“The Mecca of guitar connoisseurs” would be another apt description that sums up G3, the revitalized shred guitar excursion with monumental soloists Eric Johnson, Steve Vai and Joe Satriani. From its beginnings in the mid-’90s, Johnson, Vai and Satriani teamed up for a journey through the ages that has since been not only a birthday party for each of their legacies, but also a birthday party for the electric guitar and its universal brilliance.
When news broke that those iconic musicians would be joining for a G3 reunion outing, there was undeniable excitement within the guitar community. In fact, this specific G3 line-up with Johnson, Vai and Satriani was already established as a mythical band in the afterlife. 25 years old. In 1997, the trio released the album G3 Live In Concert from their first excursion in 1995, and since then, this trio has had the “holy trinity” of all G3 excursions.
Having the opportunity to attend the 2024 G3 “reunion” showcase at Los Angeles’ Orpheum Theatre, it’s safe to say that Johnson, Vai, and Satriani are still resourceful enough to appeal to almost one and both guitarists and guitar music. Row after row, the theater was filled throughout the night with a largely enthusiastic crowd, effectively reinforcing the theme of this exhibit, which is in fact an exclusive event. Beyond the fact that Johnson, Satriani and Vai hadn’t toured in combination over the years, the fact that they both managed to maintain such technical and musical prowess in the early to late sixties is no small feat.
While it wasn’t surprising to see all three guitarists put on an entertaining show, it was fascinating to see the extent to which each of their technical virtuosities remained intact. Johnson in particular, who is in his 70s, shined with the hits “Cliffs of Dover,” “Trail of Tears” and “Desert Rose. “It seemed eerily close to Johnson’s legendary 1988 album Live From Austin, just because of the precision he showed in betting on his set. It was a real blast to see Johnson pull it off. What was by far the most productive set of the night, and their amazing backing band really helped make it happen.
Vai’s total was also excellent. In fact, what set aside Vai’s functionality was the incredibly distinctive tone he was able to recreate, especially in the enchanting solo tracks of “For the Love of God,” but also his ability to entertain audiences with guitar theaters. a triple-necked guitar or betting his signature Ibanez as if it were the wing of a flapping eagle (literally), Vai’s ability to accompany his virtuoso play with charismatic theatricality was a natural bliss.
Varied personalities and eclectic musical styles are in the end the key points that make this diversity of G3 so appealing and iconic. Also, the night that ended with Satriani’s set was the best way to end the night full of riffs and licks. Throughout their set, which included Shred’s iconic anthems “Surfing With The Alien” and “Satch Boogie,” the conclusion of their performance with “Summer Song” was especially special. Satriani’s son ZZ Satriani, who had been touring with his father since he was 4 years old, joined Satriani for a father-son duet of “Summer Song. “Satriani then revealed that ZZ was filming a documentary about the G3 excursion and that a live album with the evening’s performances was in the works.
Johnson, Vai and Satriani cannot be praised enough for their passion, virtuoso musicality and technical tenacity towards the guitar. It’s just mind-blowing to see those musicians continue to play at the same point for all those decades and, even more so, to have a large audience eager to see them play. Although the audience was largely made up of older generations, it was also unexpected to see the number of young adults who attended the show.
As a professional guitarist and, consequently, a lover of guitar music, it’s easy for someone like me to find a laugh in the shred guitar genre. That being said, it’s hard to believe that the average listener or non-musician would turn to this taste. music. It’s easy for this guy to invoke a pretentious or overly complicated vibe for many listeners, however, given the number of younger generations on the show, it seemed like it wasn’t. With the rise of guitar music on TikTok and other social media apps, as well as a new generation of wannabe shredders like Tim Henson, Mateus Asato and Plini (who came to play as a guest soloist on the show), there was almost a “wake up” to the brilliance of guitar music. .
While it would be hyperbolic to call this an awakening, as guitar has not yet lost its relevance, there is a sigh of relief knowing that the appreciation of virtuoso guitar music is only developing with the new generations and is not waning. Those mythical heroes of the guitar are still shattered as they did in 1988, historic for our time. Hopefully, there are still plenty of G3 extravaganzas to come.
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