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I can't believe it's been almost 30 years since my first Vai show.
While I don't listen to his music on repeat these days, from '96 until '00 you could find the words 'Vai Is God' written on everything I could scribble on. Just got back from his show here in Ft. Lauderdale and I was grinning and smiling like I was 14 again the entire set. If he's not traveling with his own PA, he was pushing the Parker Playhouse's system to the limits, but it sounded GREAT. Such a clear mix and the guitar tones with him and Dave were really spectacular. I never really associated much of clean tones with Vai, but he was using them quite a bit tonight, lots of edge of breakup stuff. I think he's got a Bassman module in his Synergy rack.
Larry Mitchell opened the show and I had no clue he was even playing! I totally would have caught that! He came out during Vai's set, had an FM9 going direct and his tone was KILLER. Really cool playing, too. Dude does some great note sliding stuff that's really smooth and has it's own thing going on.
There was a few standing ovations throughout the night, I can't remember the first one but Vai grabbed the mic and said "Really? Over that?"
He busted out the Hydra and man, the live videos I've seen don't do that justice. It also looks a f*ck of a lot cooler in person than it does on video or in pictures. None of the videos I've seen have been able to reproduce the bass neck of that thing, but you could definitely hear it tonight Bynoe eventually adds some stuff in but it's just a bassline under what Vai's doing, not playing any of the Hydra parts.
He's gotten better at shortening the amount of time he wanks at the end of songs, which is a big welcome from me. Dude is a very tiny step below Gilmour for me but I've heard enough of him noodling to last a lifetime.
His monitor guy is also an opera singer, comes out and sings the first 1/4 of "For The Love Of God" and that was REALLY damn cool.
And I forgot my earplugs. As soon as Vai played something to tease the audience I went "Ohhhhhhh f*************ck" My ears are getting a nice break for a couple days.
Definitely check out a show if he's coming around!
While I don't listen to his music on repeat these days, from '96 until '00 you could find the words 'Vai Is God' written on everything I could scribble on. Just got back from his show here in Ft. Lauderdale and I was grinning and smiling like I was 14 again the entire set. If he's not traveling with his own PA, he was pushing the Parker Playhouse's system to the limits, but it sounded GREAT. Such a clear mix and the guitar tones with him and Dave were really spectacular. I never really associated much of clean tones with Vai, but he was using them quite a bit tonight, lots of edge of breakup stuff. I think he's got a Bassman module in his Synergy rack.
Larry Mitchell opened the show and I had no clue he was even playing! I totally would have caught that! He came out during Vai's set, had an FM9 going direct and his tone was KILLER. Really cool playing, too. Dude does some great note sliding stuff that's really smooth and has it's own thing going on.
There was a few standing ovations throughout the night, I can't remember the first one but Vai grabbed the mic and said "Really? Over that?"
He busted out the Hydra and man, the live videos I've seen don't do that justice. It also looks a f*ck of a lot cooler in person than it does on video or in pictures. None of the videos I've seen have been able to reproduce the bass neck of that thing, but you could definitely hear it tonight Bynoe eventually adds some stuff in but it's just a bassline under what Vai's doing, not playing any of the Hydra parts.
He's gotten better at shortening the amount of time he wanks at the end of songs, which is a big welcome from me. Dude is a very tiny step below Gilmour for me but I've heard enough of him noodling to last a lifetime.
His monitor guy is also an opera singer, comes out and sings the first 1/4 of "For The Love Of God" and that was REALLY damn cool.
And I forgot my earplugs. As soon as Vai played something to tease the audience I went "Ohhhhhhh f*************ck" My ears are getting a nice break for a couple days.
Definitely check out a show if he's coming around!
