Joe Satriani - home > show review

Treven (treve oates-white)	Sun Jun 27 '04 BIC Bournemouth, England, GB	Rank:	Posted: Mon Apr 25, '05 6:07 am
never in my life have i witnessed such a good gig. i would really like to meet satch, and talk to him. i have been a follower of satch's for years and would like to get some inspiration. you rock!!!!!
Ellimanc (Chris Elliman)	Sun Jun 27 '04 BIC Bournemouth, England, GB	Rank: 10	Posted: Mon Nov 15, '04 6:28 am
The first time ive seen G3 but it was the best performance!!and I would so and go see them again!!!!!!!!!!!
gibo71 (mitchell ratcliffe)	Sun Jun 27 '04 BIC Bournemouth, England, GB	Rank: 8	Posted: Thu Aug 05, '04 7:27 am
blew the roof of !
The Power Cosmic 2000 (Chris Conroy)	Sun Jun 27 '04 BIC Bournemouth, England, GB	Rank: 10	Posted: Sun Aug 01, '04 12:32 pm
The most excellent night of my life ever. THe only downfall of the evening was Robert Fripp. I mean, he is an excellent guitarist, and he proved this when he done a face melting solo during the G3 Jam, but his solo set lasted about half an hour, and it was soooo boring An escellent night, where i heard almost all of my favourites (could have been better if Joe played Up in the sky), but Satch boogie was awesome!!! Got to go see Joe at the Hammersmith Apollo!!!!!!!!!!!
Blue Dream (Rebecca Farmer)	Sun Jun 27 '04 BIC Bournemouth, England, GB	Rank: 10	Posted: Sat Jul 03, '04 6:41 am
What can I say??? This show was even better than Birmingham and that was fantastic! The sound was better! I did feel sorry for Fripp because there was slow clapping before he finished his set but I later found out that it was people on the left side of the auditorium who couldn't see him tucked away and they thought it was some dodgy mood music!!!! In Birmingham...I thought he was a guitar tech!! Oh well...the mighty Satch and Vai were awesome! As always!! I really can't wait for the nex time! It was AWESOME!!! ;o)
sparrow (Mark Taylor)	Sun Jun 27 '04 BIC Bournemouth, England, GB	Rank: 10	Posted: Wed Jun 30, '04 4:04 pm
Thanks for coming to the UK again Joe, I am sat hear in tears because it's going to be two years before your back. I feel so much emotion through you and your music you truely are the best. I consider you a true friend I have never felt like this before. (saw you last night in birmingham and had to see you again tonight. Mark Taylor, Bristol, UK.
samair27 (Steve Saunders)	Sun Jun 27 '04 BIC Bournemouth, England, GB	Rank: 10	Posted: Tue Jun 29, '04 10:19 am
EXCELLENT! I'm 51 and rate this show as one of the most technically brilliant displays of guitar playing that I have ever witnessed (including Hendrix IOW!) I first saw and met Robert Fripp in 69 and he was very private even then - music more important than the person - he was/is King Crimson but was never the frontman .After all these years he is still pushing bounderies and should be respected for this.I can understand the problems for the audience to the left of the stage - surely a fixed video camera and projector would have solved this situation at little cost? - Robert would still have his "privacy" and all the audience would be able to see what was happening. Joe was brilliant as always and active too! his band? Steve and band - out of this world. Maybe I'm biased as my 16 year old guitar playing son and I had a totally unexpected pre-show experience - go to vai.com and look at my son's review - now registered as flo_player - need I say more? Thanks Steve, his end of exams treat is now a story to tell his grandchildren!
mikegregory (mike gregory)	Sun Jun 27 '04 BIC Bournemouth, England, GB	Rank: 10	Posted: Mon Jun 28, '04 10:41 pm
Joe and steve in a small venue, it doesn't get any better. Great sound and great choice of songs. I hope we gave the sort of reception to make you want to come back.
siandrews	Sun Jun 27 '04 BIC Bournemouth, England, GB	Rank: 8	Posted: Mon Jun 28, '04 3:09 pm
Wow! Having last seen Joe et al on the G3 03 tour in the USA, i have to say that Joes set in bournemouth was a much bigger groove than the last time i watched... and whilst i thought Steve and Joe did the business as usual, i have to say i was less than inspired by Robert Fripps set. Yngwie Malsteen filled this slot in the US and whilst im a huge Yngwie fan and biased as a consequence, he is a far greater show man and to my ear is closer to the overall flavour of what ive come to expect from a G3 concert - hard and fast neck work. I was one of the crowd sat to the left of the stage, and to be honest, i thought that Robert Fripp had taken the night off and sent in some tapes instead.... resorting in a trip right back to the bar until Steve came on (Along with many others i should add). Overall, a GREAT gig, and a welcome pleasure to not have to travel to London or further afield - COME BACK SOON (but perhaps you could bring Yngwie?)
Strat101 (Adam Ball)	Sun Jun 27 '04 BIC Bournemouth, England, GB	Rank: 9	Posted: Mon Jun 28, '04 2:20 pm
out of this world this is the only way i can describe it although it was like a G2, Fripp did not appeal to many people and that encludes me. FANTASTIC SET LISTS. i wont ruin it for people going to the next ones Stay true
Magic Monkey (Russell Earnshaw)	Sun Jun 27 '04 BIC Bournemouth, England, GB	Rank: 8	Posted: Mon Jun 28, '04 2:18 pm
Well, it was my first time seeing any of these guys and on the whole I was more than impressed! After watching the other two G3 DVDs, I expected a similar kind of show from Fripp as, say, Eric Johnson (who is absolutely amazing). However, his performance didn't belong in a 30 minute solo slot, maybe a 5 minute one would have done....some of the crowd were quite bored and the clapping and jeering started - not surprising he didn't even come to the front and bow at the end! Anyhow, onto the real stuff! Steve Vai burst on to the scene with his amazing band, and his performance was brilliant. Some of the favourites in there as always, particularly a nice keyboard intro to For The Love Of God. Also, an unexpected but welcomed jam on the Reaper Rap! Nothing more to be said, he played to his usual high standard. After a 15 minute break, we were chucked back to our seats by some unintelligent security (who didn't allow people to stand AT ALL!) and on came Mr. Satriani. The crowd went crazy as he launched into some old favourites such as Satch Boogie and Cool No.9, as well as some new additions, with Gnahh standing out for me. The band again were good, particularly Jeff who had a real good show. Throughout these two performances, I found myself getting into the groove and then pulling myself out of an open jawed gaze at some of the stuff these guys were doing, absolutely unbelieveable! Their years of practise has sure paid off, and I'm sure any guitar player in the room could not match those guys. (By the way, Tony in Steve's band was stunning, shared some awesome licks with Steve and really showed he could play! Dave was quite good too!) G3 (or 2) next, as Fripp remained at the back and couldn't pull anything out the bag which really impressed me. Joe and Steve however obviously really enjoy playing with each other, and you can really tell! The short set was good enough me and really rounded up a great night. Only criticisms I had were the fact the my seats seemed to be in a bass trap, so the bass wasn't too clear, and at the end, when I strategically placed myself in front of the guys and exchanged a thumbs up with Steve, the plec he then threw to me ended up in this guys mitt from the floor, who didn't get the best reaction out of me lets say....and ran off with it! Steve just shrugged like he was sorry and had to go off! Altogether, and aweosme night and I'd definitely go and watch Joe and Steve again!
Danny_js100 (Daniel Pulleyn)	Sun Jun 27 '04 BIC Bournemouth, England, GB	Rank: 10	Posted: Mon Jun 28, '04 2:02 pm
Amazing, best experience of my life, loved being backstage :) everyone was extremely welcoming and friendly, thanks for making it possible, and loved joes set list, new album one of best albums ive ever heard. THANKS FOR SIGNing MY SHIRT JOE AND LETTInG ME HAVE A PICTUre WITH YOU :)
Hangman	Sun Jun 27 '04 BIC Bournemouth, England, GB	Rank: 10	Posted: Mon Jun 28, '04 7:27 am
Last night in Bournemouth has to of been the best night of my life !! Having read some of the reviews from previous shows I was concerned about the volume being too loud and falling asleep when Robert Fripp was playing. How wrong could I have been. Now , never having heard Robert play before , I tried to go with an open mind and ignore the reveiws. As the house lights went down, this gentle surreal music began to fill the void of the BIC. Trying to describe this music to give you an idea of what to expect, forget the style's of Satriani and Vai. As Robert added layers of music , I found myself drifting away , my mind wandering. I felt as though I were in some lost forgotten sea, being taken along by the current. i could imagine whales floating past , talking, rolling their way past me. Or was I just watching the Discovery Channel ! My front row seat allowed me to see exactly what Robert was doing. He seemed oblivious to the crowd to the left, jeering and slow hand clapping, he just continued to play HIS music. It was beautiful to listen to, I found it a perfect way to start G3. He didn't seem to want recognition for what he was doing , just the oppotunity to play . He was definitley a great choice, you couldn't get further away from the Satriani/Vai style of playing and yet it capivated me completely. Before the last notes had finished , Robert had left the stage....Then came Mr Vai, still wiping away the left overs of his cold between songs and any other chance he could get. His set was amazing but more than that, his ability to connect with the audience was astounding. he would look up from the guitar and look into the eye of someone , look down play some more notes and then look back to them to see their reaction. I think he did it to me, maybe he was looking past me, but for those few seconds , I was the only one there , Steve Vai was playing those few notes for me. He is certainly a showman , He knows how to reach out and touch the audience and bring them closer to the music. As he left the stage , I felt myself breathe out , for the first time in 45 minutes ! Not many artists can have that effect! .... Now , having seen Joe many , many times before , I thought I knew what was coming. How wrong could I be. I think he must be drinking from the fountain of youth , his energy levels seem to have increased. He was leaping around like a 20 year old, jumping and running around the stage , up onto the drum riser, bearing in mind he is pushing close to 50 ! thats not bad. The set was great , the new songs sounded amazing with the new Peavey setup. The sound itself was great , I could hear everything , even Galen sounded perfect, and I could hear every note he played. when Joe played WAR , I thought he was in the mosh pit , He jumped up and down all the time, he was so in the groove last night. The G3 jam , ( yes G3 ) was great , Robert really let fly , proving he can keep up with the best , and since he was playing with the best , he didn't dissappoint ! The interaction between Joe and Steve was one of 'lets have fun' and you could see it in their eyes , they were having a blast. As they said their goodbyes , Joe handed me a pick and left the stage. It will be along time before those memories fade , my ears are still ringing. The sound wasn't too loud , yeah , it WAS loud , but it was a rock concert , what do you expect ??? I could hear every note that was played . I was lucky enough to also get one of Steve's picks and on the way out, I stopped a father and son asked if the boy would like the Vai pick as a souvenier, his eyes lit up and he said' thankyou very much' I watched him walk up the road holding that pick and you could see it really made his night. I'm sure he is at school showing his mates his little piece of Vai. Though his mates are probably saying ' Steve who ?' hehe. If you are lucky enough to be going to see this tour , you are in for a real treat .I wish I could go again , and again , and again.
51505150	Sun Jun 27 '04 BIC Bournemouth, England, GB	Rank: 9	Posted: Mon Jun 28, '04 5:36 am
This was my first time seeing Satch and Vai. We were sat 6th row dead centre, we got to our seats at 7.00pm and sat waiting At 7.30 the lights go down and a couple lights are showing us Fripp sat in the corner, i was dead centre and the guy to my left couldn't see him! the crowd wern't pleased with this and they let him know. The main problem i found with Fripp was that he didn't need his guitar at all, it sounded like a keyboard, and the sounds he was making were terrible, Tony Macalpine could have done it with both his hands tied behind his back. The only good thing about Fripp was that he only played for 1/2 hour. The lights go dark again, people know whats coming, STEVE VAI. We could see Thomas Nordegg waiting at the side of the stage with the triple neck guitar. Then we catch a glimpse of Vai at the side aswell, he gets the thumbs up and walks onto the stage to a huge appalause. Vai played for about 1 hour, but it felt like 10 mins because you get drawn into it and forget where you really are. All of his songs sounded great, the sound levels were perfect and the musicianship in his band is amazing. Earlier on in the day i played my brother "Whispering a prayer" and he didn't like it, but after steve played it live, he said he was blown away. Steve Vai, amazing! The lights come up this time and lots of roadies franticly get steves gear off stage. Now for the main event, JOE SATRIANI. The new songs sound great live, and once again the sound levels were perfect, Satch's tone is great. Satch boogie is such an amazing song, especially the breakdown part. Then he played AWMAWY, he played it with so much emotion, it was also the funniest part of the concert, Jeff Campetelli was using a shaker for the intro, he then chucks it behind him and it hits the sound tech guy, Jeff bursts out laughing, so do we! War is such an amazing song, even better with Satch's tone, it really kicks ass. FIABD finishes a get set and performance, Joe really moves around on stage! Steve comes back on stage and you can tell Satch and Vai know how to jam with each other, incredible. Top night, wouldn't of missed it for the world!
JamieR	Sun Jun 27 '04 BIC Bournemouth, England, GB	Rank: 9	Posted: Mon Jun 28, '04 3:31 am
I have seen Joe once before and this is the first G3 I have seen. What a wonderful show. Robert Fripp started it, doing his usual sitting in the corner behind his effects rack. This upset the crowd on the left as they couldnt see him. But he is more about filling the stage with his ambient sounds than showboating. Next was Vai, great set and brilliant backing band, Tony Macalpine and Billy Sheenan were great choices to work with Vai. I really liked the bit when all four of them played each others instruments, talk about hand eye coordination. And then Joe came out and was awsome. His Always with me, always with you extended version was simply amazing, full of emotion. When all three were on stage, Robert Fripp still stayed at the back but proved he can play some rocking guitar. Joe and Steve just bounced off each other so well, it was great to watch. A truly great show well worth the 3 hour car journey there.
Clarky (Paul Clark)	Sun Jun 27 '04 BIC Bournemouth, England, GB	Rank: 7	Posted: Mon Jun 28, '04 2:22 am
overall the gig was great.. enjoyed Fripp too.. I just don't think he did himself any favours tucking himself in a back corner of the stage.. everyone on that side of the auditorium couldn't see him.. just an empty stage... the Vai set was tremendous... every player.. every song.. awesome.. although I've heard better versions of For the Love of God.. the whole band, set, stage craft, performance was brilliantly worked out and executed.. for me.. Vai is still the top man... Satch played really nicely too... it was interesting to hear his new music back to back with the classics like Satch Boogey, Cool #9, War, Always, Flying in a Blue Dream.. sorry Joe.. the new album is pretty nice but the old stuff is just so much better.. In particular, Satch Boogey, Cool #9 and Flying in a Blue Dream were just fabulous performances.. they really stood out... Satch himself was superb.. his band I thought were pretty ordinary... his rhythm player was too quiet.. his tone was way too thin.. and I just don't think he was a good enough player to be there.. - So Satch.. either bring back Eric or get yourself a better wingman.. it makes a big difference to your overall sound.. all night there was some beautiful playing and some increadible playing.. some of Vai's controlled playing during the quieter moments was simply stunning.. Vai never ceases to amaze me in every aspect of playing and performance.. Satch's build up into Cool #9 was fantastic.. and Satch's guitar was really singing during Flying in a Blue Dream.. **--> Clarky's "Lick of the Gig" Award goes to Tony Mac during a moment where he and Vai were trading 1 and 2 bar long licks.. Mac's lick must have been less than 10 seconds long.. and it knocked me flat in an instant.. in a soundscape crowded with immense technique and furious playing.. a single lick standing out like that over all of the others is quite a thing.. pure class..... Big round of applause to Tony Mac..
Ant711UK	Sun Jun 27 '04 BIC Bournemouth, England, GB	Rank:	Posted: Mon Jun 28, '04 2:06 am
My frist G3, great show. I've seen Satch twice and Vai once before. Fripp was different and interesting, he created some nice soundscapes, especially in the last 10 minutes. I think he caused himself a problem with members of the audience on the very left hand side of the auditorium. He sat completely out of their view for 30 minutes and they were not happy and they told him so. Vai was absolutely amazing, he has put a quality band behind him and they play and perform his music exactly how he wants it done. In my opinion, nobody puts on a show like Vai does. Satriani was great as usual. I made the mistake of lending the latest CD to my 15 year old son and didn't get it back, so I wasn't too familiar with the new material he played. Flying in a blue dream was excellent! G3 Jam was G2 (Satch & Vai) at the front and G1 (Fripp) sitting at the back. Strangely this worked for me. Once you realise that Fripp is someone who wants to be heard and not seen, it becomes quite normal to see him in that way. Vai made me laugh when he was singing the chorus to rockin in the free world. I was four rows from the front and just like me, everyone held their camera's up to get a shot of Satch and Vai singing and playing together as they step up to the mikes. At this point Vai leans out to the side of his mike and pulls a big "say cheese" face. Priceless!!! Great gig, I've rated it at 9 because someone in charge of the stage layout should have realised that the audience would be cheesed off about the Fripp thing, after all they had paid to SEE 3 guitar players. I'm off to the Albert hall tomorrow to see it all again, Tony
jelly man (Paul Huxley)	Sun Jun 27 '04 BIC Bournemouth, England, GB	Rank: 8	Posted: Mon Jun 28, '04 1:47 am
My view on Fripp having heard him last night- he doesn't fit into most people's expectations of G3. People do want to see showmanship etc. which you're obviously not going to get from Fripp. Personally i liked him cause he balanced out the antics of steve vai and band. I think too much craziness might have been a bit much for me. Fripp really got me in the mood for Steve. Thank you for not booing, shame about the whistling and handclapping though... Steve Vai - first time I've seen him, his band were tighter than Dream Theater - that's very tight... great drum solo etc. Vai was very good, Whispering a Prayer isn't usually a favourite of mine but he played it just right. Bangkok/Fire Garden Suite was very very nice... Joe - well, Joe was the hottest of the guitarists last night in my opinion. Didn't leave out a single note that should have been there, and didn't add one where it wasn't wanted. Always and Searching were particularly good. I liked jeff's improv solo stuff in Searching for example. Set list - Up in flames and Hands in the air could have been switched for The Souls of Distortion and If I could Fly. They played them well, but they're simply not as good... The band was pretty good. After hearing Vai, they had a lot to live up to. I think you can't get rid of Jeff and Matt even if you want to cause they did the studio parts (I wouldn't want to anyway). But Galen is the weakest link... he just wasn't up to the standards of the other guys. Eg. in I like The Rain, the chorus has some pretty cool guitar... Galen was playing some of it, but not quite in time with Satch... compared with the Vai band this was seriously sloppy. Clarky for Joe Satriani rhythm guitarist! The jam was cool. I liked the way they played instrumentals and switched it about from usual. Ice 9 was cool Red was great and so was Vai's one. There's loads more to say, but I won't.