Joe Satriani - home > show review

AquariusWB (Mike Warner)	Tue Jul 10 '01 Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL, US	Rank: 10	Posted: Mon Apr 08, '02 12:01 pm
WOW... I had heard much Dream Theater and I have even been to a DT show, but I did NOT expect this!!! I know Petrucci is amazing, but when the highlight is just on him for a whole (well, maybe a short) set, he is such a pleasure to listen to and watch. Highlight of Petrucci's set for me was not his Paradigm Shift / Erotomania at the end, but it was one of his new songs, Glasgow Kiss. AMAZING SONG, and he looks like a god when he puts one knee up and looks toward the sky as he's playing it. GREAT SET!!! Vai, I am speechless. Firstly, any time he tours with Mike Keneally, it's like a G2 already. Then Virgil Donati on drums! Don't get me started! I had never seen him live, and going into the show I was wishing it was Mike Mangini, but I am honestly just as impressed with Donati as I am with Mangini (I was told that Donati was amazing before the show, but I had to experience it to actually believe that he competes with Mangini). And of course Billy Sheehan! MY GOD, it was SO awesome when they busted out that David Lee Roth tune "Shy Boy", as Sheehan and Vai both toured with DLR. And who can forget when Vai and Sheehan were tapping on each other's guitars!?!? AMAZING STAGE PRESENCE! Despite all his antics, Vai's best song would have to be Whispering A Prayer, and I loved how he ended it by licking his finger and then ever so gently touching it on the last note (was it a G?) GREAT!!! And Joe: WOW. My first time seeing Joe live, and by the time he was up, I had made my way to right in front of the stage (general admission!), so i was standing right there trying to comprehend what the hell he was doing on that fretboard, but there was no way. There are no words to describe how great Joe Satriani on is on the guitar. The jam: AWESOME!!! (although from the reviews of the other shows, it looks like I missed out on Steve Lukather, Steve Morse, Vinnie Moore, and Paul Gilbert, but I am willing to bet that the sound got really cluttered with 5 guitarists on stage)... This could easily be the best show I've been to, as I LOVE guitar (I also play piano, and I had the privelage of seeing Billy Joel / Elton John, and so I have seen G3 and P2). The ONLY things I would change about the show if I could would be first, I wish Stu played a solo (I love you, Stu), and also I felt like Petrucci's set was a little short (maybe because he wrote those 4 songs in like a week!!!) However, the little complaints I have don't even make a dent in how great the show was. I wish I took some photos! Some day I'm gonna play with these guys!!! I better keep practicing! PEACE -Mike
indianaalienspecial (brent cole)	Tue Jul 10 '01 Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL, US	Rank: 10	Posted: Sun Dec 02, '01 8:29 pm
It truly was one of the best I've seen. I've never seen Steve Vai, or Petrucci live. I was really impressed by John Petrucci. He really was very good, and as always Joe was too. I hope to see them again. I hope they come out with the DVD really soon. I can't wait!
JERRY OAK (JERRY HANNON)	Tue Jul 10 '01 Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL, US	Rank: 10	Posted: Sun Nov 18, '01 4:46 am
loved it. You Know how to take the stage.Your perfomance leaves me coming back for more.
Ibanez24 (Marc DiPietro)	Tue Jul 10 '01 Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL, US	Rank: 10	Posted: Sun Nov 11, '01 5:35 pm
Wow! What a concert! I was so impressed with Joe's performance. There's nothing like seeing Joe Satriani live with John Petrucci and Steve Vai. I rank this concert #1 because I go to see my favorite guitar players jamming together in one night! Thank's a lot Joe for a great concert. your fan, Marc
Catharsis (Dan Grabacki)	Tue Jul 10 '01 Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL, US	Rank: 9	Posted: Fri Sep 21, '01 7:43 pm
WOW!! this was my first show and i have been listening to Satch since about 1994. The only reason why i didn't give it a 10 is because he didn't play Lights of Heaven (My personal fav.). But i guess we all cannot get what we want. That was the best $35 i have spent in a long time on ANYTHING!
Monrovia fats	Tue Jul 10 '01 Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL, US	Rank: 8	Posted: Mon Aug 13, '01 2:42 am
John Petrucci is an ass-kicking guitar player, Steve Vai is slightly better, and Joe Satriani is god of the electric guitar.G3 was an excellent show, as good as I have seen since SRV passed on.
Dyver (Dan Douglas)	Tue Jul 10 '01 Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL, US	Rank: 10	Posted: Sat Aug 04, '01 10:20 pm
Lets get out the only negative of this show right away, it was too hot in the Riv, everything else was awesome, though! John came out, and rocked. His songs averaged over 8 minutes, apiece! He is better suited for G3, than Eric Johnson! Although the styles of Satch, and Vai, are similar, John's more closely sounded like Vai's. Vai came out as his usual, flamboyant self, guitar behind the head, the whole nine yards. His constant barrage of riffs, made me want to bow at his mere presence! When Vai had finished, I thought to myself that Joe would have to rip his ass off, not do his usual set, just to match the wizardry of John, and Steve. Joe is not better with scales than his counterparts, which is exactly why he sounded better. John, for the most part, and Steve, espically, are just as talented with the axe, as Joe. Joe is the least flamboyant of the trio, then again, no one is more so than Steve! Joe just went about his business, blue collar style. His play, was for the most part, was the "cleanest" of the bunch. He pretty much delivered his usual set, and in the end, it was the best! Based on pure musical enjoyment of guitar wizards, Joe, hands down, is the master! A indirect quote from Steve Vai, himself. "if you like guitar music, joe satriani is the best guitar player in the world". Enough said! Dyver Dan dyverdan@att.net
mrkriz (dennis kriz)	Tue Jul 10 '01 Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL, US	Rank: 8	Posted: Sat Jul 28, '01 7:35 pm
well lets start by saying DAVE LARUE was the best bassist on that night. j.p. as always the man has never played a bad solo yet!!!!!portnoy just a class act!!! thanks for always taking time for the fans!!!! i was blessed to see D.T. the very 1st time through chicago 10/22/92 at the old avalon.thanks for bringing back my love of progressive metal!!!!j.p. & friends put together all new music except for 3 songs in a matter of a few days!!( we want a new disc)where was portnoy & larue for the jam???? that there takes the show down 1pt.steve vai was his usual self always interesting.mike kenally you are 1 great musician.billy sheehan great player nice to see him away from that pussy rock of mr.big(mr gilbert & racer x just killer)!!!!!vai is a showman live with it!!!virgil donati wow!!! ring of fire should be great!!as for satch & friends his set was too short.they should have played a few more selections.stu hamm is always amazing and a nice guy(thanks for the autographs). as far as the jam joe had the best tone ,the selections where questionable ,but they all smoked. the riv is an old dump,it was summer in chicago suck it up people!!
Draek (Julian Boardman)	Tue Jul 10 '01 Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL, US	Rank: 10	Posted: Tue Jul 17, '01 6:56 pm
Well, I was a little hesitant to drive all the way from North Eastern Wisconsin to Chicago all alone, but the fact that Billy Sheehan was going to be with Vai sold me. And DAMN was I and a couple thousand in for a real treat! John was great, I knew some Dream Theater before the concert, but was pretty blown away. He has some pretty darn fast fingers! When Vai and Sheehan started to totally kick my ass, I began to feel light headed. Vai is my favorite guitarist and I remembered why Tuesday night! Vai played for 55 min, or so the recording states. It was amazing! I thought that Shyboy was a great selection to take from David Lee Roth. That song always kicked butt back when Billy, Steve and David recorded it. I finally prepared myself and brought six Vai and six Satriani cd covers, but (very stupidly) I decided to go home right after the concert since I had to work in the morning and I still had a 3 ish hour drive home. That was a very stupid move and I'm kicking myself for it now! Joe was great as always, and no way in hell was he drunk (what's with that accusation?). I bought the G3 cd a while ago and this was at least twice if not three times as good. I thought that the songs they did together were perfect. The CD songs are a bit weak in comparison. Anyway, I understand that a lot of people don't like or understand Steve Vai, and all I can say to that is open your minds and ears and try to enjoy it. You will not be let down. Thanks. Still wondering if you should go to this concert? Put down your doritos, save some money up by packing lunches for work and buy your concert ticket even if no one else will go with you! I have seen easily over 100 concerts and this is in the top 5. Enjoy the gift of G3!
crack	Tue Jul 10 '01 Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL, US	Rank: 7	Posted: Sun Jul 15, '01 5:57 pm
Joe was majestic. Others sucked. Riviera sucked too. Air-conditioners were invented long time ago. You don't sell a ticket to a show and say 'go find the seat if any, otherwise beat it'. That's how we were organized at Riviera. I liked Chicago though, the coast is beautiful. On my way back home, almost met my Creator. Wrecked my Camaro. I don't regret. I saw a man whom I have been listening to since 'Surfing...' era. Thank you for the song Joe. By the way, Jeff and Stu have lot more power than your guitar. Try to balance out instruments and give a slight boost to your guitar. I never saw a musician that plays with such elegance, virtuosity, yet with smile on his face, producing sound like a true master. I am complete now. Forgive me people if I went overboard, I am only a human, imperfect, (damn foreigner),wandered into this realm. See ya all at the next show. Satch for the president.
boudy	Tue Jul 10 '01 Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL, US	Rank: 10	Posted: Sun Jul 15, '01 2:42 pm
yeah, i ranked it a 10 only because of Joe (of course) and John. i was really disappointed and not really impressed with Steve. John really impressed me along with Mike Portnoy on drums. i was also really impressed with Steve's drummer. Joe was flawless. i don't know, it just seemed like Steve only managed to cram in about 5-10 minutes of actual music into his 45 minute set. what other people call "showmanship" in his performance i call "gimmicky". all the different outfits, the fan blowing his hair, licking his guitar strings, him playing other people's instruments while other people played his, swinging his guitar all over the place...it just seemed really cheesy. ESPECIALLY after seeing Joe play harmonica WHILE STILL PLAYING GUITAR CHORDS AT THE SAME TIME during "The Extremist". Steve did well at the end of the show when he played with everybody else (he did a bang-up job on "Little Wing", by the way). but as for everything else, even the "token Vai fan" attending the show in our group, even he seemed to be less than enthralled about Steve's performance. i don't really know what else to say about the show really. Joe was unbeatable. cool new "see-thru" guitar, cool pants. i just hope there will be a CD and DVD released after the tour...
coolbird (jeff smth)	Tue Jul 10 '01 Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL, US	Rank: 10	Posted: Sat Jul 14, '01 9:49 pm
Really enjoyed the concert. For $35 I saw some of the best musicians playing today for 3 hours. That's a rare thing thing these days as far as concerts go. Thanks Joe. Thanks Steve. Thanks John.
ChromeBoy Ibanez (Beau Honig)	Tue Jul 10 '01 Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL, US	Rank: 10	Posted: Sat Jul 14, '01 8:30 pm
First let me say that The Riv was hotter than blazes! I was in the pit, center stage about 3 rows back and I had sweat pouring down my face. In fact after Vai's set my fiancee and I had to go in the back. But you know what? I would do it again in a heart beat! What a show! My 3 favorite guitarists on one stage. First John Petrucci rocked! I recognized 2 of his songs. The 3rd song is called Lost Without You. I don't think anybody knew that song. You can get it from Napster. When he did Paradigm Shift the place exploded. Steve Vai kicked, of course! Him and Billy Sheehan were made for each other. The duel they had was awesome. I have never seen anybody treat a bass like Billy did. Satriani was DA MAN! He is such an inspiration to me. Great choice of cover songs! That was the best version of Voodoo Chile I have ever heard! My God it rocked! If this tour isn't made into a CD or a DVD it will be the crime of the century! I had never seen Steve or John before. As much as this hurts to say, being the HUGE Satch worshipper I am, but John played the best! I hope he releases a solo album or does another Liquid Tension album. Best show I have ever seen!
toddsmith14	Tue Jul 10 '01 Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL, US	Rank: 10	Posted: Sat Jul 14, '01 7:57 pm
If this show isnt released on a DVD it will be a serious crime against the music world. I have seen JS perform before but not with so many other talanted people. Im sure the show will not be topped for ages I am still awestruck.
punkdude75 (Miguel Chavez)	Tue Jul 10 '01 Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL, US	Rank: 10	Posted: Fri Jul 13, '01 2:34 pm
I just wittnessed the peak of guitar playin with these 3 guys. When they were playing the ZZ tpo and Jimi Hendrix songs they look like 3 angels coming from above. Petrucci is from my point of view an all around guitar player. Vai with his talent and showman on stage , he could surely get the crowd hyped. And Satriani's greatness demonstrates that he is right now one of the best guitar players if not the best guitar player in the planet. The sound at the Riv was OK, and these 3 guys demontrated us that in the music world of guitar, they are the best in the business for the moment.
D_Heatley (David Heatley)	Tue Jul 10 '01 Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL, US	Rank: 10	Posted: Thu Jul 12, '01 5:33 pm
A truly awesome show. I bought 4 tickets when they went onsale for thishow because they didnt play saint louis. i was upset they didnt play many midwestern showsthe five hour drive was well worth it!!! Petrucci was amazing. never heard much of him but will definalty check out his solo stuff if he ever releases any. Hes on tough guitartist. Vai is Vai. Hes much better when he plays a show byhimself. That gives you 2 1/2 - 3 hours to really get into his antics. He doesnt really have the time to show his stuff in 45 minutes. however, he still was absolutly amazing. Mr. Hamm is one cool cat. got to meet Vai after the show by the tour bus. got my pic taken with him. i will post on this site as soon as i scan it. NOW>......i will never pass up an opportunity to see Satch!!!! the man is an icon. like vai, its always a pleasure to see over 2 hours of him, and 45 minutes is a letdown. but ill take my 45 minutes and run. ive seen all 3 G3 shws, and this is the best by far. mostly because of petrucci being there. i wasnt am not at all interested in johnson and sheppard. the theatre was very freakin hot. no a/c!!! i was upstairs for petrucci, only becasue i wasdrinkin $4 beers and didnt want to try to get in and out of the pit down on the floor. but once petrucci was finished. my friend and i headed to the floor for vai and satch. it took some time, but we made it to the front row by the end of the show. it was great meeting vai, pettrucci, portney, and the damn security gaurd who ate pizza in front of us, after the show by the busses. joe and his band didnt stop to talk or sign autographs, which was disappointing. he jumped on the bus and took off :( oh well, theres always next time. THANKS GUYS FOR A WONDERFUL EVENING. YOU THREE ARE TRULY AMAZING PEOPLE!!!!!
atifman	Tue Jul 10 '01 Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL, US	Rank: 9	Posted: Thu Jul 12, '01 4:23 pm
I will tell about my whole experience there in Chicago. Before the show, we had to wait in line outside the theatre, and we thought we came early. The theatre was a in a pretty run down part of the city. There weren't many good restaurants near the theatre either. There was this "US Submarine", a small restaurant where they ignore child labor laws and speak with thick accents. the food wasn't good. When we were in line, there were some hobos and bums, saying a lot of goofy stuff to us (man, homeless people are scary). One guy asked everybody if they had any extra tickets. that was dumb and unfunny. One dude tried to sell us a chair which he claimed that Paul McCartney sat in. Then he sat in it (that was funny) and told us the price of it ($20) and progressively lowered it("i'll let it go fo five dollas"). the funny thing is, we think he actually sold it to someone down the block. 2-3 hours later, they finally let us in. We split up, 2 guys went into the "pit" with no seats but they were close to the stage, and my 2 friends and i went up to the balcony (We had to wait another hour for the show to start, and i didn't want to stand that long, since we were standing before. even though we got some bad seats, i later figured that was a good idea, because of the stuff that happened in the "pit".) We sat with a bunch of tired middle-aged people. There was a lot of middle-age people there, i didn't realize that all those middle-aged people listened to those guys that played in G3. The show was great. I've never listened to any music from John Petrucci but i'm gonna start. I like his style and tone (it's a little bit like Eric Johnson's). he played good songs and he played them well. Steve Vai is the man. He played 3 from "Passion and Warfare": Erotic Nightmares, The Animal, and For The Love Of God, which is great because P&W is such a great album. I enjoyed all the antics and showboating he did (that's what he's good at). Some of the noises and notes he made with his guitar i've never seen or heard ever before. He hit tap harmonics with his tongue, he used his whammy bar as his pick, he played Keneally's whammy bar, he picked up his guitar with his whammy bar and more. i learned so much from him that day! All of his songs were cool (except Shy Boy) especially "Giant Balls Of Gold" and "Incantation". I think i'll buy "Alive In An Ultra World". He has one of the best stage presences. Billy Sheehan was an excellent bassist and he sings well. Virgil Donati is a great drummer. He played like a deathmetal drummer (characterized by the fast tapping of the double bass drums) which are the most talented in the industry (IMO). I think Mike Keneally is a fag. Then Joe Satriani came out. I liked Joe Satriani better at that concert, even though I prefer Vai's music over Satriani's. I think the rest of the crowd felt that way too (or they just liked Satriani better than Vai) because Satriani got a better response from the crowd. I think it was the songs that did it. Cool 9, Devil's Slide, FIBD, The Extremist (that was great, especially when he played the harmonica and the guitar at the same time), everybody went wild during Summer Song, AWMAWY was really cool. A couple of people broke out the lighters and waved them in the air for AWMAWY. He finished it off with SWTA, and that was unbelievable. The time flew by when the show started (except during the breaks, when the anticipation built up for the next guy to come out). The end jam was good, but i couldn't tell who was playing what. I noticed that the sound coming from the guitar was kinda muffled and distorted when anybody was playing guitar. i think it was because of the loudness. Was it supposed to be like that? i don't know since this was my first concert ever. Long story short: crappy venue, everybody played well, Joe wore some funky-looking pants, Stu Hamm reminds me of Uncle Ted from Bobby's World, i give it a 9 because of the venue. G3 is a must see, the lineup is so good, i hope that they use the same lineup in future G3s. by the way, what were you guys wearing? did you see me? i was the handsome indian kid with kinda spiked hair, blue shirt, blue cargo pants, and bright beige casual shoes that stuck out.
philomena (Charles Klamut)	Tue Jul 10 '01 Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL, US	Rank: 10	Posted: Thu Jul 12, '01 8:50 am
I'm happy to see how many people from the Chicago show have written reviews. I agree with what someone else said that the sell-out crowd is a good sign that thoughtful, virtuoso guitar artistry is still alive and well. This show absolutely rocked. After two days of thinking about it, I'm convinced that this is the best musical performance I've ever been to (and I've been to quite a few). As a guitarist I found it totally inspiring to see these guys strut their stuff -- they're such a huge part of the reason why I play. Unfortunately I only got to hear JP's set from the lobby since I was waiting for a friend (who, it turns out, got car trouble and missed the whole show). It sounded awesome, though. I'm definitely going to check out more of him. Strong, precise, great tone. Vai was unbelievable. I mean, REALLY unbelievable. I saw him in St Louis a few years ago, and he seems to be just getting better and better. His new live CD is utterly delightful, and his mastery as an entertainer is as good as his mastery as an artist. THANKS, Steve, for taking the time and effort to be so good and giving your fans the absolute best you can give. In fact, thanks to all three of you for not selling out just because Britney Spears and Eminem sell millions of records and get MTV exposure while you guys simply make real art. Steve's "Jibboom" was mind-blowing, and his "Whispering a Prayer" gave me shivers and transported me to the lobby of heaven. A surreal experience. I also agree that Sheehan was the perfect match for him -- what an incredible musician he is. I can't wait to see what Vai will create in the next five or ten years, now that he is hitting his stride and just soaring in artistic maturity. And then Satch -- what can you say? He's a class act from start to finish, with superb chops and perfect execution of incredible songs. Those songs are like old friends, they become a part of you. So comforting and happiness-producing. The jam at the end was the perfect cap. They all wailed, but I think Satch's melodic solo on Little Wing was perhaps a highlight of the night. If the purpose of music is to make us happy and take us to a transcendent place for a little while, this show -- these artists- succeeded. Thanks, guys. God bless you.
lostaero	Tue Jul 10 '01 Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL, US	Rank: 10	Posted: Thu Jul 12, '01 7:07 am
Okay, I'll be honest, I'm not one for big crowds and concerts, but this show was unbelievably awesome!!!! For only ever being the 2nd (no joke) concert I've attended in the past 30 years, I have to say I'd do it all over again!!! Petrucci, Via and Satriani put so much into their music it brought the old Riv to life and for that old un-air-conditioned building, that�s a feat in itself! I had such a great time that after the show I went straight on-line to find out what other shows I could get tickets to. Being that my boyfriend is a diehard Satch fan, and this wasn't a concert he was gonna miss, I'm glad he took me, it totally changed my perception of concerts and Guitar Rock!
Bytor518 (Jim Woodie)	Tue Jul 10 '01 Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL, US	Rank: 10	Posted: Thu Jul 12, '01 3:53 am
It was an awesome show, and it was worth the drive from Cincinnati! Hey, Satch it would be nice if you could come to our neck of the woods sometime! In any case, I would first like to say that I am an avid DT fan! I got to meet Mike Portnoy at the Drum Pad earlier in the day! (He's a class act!) First, John was John! Fluent, clean, and the master of fast picking!! His new masterpieces... (it would be unjust to call them songs, you wouldn't call Beethoven's 5th a SONG!)were melodic and ballsy, and full of that DT flair! Steve was an absolut showman from the moment the lights dropped for his set! Not being a Vai worshiper, like many of you out there, I could not help but be impressed! Billy Sheehan and Via were made for each other! Outstanding work from both of them! And not to burst anyones bubble or to take away from the artwork of it... He doesn't really use his tongue to create those harmonics! He uses a pitch shifter...sorry! But it still looks cool! His tribute song to his brother was awesome, true passion and feel... Great job! Joe was also outstanding, and again I'm not a Satch "follower", but the dude can play! I saw him serveral years ago on the "Surfing" tour, I was disappointed to hear that his set and riffs have not changed much. Stu Hamm was "in the pocket", and was amazing playing the bass line and the rhythm guitar melody at the same time (if anyone noticed!)in "Always..." The encore with all three of them was electricfying! The soundman had problems keeping up with them... but who wouldn't! Being 4 feet from the stage, you could see everything! Voodoo Chile had to be the highlight of the show, each of them blew the doors off! Each outdoing the other, but my biased pick would have to go to Petrucci! His clean tasteful runs and bluesy fills left Via and Satch searching for their next sound effect trick our hammer-on flurry (to keep up). They were great... but they were just not John! In the end, if this show comes to your town, don't be an idiot and miss it, or you may be missing out on seeing the greatest set of musicians (guitar, bass,& drums) of our time!
moondog39	Tue Jul 10 '01 Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL, US	Rank: 10	Posted: Wed Jul 11, '01 10:57 pm
Last night was AMAZING! I am now a Petrucci fan thanks to his performance at G3. Vai was just what I expected, excellent. And Joe was fantastic, as usual. The intro to Summer Song got everyone pumped and Joe didn't disappoint, when "Always" started there was an energy that seemed to resonate through the crowd which was very cool! When they started on Voodoo Child I couldn't have been more excited and they pulled it off without a hitch! If you get the chance get to this tour. Thanks guys for an unbelievable experience!!
corkey (Brian Corkery)	Tue Jul 10 '01 Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL, US	Rank: 10	Posted: Wed Jul 11, '01 8:30 pm
This was the best concert I have ever been to. It was absolutely amazing. John Petrucci played amazing. Vai was unbelievable. And Satriani tore it up. I will never be at a show that will top that. My friend won backstage passes off of this site(thank you webmaster for picking my friend). My friend got Vai to autograph his guitar, his Jem. I got a picture with Satriani and talked to him for a minute, which was the best minute of my life. Go see this show. It is a must. My Friend Kevin J. and I finally settled a long standing argument; Satriani vs. Vai: They cast a shadow on each other but never over.
Merkin	Tue Jul 10 '01 Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL, US	Rank: 8	Posted: Wed Jul 11, '01 8:03 pm
petrucci didn't impress me, i thought he played faster, then i saw him live, to me he wasn't outstanding, every new song he wrote sounds like dream theater. I also think vai did a good job, but he over did the flashy stuff and it was boring half way into the set, still vai is a excellent guitarist. Satch blew them all away with perfection, the tricks and jam solos were excellent, i would rather see satch by himself, but the g3 jams are pretty cool except petrucci made some crappy solos. petrucci's bassist is excellent and made a great bass solo. no way the concert is a 10, the only 10 worthy concert i ever saw was iron maiden last year, and thats a chance of a lifetime to see dickinson with maiden again.
flack	Tue Jul 10 '01 Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL, US	Rank: 2	Posted: Wed Jul 11, '01 6:49 pm
John came out & worked his magic wonderful perfomance by a great g-man...gotta love that drummer...if ever there is a d3!!! Steve...What more needs to be said...I have always prefered Joe's sound but must admit Steve is never out done. This guy knows, not thinks, KNOWS...his s--- does not stink & just lets it all flow...Fire Garden & a long awaited reunion with Mr. bass to open ect. ect., Incantation (Bulgaria's new anthom)& for the Love of God!!! Thanks Steve. Now on to the man himself...Just as on easter of 00 Joe smoked effortlessly as he intissed the crowd & with a three piece band brought fourth more sound than many orchestras. I had rasberrys up & down my spine!!! Rattings J.P. 8 Vai 10 Joe 10+ all 3---of the chart. Gotta Love ZZ & Jimi!!!
Harlequin	Tue Jul 10 '01 Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL, US	Rank: 9	Posted: Wed Jul 11, '01 4:10 pm
Just had some time to reflect on the show from last night. Outstanding sound quality, song selection, lighting rig, & fans. Petrucci opened it up with his new barrage of songs. Four of which had no titles, & the Paradigm/Erotomania medley. Portnoy & LaRue were fantastic. One funny note was John saying that the bootleggers would have his songs out before he had a chance to release them. His songs were very cool, the set was 45min. Vai was full of energy, as was Sheehan, Kenelley, etc. Vai played all instumentals except "Shy Boy" which should have been played w/o vocals....have you ever listened to the lyrics?? Of course Vai played to the crowd, played the axe with his tounge, picked the guitar up by the wammy bar.....very good show, 45min. Then Satriani came out with his excellent touring band. They are so tight, right on every time....a pleasure to see. Satch played all the standards he's played so far, although he also did "Always with me....". He played almost an hour. I would much rather have seen each band play only one more song than do the "jam" thing in the end. With so much material to choose from from these three respected catalogs, they really don't need to play those overplayed songs. I'm not going off on a rant here, but most of the people who are submitting reviews never heard of Petrucci. With the time he had, he could have played something by DT so the casual fans could pick up on it. From my perspective I really enjoyed what he did play, very cool stuff I never heard from one of my favouites. I enjoyed the whole experience. If you haven't gone yet this is a must see, the Chicago show was Sold Out. A very positive sign. Well thought out hard rock is far from done. Thanks guys for the entertainment.
browndog824 (Mike Brownfield)	Tue Jul 10 '01 Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL, US	Rank: 10	Posted: Wed Jul 11, '01 3:22 pm
I'm sorry, but I'd also have to disagree with FDIFlash, I personally thought that Satch was fantastic from the time he stepped out on stage until the end of the G3 set. You can't set the crowd into a frenzy half way through the set unless you are playing at the peak of your game...and that's exactly watch Joe did. When he began the funky intro to Summer Song the crowd blew up, people jumping, shouting, and even playing air guitar with their hands high. I loved being on the left hand side of the stage as that is where Satch played and pointed for the majority of the set. I'm soooooo glad he played Always with me, Always with you as that is the single song that initially got me hooked on Joe... and when he played it there was a kind of atmosphere that I have never experienced at any concert thus far, an atmosphere with the crowd that defined the night and Joe's connection with his music and the crowd. UNBELIEVABLE. I hadn't had the opportunity to experience John's music before the show, but the songs he wrote were heavier and harder than Joe and Steve's and all of them were awesome, especially the first song. You could see how much feeling he put into that song and it was definitely rockable. Of course Steve is going to be a Show Boat, THAT'S WHAT HE DOES and he does it well, that's why everyone loves him. His presence on stage is awesome, especially with all of his apparel from the majestic shirts to his funkadelic hat and bandanna to playing with his tongue and behind his back. I was especially impressed with the whammy bar technique above his head, unimaginable. The G3 set was great, ZZ top and Jimi was awesome everyone started rocking when they played LaGrange and Voodoo child was Crazy, you can't beat that. Thanks guys for the great show and a great night.
Rocknrolz (Brad Brockmeyer)	Tue Jul 10 '01 Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL, US	Rank: 10	Posted: Wed Jul 11, '01 3:03 pm
Incredible! Joe, this was a show I will never forget. I've always wanted to see G3, I've watched your DVD and video hundreds of times, not to mention listened to the CD thousands of times, and always wished I was there. I always envied the audience in the videos, because I felt they had no idea how lucky they are to being witnessing what they are seeing. I finally got to see my dream come true last night. Thank you so much Joe for making it happen. You guys sounded great, The sound guys did really well at mixing last night! I was really impressed. I only wish I could have recieved a backstage pass. Thanks again Joe, And I really look forward to seeing you again soon! -Brad
Motorhead (Tim Shockley)	Tue Jul 10 '01 Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL, US	Rank: 10	Posted: Wed Jul 11, '01 2:22 pm
No offense, FDI Flash, but I think you are WAY off base with your "JOE WAS DRUNK OUT OF HIS MIND" theory! I've seen every Chicago appearance since the Surfing With The Alien tour and I've never seen him give a sub-par performance. I think Joe's too much of a professional for that. Tho' I was in the balcony, everything sounded and looked fine to me. Evidently, it sounded great for 2,500 other people, too! You're entitled to your opinion, but don't say Joe was drunk unless you were drinking with him! And that comment about him putting the towel on his face? Wow, you're REALLY reaching there! Hopefully, a bootleg will pop up so we'll all be able to hear it CLOSELY! Anyways, like ALMOST everyone else, I think this is THE BEST G3 LINEUP EVER! No offense to Eric Johnson or Kenny Wayne Shephard, but I think that John Petrucci's style of playing is a better fit w/Vai & Satch. I do disagree, however, with those who dislike Vai's "showmanship." So, he's flashy. I don't care what he uses to hit the strings- a pick, his teeth, whatever! As long as the notes come out, what's the big deal? Billy Sheehan was GREAT! Haven't seen him in 15 years!!! The only thing I knew that Petrucci played was Liquid Tension's "Paradigm Shift." But I WILL BUY his solo cd if and when he makes one! Satch was Joe Cool, as usual. Yes, he is The Man! OK, I TRIED to put together a set list. PLEASE post or email me any corrections. I had a little trouble w/Vai's set 'cos I didn't buy the new cd til today!!! John Petrucci- Jam 1/ Jam 2/ Jam 3/ Paradigm Shift> Erotomania. Steve Vai- Shy Boy/ New?/ ?/ New Slow?/ The Animal/ Incantation/ Jibboom/ For The Love Of God. Joe Satriani- Cool #9/ Devil's Slide/ Satch Boogie/ Flying In A Blue Dream/ The Extremist/ Zep Rock n' Roll snippet> Summer Song/ Raspberry Jam Delta-V/ Always With Me, Always With You/ Surfing With The Alien. Super Jam- La Grange/ Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)/ Little Wing/ I'm Goin' Down.
FDFlash	Tue Jul 10 '01 Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL, US	Rank: 8	Posted: Wed Jul 11, '01 1:59 pm
First let me say that I'm a huge Satch fan. There are very few other people I'd rather see live. But come on, gang! Am I the only one who saw how fucked up Satriani was? It was the worse performance I've ever seen from him. I've seen him probably 7 times since the Flying in a Blue Dream tour. He was off to the side of the stage during the jam, and Vai and Petrucci really had to run the jam. They were sorely missing Joe's leadership. That's probably why the one backstager didn't get to meet him, they wisked his drunk ass away before he could do anymore damage. During one song, I actually thought it wasn't even him playing. He came out very strong the first 2 or 3 songs, but then seemed to really fade. His actual set seemed shortened and they hurried on the to jam session. At one point in the session he motioned to take a solo sort of out of turn, they let him, of course, but it didn't seem to go anywhere. During the bow at the end, they or he? jokingly covered his face momentarily with a towel to reflect his performance. I know they are playing a lot of shows in a row, but to pull off the highwire act called G3, you can't be fucked up. It's just to difficult to play what he plays and not be fully in control. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. I hope Joe doesn't get too far off track. my two cents.
Spiz	Tue Jul 10 '01 Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL, US	Rank: 10	Posted: Wed Jul 11, '01 12:59 pm
The concert was GREAT! This was my first exposure to John Petrucci's music and I was impressed. He's got a deeper Rhythm and Bluesy type sound but close to Joe in style and melodies in music. I would definitely see him again! Steve Vai was truly a showman. He did thinks on the guitar I didn't know you could do. He is such a large presence on stage and the leader of his band especially driving his drummer with every note and solo. Off stage, Steve was as nice as can be and a little bit shy. Thus the "Shy Boy" name! Now I know where he gets it from. As for Joe, what can I say? He is the ultimate! I knew he was the best after seeing him three times before, but next to the other artists on the same stage it was evident he was in command. He would make little gestures by pointing at the other guitarists when it was there time to show, then step up himself and out play them and break all the boundaries. Thus the Extremist! Side by side with John and Steve, Joe looks like he was giving lessons! As the guy next to me said, �Joe is schooling those boys at guitar�. I believe it! I also think personally he was having fun too and it looked like he felt the music more than just played it! I didn�t see him look at his fingers as often as John and Steve. This sets him above the rest in my book! As for the songs Joe played, I like whatever he plays. I got all of his CD�s and each time I see him live he mixes them up and adds new stuff so you never get bored. As for the cover songs played together as �The G3 Group� were better than expected. Jimi Hendrix "Mr. Jimi" would have been proud to hear his music played with great precision and taken to new heights. These guys sored and really take guitar playing to another level! Guitar Master is now the new threshold for anyone trying to succeed as a lead guitar player in their league. I�m not worthy! A special thanks goes out to the Online Web site Contest coordinators on Joe�s page for the Aftershow Backstage tickets, which I was so lucky to win and get to meet the members of the band afterwards. The only thing that I was bummed out or disappointed in, was that I didn�t get to meet Joe himself. I was told he left right after the show and I never got to meet my idol. I just wanted to meet him for a second and also wish him a Happy Birthday, since our birthdays are just one day apart, mine on July 14th and Joe's on the 15th. I hope he got my present from Steve Vai? Thanks again �Shy Boy� for delivering it to him. For now I guess I�ll just have to hope to see Joe again when you comes back. If you�ve never been to his show, you don�t know what you�re missing. To me it�s a must!!! Do whatever you need to do to get tickets. Great show guys and keep on rocking and inspiring us all!!! Spiz
Zuruck (Nathan Erickson)	Tue Jul 10 '01 Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL, US	Rank: 9	Posted: Wed Jul 11, '01 11:09 am
For my first G3 concert I was amazed. I already knew a little of John Petrucci but let me just say he rocked!! John and Portney make a great combination and throw in one helluva bassist, Dave LaRue, and you got a kickass trio. I thought Steve Vai and Billy Sheehan complimented each other really well. Vai's "showman-esque" attitude only made it more fun for me. Not only is he a wizard just playing but the things he can do, wow. Then Satriani came on and rocked the theater. In my opinion, he set rocked except he needed to play Crystal Planet and Ceremony. All in all, a great concert. I hope to go again. A 9 simply because he didnt play Crystal Planet or Ceremony but the sound was awesome, the musicians were awesome, and what better town to see them in than Chicago.
immortal5150 (Terry Evans)	Tue Jul 10 '01 Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL, US	Rank: 10	Posted: Wed Jul 11, '01 10:56 am
wow................all i can say is...wow!!!......thanks joe,steve and john for a night i will never forget. the acoustics in the riviera are amazing and everyone was at the top of the're game. i saw a lot of younger people there(15-21yrs) which shows me that the music will live on forever. the best song of the night was at the end when they guys did voodoo child together...in my opinion that was a religious experiance.
DT Fan	Tue Jul 10 '01 Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL, US	Rank: 10	Posted: Wed Jul 11, '01 10:25 am
John Petrucci rocks!!!!!!! I never thought I would ever see John or Mike Portnoy as close as I did live. You have to believe that John is very talented in that he wrote I think it was 4 songs just for the G3 concert. Paradigm Shift/Erotomania was a great blend and the only song that was one of his original. I thought that Dave Larue was a great bass player and one of the better ones all night. John has a new look!!! he cut of all his hair!!!!!! Anyways I wish he could play more considering I am a hardcore Dream Theater fan. Besides Jeff Campetelli or whatever his name the drummer for Joe, Mike Portnoy should have been the drummer for the jam at the end Mike Portnoy rocks!!! Then came Vai I have heard a lot of people complain about Vai that he was a show-off and was like a circus act and you know what they were right. I wasn't to impressed with Vai last night he could have done better the guy sitting next to me said that Vai was all noise. I wouldn't say that Vai was all noise but he could have done a lot better. I don't think he played his best songs. Then Satriani came out. What a blast!!!!!! he played all the songs that I was looking forward to him playing. He played all of his classics. he also had a very clear sound that made a difference between him and Vai. Joe as always you rule!!!! The jam was good also and I was very impressed Joe, John and Steve all were great!!!!!!!! I give Satriani a 10. Petrucci a 10. Vai a 7.5 This concert was the best one I have ever seen and was awe inspiring. The Riviera Theater is hotter than hell!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope there is a video and a cd that comes out fo this tour just like the one back in 1996 or 1997 or whatever it was. Those songs Petrucci wrote for this tour should be recorded somewhere in the near future. John Petrucci should pursue a solo album and this G3 tour is going to make Dream Theater even more popular by Satriani and Vai fans. The concert was amazing!!!!
MAHBELLY (JASON)	Tue Jul 10 '01 Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL, US	Rank: 10	Posted: Wed Jul 11, '01 9:47 am
CHICAGO,IL JULY 10 2001. JOHN PETRUCCI'S SET RAN LIKE A WELL OILED MACHINE. EVEN WHEN DAVE LARUE HAD SWEAT POURING OUT OF HIM ONTO HIS BASS. STEVE VAI'S SET WAS OUTSTANDING. VAI AND BILLY SHEEHAN WERE MADE TO PLAY TOGETHER. VIRGIL'S DRUM SOLO WAS OUTSTANDING. IT SOUNDED LIKE A HUGE TANK ENGINE. AND JOE'S SET WAS FLAWLESS. THE FOUR SONG JAM WAS GREAT. "LAGRANGE", "VOODOO CHILD", "LITTLE WING", AND "GOING DOWN". ONE OF THE BEST SHOWS I'VE EVER SEEN.
EHoman	Tue Jul 10 '01 Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL, US	Rank: 9	Posted: Wed Jul 11, '01 9:32 am
Almost a perfect show, I'll explain my 9 rating later. Petrucci was the perfect choice as the third guitarist, I loved all his new songs! It was really cool to have someone start this concert off with new shit I haven't heard before. He really pulled it off incredibly, I hope Petrucci will pursue more solo work and maybe even come out with a solo album. Vai was simply amazing, along with Donati and Sheehan. One of the best "entertaining" guitarists out there, if not the best. And finally, Satriani never disappoints me, I am so happy he played Raspberry Jam (my favorite song of ALL time!) The G3 jam at the end was the best part of the show, how incredible was it to see that much talent on one stage at the same time. It was almost overwhelming!! I really hope a CD and DVD comes out for this tour. My only complaint is this.....THE RIVIERA THEATER FUCKING SUCKS!! I am so sick of going to this outdated shithole to see my favorite bands play. It's in the middle of a shitty neighborhood, there's practically no air conditioning, and the stage is almost the same height as the audience. I'm 6'2", and I couldn't see shit. And there's not even a box office like at the House of Blues, so I'm forced to pay these bullshit Ticketmaster charges as well. Satch, Vai, and Petrucci, do me a favor....the next time any of you guys come to Chicago please play at the House of Blues, a far superior venue!! It's really too bad it doesn't hold as many people, because I think that's the only reason the concert wasn't held there. Anyways, still an awesome show and memorable experience!!
Peart13	Tue Jul 10 '01 Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL, US	Rank: 10	Posted: Wed Jul 11, '01 9:04 am
The sound was great! The drumming was spectacular! The guitaring was unbelievable. The encore brought a tear to my eye! This was one of the best shows I ever saw. I will make sure I see it again, somehow, somewhere.
Lukafer (Luka Hrstich)	Tue Jul 10 '01 Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL, US	Rank: 9	Posted: Wed Jul 11, '01 7:07 am
I thought the show was great! Joe is always the show-stealer somehow. Of course Vai & Sheehan cannot be beat, but somehow Satch has this thing about his music and aura that just can't be explained. Shyboy was so great, I almost thought DLR was going to come out and sing with them....they didn't need him. This was my 9th time seeing Satch and I must say it geets better each time, even for such a short set. Keep rockin'!!!!
Azagthoth98 (kevin johnson)	Tue Jul 10 '01 Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL, US	Rank: 10	Posted: Wed Jul 11, '01 1:52 am
Oh man!!!!This was one of the most, if not the most, amazing nights of my life. Me and corky went and the show was incredible. Petrucci had such a great tone, and I was not that farmiliar with him so I did not know what to expect, but he was excellent. His drummer, from Dream theatre i believe, is incredible. than on came vai. Oh man he is such a showman. He did things to his guitar that I did not even think were concievable. Billy Sheehan was incredible as well. Than on came satch!!! Joe played an amazing set that had my foot tapping the whole time. The jam was amazing as well. They really cleaned up on voodoo child. And thanks to satriani.com I was lucky enough to meet Mr. Satriani after the show. What a real nice guy!!!Everybody seemed tired after the show but Satch was super cool. Just ask corky!!!I think anyone doubting this show should go see it. It is an amazing display of guitar excellence. one again THANK YOU SATRIANI.COM FOR THE BACKSTAGE PASS DRAWING!!!!
addict2joe (Tom Hollingsworth)	Tue Jul 10 '01 Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL, US	Rank: 10	Posted: Wed Jul 11, '01 1:43 am
This show was amazing. John was awesome. Vai was Vai. Satch was perfect. I wish it had been a whole night of satriani. He played close to an hour i think, i am not sure, but it seemed like 20 minutes. The jam at the end was superb. Little wing was the best song. You could hear and feel the slower song better with all them playing at the same time. Anyone debating to see this concert had better not miss out!!!
not joe11 (josh malmfeldt)	Tue Jul 10 '01 Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL, US	Rank: 10	Posted: Wed Jul 11, '01 1:29 am
this was 1 of the best if not the best show ive ever seen!!!!!!! it was so awesome john was amazing steve was jaw dropping an djoe can only b summed up in 1 word JOE this was such a good show the end jaw was superb sound was perfect espessialy on john and the riveira theater has such great sound even if your sittin in the left side balcony!!!!!!!