Despite harrowing, arctic winds that tore through the city streets, fans came out in droves to see the legendary ‘Satch.’ The guitarist is touring behind his newest album, Black Swans and Wormhole Wizards, and last night’s show demonstrated beyond question that the virtuoso, responsible for instructing players as reknown as Steve Vai and Metallica’s Kirk Hammett, is as on top of his game as ever.
From the second Joe hit the stage, the underground Best Buy Theater was turned into a world of screaming guitars and otherworldly effects. Satriani is a master of not only rapid-fire playing, but riding a seemingly endless tone up and down the fretboard, diving with the whammy bar only to soar back up in ear-bursting squeals. Fans closest to the stage stared open-mouthed, simply in awe as they watched his fingers fly almost faster than the eye could follow. Virtually every song was instrumental, but unlike most of his rock contemporaries, Satriani fills every second of music with such original, exciting moments and emotion that there simply isn’t room for vocals even if he wanted.
The musician had great stage presence, never removing his green-tinted sunglasses as he strode about and bobbed his head back and forth, leaning back into the crunch of his backing band’s rhythm. The band, consisting of a drummer, keyboardist, bassist and rhythm guitarist, was tightly locked in with their frontman, blasting through tight beats and stopping on a dime, giving Satriani more than enough audio elbowroom to run wild all over their foundation, sounding as well as looking otherworldy as his guitar effects and arpeggio-filled tapping created a rich sonic tapestry.
The show went on for an impressive two straight hours, including a half dozen tracks from the new record which were received just as well as the classic material. Watch my video of new, ultra-catchy song Premonition on the left side of the page. While guitar noodling can get old after a while, Satriani never faltered, keeping things interesting by demonstrating his absolute mastery of the instrument. He broke out acoustic guitars, a harmonica, and engaged in a duel with his keyboardist, battling back and forth on riffs until the keyboardist was finally unable to match a particularly epic high note bent into an impossibly long, overdriven squeal. Later, Joe played the same game with the crowd, fans doing their best to imitate the guitar licks with their voices, but if one thing was proven last night, it’s that no one or instrument can truly match what Satriani does best.
Charmingly polite in his short stage banter between songs, Joe finally took the microphone to sing on the bluesy Big Bad Moon, letting loose with a smooth singing voice that really deserves to be heard more often. Fans, who were sitting for most of the show, finally rose to their feet, and crowded right up to the stage, hands outstretched as Satriani effortlessly blazed his way across every inch of fretboard. He then encored with fan favorites Crowd Chant and Summer Song, his lightening guitar magic as impressive as it was in the beginning of the concert.
Joe Satriani might not have radio hits or rabid fanclubs like other hard rock artists, but make no mistake: This is one of rock’s greatest players, and one of rock’s greatest writers as well. Words can’t truly relate the magic of witnessing Mr. Satriani in person, and fortunately he seems set to continue writing and touring for a long time to come, both solo as well as his roles in supergroup Chickenfoot and the vaunted G3 tours. But in the meantime, fans can check out plenty of video on Youtube, buy his latest record, and be sure that next time Joe comes to town, they are in the crowd and ready to surf with the alien.
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