On The Road Featured Concert:
G3’s Sound Ignites Japan

by Sam Frank
Guest Columnist

Joe Satriani Live w/ fellow band mates... Picture appears courtesy of Sam Frank

A child’s ear is like a white canvas dying to be painted. Although we are exposed to music as babies or young children, it usually is not until our adolescent years that our canvases receive the first coat of paint. This happens the first time we hear sounds that continue to resonate throughout our lives. We can’t prepare for this moment. It just happens, and only our hearts can recognize this foreign sound. For me, this sound came at the tender age of 12, as I was watching cartoons after school. During a commercial break, an amazing electric guitar sound shot at me from my television. My chest became warm and light headedness soon followed. This commercial was for a yellow Sony sports walkman, and the song was “Summer Song,” by guitar legend, Joe Satriani. By the time Joe’s sound reached my ears he was already an accomplished rock hero in the music industry with his four solo albums, Solo Self-titled EP (1984), Surfing with the Alien (1987), Flying in a Blue Dream (1989), and The Extremist (1992), which includes “Summer Song.” Joe was also handpicked by Mick Jagger to accompany him on his solo tour of Australia and Japan. He then received national exposure in 1989 when his song, “One Big Rush” found a new home on the motion picture soundtrack of Cameron Crowe’s hit, Say Anything.

To this day, Joe continues to create innovative pieces of music he calls albums, but in 1996 he became one of the founding members of a trio of visionary guitarists entitled G3. G3 started as a side project which included Joe, Eric Johnson, and former student and longtime friend of Joe, Steve Vai. The premise of G3 was for each artist to play separate sets with his own band, and finish the show off with a mammoth-sized super jam session inclusive of all three guitarists.

Since 1996, G3 has become an annual event. But while Joe Satriani and Steve Vai have remained at the forefront of this musical extravaganza, Eric Johnson’s position is on yearly rotation between a slew of innovative guitarists such as Yngwie Malmsteen, Robert Fripp, and currently Dream Theater’s guitar prodigy, John Petrucci.

Joe Satriani Live w/ fellow band mates... Picture appears courtesy of Sam Frank

The 2005 version of the tour brought G3 to the island of Japan, where, for the first time, Japanese fans had the chance to see three guitar wizards performing together on the same stage. Thanks to world touring, each guitarist has individually made a positive impression on his Japanese fans. Joe Satriani not only toured with Mick Jagger, but also replaced Deep Purple’s guitarist, Ritchie Blackmore, during their mid ’90s tour of Japan. Steve Vai toured the world with Frank Zappa and earned nicknames such as “Stunt Guitarist” and “Little Italian Virtuoso.” And for all the trivia fanatics, Steve Vai had a small cameo in the 1986’s blues guitar movie, Crossroads, where he battled Ralph Macchio in the final guitar duel. John Petrucci also displayed his ability touring with his group, Dream Theater, and supplied music to the Sega Saturn video game, Necronomicon.

Knowing all the history surrounding these three guitar shredding, song composing heroes gives a heightened appreciation to their touring collaboration performance. But at the same time great risk is involved in such an endeavor. When each guitarist performs, the spotlight and focus is solely aimed on the sound he constructs. If it is well-received then the guitarist is praised for his sound and composition, yet if it is panned, then the guitarist takes the blame, with no one else in the band to hide behind. One would think this is the case with every solo artist, but instrumental guitarists have to work extra hard to win their audience over because there are no vocals to take attention away from the sound. On the whole, instrumental guitar performances have become more common nowadays, but it is still considered a form of alternative music by mainstream audiences. For example, would Jimi Hendrix be as remembered if he only did instrumentals? Led Zeppelin guitarist, Jimmy Page, not only displayed awe-inspiring sounds for future guitarists, but also produced each Zepp album as well. Then, in 1988, this master of music innovation released his solo album, Outrider, and was unable to surpass the number 26 spot on the Billboard Album Chart. It was not until 1995, when Page reunited with former Led Zeppelin frontman, Robert Plant, that his music once again gained recognition. The double-edged sword of this year’s G3 tour of Japan is that Joe Satriani does not have Ian Gillan’s voice, Steve Vai is without Frank Zappa, and John Petrucci is minus James LaBrie (who actually accompanied John on last years Dream Theater show at Tokyo’s famed Budokan.)

Steve Vai and John Petrucci ... Picture appears courtesy of Sam Frank

Just off that Dream Theater concert, John Petrucci started the evening by exciting all the Dream Theater fans in the audience with his polished style of play. Before the event, I had the chance to speak with Joe Satriani’s manager Mick Brigden, and was told that the Japanese audience is usually quiet compared to audiences from other countries. To my surprise, this crowd had life in them, and John was the first to receive it. John’s musical compositions were beautiful as well as mentally stimulating. They were reminiscent of such epic ballads as “The Spirit Carries On” and “Home” from Dream Theater’s stunning concept album, Scenes from a Memory (1999).

All three guitarists seemed to use their guitars to speak to the audience. As rocker Joan Jett once stated, “My guitar is not a thing. It is an extension of myself. It is who I am.” During John’s performance he personified Joan’s quote as he became one with his guitar to unleash a sound deep within himself. As that sound hit the audience’s ears the many dimensions of his personality began to take shape. Sometimes he would play fast and with many layers, which had a controlled chaotic feeling. On the other hand, his slow pieces would carry a strange beauty, almost as if he was putting a child to sleep. With the lighting to help accentuate the emotion of each song, the audience was only given 10 minutes to absorb John’s performance before it was Steve Vai’s turn at bat.

Steve Vai is definitely the “wild” one of the bunch, at least when it comes to guitar personalities. Where John seemed more structured and reserved at times, Steve was in your face with finger speeds faster than any high-speed bullet train Japan has to offer. From his long hair blowing in the air to his energetic facial expressions during high notes, Steve Vai’s performance epitomized the essence of rock greatness. His guitar had a voice of its own, and there were moments when Steve’s lips moved, but only guitar sounds came out, as if he was speaking guitar. During the performance all the members of Steve’s band stood side by side and reached over to play one another’s instruments. Steve’s hands played the bass hanging around bassist Billy Sheehan’s neck, while another guitarist played the guitar around Steve’s neck. All this instrumental showmanship came during mid-song without a break in continuity. Steve’s performance was proof that instrumental guitar improvisation can be fun as well as “awesome.”

The final solo performance of the evening came at the hands of Joe Satriani. Sporting dark sunglasses and a blue denim hat, he came from the left side of the stage ready to rock the house. Joe is definitely not a stranger to Japan and its audience. In his 20s, Joe spent six months in Japan as a struggling guitarist. After touring with Mick Jagger, Joe triumphantly returned to Japan as a solo artist and earned a sacred place in the hearts of his fans. So it was no surprise that the Osaka audience welcomed Joe with a standing ovation. Joe reciprocated by thanking the audience in Japanese after his first few songs. After beginning his exuberant performance with some fast-fingers and rocking riffs, the sound took a quick turn in a different direction after two songs. Joe started playing songs from his new album, Is There Love in Space, entrancing the audience with his ambient-like sound.
Joe’s guitar was able to make sounds that world famous DJs, like Paul Oakenfold and Sasha, have spent years perfecting. For those few songs, the audience was guided by Joe’s hands and extension of himself through a whirlwind of emotion and energy. With incomparable skill, this man used his stringed instrument as a key to unlock a universe deep within the soul by playing a sound developed in his own head. Having a voice over that sound would have reduced the potency, and devalued the experience. According to another musical genius, Ludwig Van Beethoven, “music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy. Music is the electrical soil in which the spirit lives, thinks, and invents.” Joe used his guitar to make Beethoven’s quote emotionally tangible to everyone in the audience. Out of Joe’s set only three songs were of this caliber, while his other songs displayed his technical skills behind the axe.

Steve Vai ... Picture appears courtesy of Sam Frank

Once Joe finished his set, John and Steve both returned to the stage for the final act of the evening, the G3 jam. The jam started off with a cover of Jimi Hendrix’s “Foxy Lady,” and Joe on vocals. Before the show, Joe confessed to me that during his performances he tries to channel the spirit of Jimi Hendrix. Throughout “Foxy Lady,” he did just that. The jam gave the audience a chance to see what three professional guitarists on the same stage have the ability to create: a wall of sound layered so thick that not even a tempered Samurai sword could cut through it. The best part of the Jam was seeing all the guitarists’ enthusiasm as each performed his solo. During John’s solo, Steve and Joe were smiling like Marty McFly from Back to the Future, wowing the crowd at prom. The audience’s cheers gave fuel to each performer. The last song of the evening was Deep Purple’s “Smoke on the Water,” with amazing vocals by Steve Vai’s bassist, Billy Sheehan.

The show ended on a high note (literally a high guitar note), and everyone in the audience was eager for more despite over three hours of music. After the performance Joe, Steve, and John all graciously signed autographs for the huge line of awaiting fans. This concert was proof that guitar legends will always have a warm home in the world of music, whether solo or in a group. Brave souls like Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, and John Petrucci put their hearts and souls into every note they play. This collaboration really gave the audience a chance to see three unique guitar personalities perform one after the other on the same stage. From John’s carefully structured rhythms to Steve’s hard edge and Joe’s soul cleansing sound, each artist guided the audience through different roads all leading to the same destination: sheer amazement. Thanks to the G3 tour, artists like John, Steve, and Joe will continue to help open doors and inspire guitarists around the world by using undiscovered colors to paint on our canvases. A canvas is a two dimensional, all white board where art is created, and 13 years earlier, Joe’s guitar sounds were the first to colorize mine. This time around Joe went beyond just color. With some assistance from Steve and John, he added a third, more intimate dimension to my canvas. And from now on, G3’s sound will resonate in my mind forever.

 

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