is just John Petrucci playing two songs, Glasgow Kiss and Damage Control, from his first solo record with Portnoy on drums and Dave La Rue on bass. As you would expect, it’s as flawless and tight as a tight thing on a tight train to tight town. Petrucci has such a beautiful clean tone to his playing and the two songs here are just incredible.
Next up is Steve Vai who gets three songs straddling Side 2 and 3. His lead off track, The Audience Is Listening, has to be one of his best tracks. He is ably assisted on rhythm guitar by none other than Tony Macalpine, and on bass with Billy Sheehan. You can’t go wrong with that band. I have to say, out of the three players here, he is my least favourite, but nevertheless it is incredible playing .
Satriani is last up and straddles Side 3 and 4. I love Joe’s playing as melody is always high on his list when he puts his compositions together – his playing here is just so good. Up In Flames, Searching, and War are the three tracks featured here.
Then we get what makes these events so mischievous fun, all three guitarists come out together for a three song medley with Hendrix’s Foxy Lady, ZZ Top’s La Grange, and Smoke On The Water by Deep Purple. Of course it’s shred fest, as each of them take turns to out do each other.
I quite like the way this album has been put together as it must have been a nightmare to choose what tracks to include. Being the guitar nut that I am, I am on cloud nine with albums like this.
10/10 from The Grooveman.
