The Live In Denver concert was recorded from a stop on what is now the fifth G3 tour and was recorded at The Fillmore Auditorium, Denver, Colorado, on October 20, 2003. It is hard to believe that G3 has already completed five tours since its inception in 1996. I thought it was going to be a one-time thing, allowing tour mastermind Joe Satriani to tour together with his friend and fellow guitar wizard Steve Vai, but the tours were such a success, and the reception was so overwhelming, they have decided to make it an almost-annual event. To keep from getting stale, Satriani and Vai invite a different world-class guitarist to join them on each of the tours. For the this particular tour, the guest was non other than the legendary Yngwie Malmsteen.
The DVD begins with a selection of five songs from Joe Satriani's set. The first thing you notice is the atrocious looking stage show, which is overwhelmed by a hideous looking, silver, reflective curtain that serves as a backdrop for the entire stage. This was annoyingly distracting throughout the entire concert, as the lights reflected off the bright surface and into the cameras, which made it very difficult to see, and took the focus away from the performers. This was just a terrible design choice. Satriani opened his set with his signature song "Satch Boogie". The first thing you notice is that the guitar mix is loud and in your face. The rear surround speakers were used very aggressively to project the guitar almost as loudly as the main speakers. Satriani's guitar sounded a little thin and trebly during his set. Matt Bissonette received a very complimentary bass mix here, and he sounded thunderous. The drums were heard mainly through the center channel and were not quite as crisp sounding as on the first G3 DVD. Satriani was on the top of his game, as usual. After tearing through a smoking version of "Satch Boogie", he delved straight into theultra-heavy rocker "The Extremist", where Joe also showed off his harmonica skills. He slowed things down a little bit next with a melodic, bluesyperformance of "Starry Night", which is from his 2002 Strange Beautiful Music album. After giving a virtual two-hand tapping clinic on the echo-drenched "Midnight", he ended his set with a scorching version of "The Mystical Potato Head Groove Thing". Satriani's performance was good overall, he could do this in his sleep, but it just wasn't overly inspiring. He gave much better performances on the first G3 DVD, and on his own Live In San Francisco DVD.
Article comments
1 - Tom
Christ, Does this shit get repetitive. Every solo sounds the same, I can only watch 10 minutes before falling asleep.
No soul in any of the performances Yngwie's being the worst!. God he really cant help himself from playing garbage, hes just in essence, a fat fuck and a souless, boring guitar player.
The only point in this DVD is to watch Vai play off against the dude with the green ibanez playing the keboards. Thats semi interesting.
Overall, it's rubbish. Satriani and Vai put in somewhat lacklustre performances whle Yngwie plays absolute shite, like he normally does.
If only he could play somthing soulful, he definately has the technical ability.
2 - Dan
I think for the most part Satch and Vai gave good performances. I really liked Satch's solo on Starry Night. Very soulful. Vai played great but could have had a better set list.
Yngwie is a complete moron though. He's like a big fat clown trying despretly to be the top guitarist. He has no feel whatsoever. His playing annoys me, his stupid stage antics annoy me, he cannot even play in time. The acoustic solo was the worst thing I ever heard in my life. Completely sloppy with a horrible acoustic tone. He disrespects Hendix by playing his song without any feel. His constant shredding gets real old with the same licks all the time. If I hear that stupid diminished lick one more time I'm gonna kill somebody!
What I don't like about this line up, is that Satch and Vai lower themselves to Yngwie's level during the jam. They constantly shred in an attempt to keep up with Yngwie. Come one guys, you're better than that.
All in all it's worth buying, but only to see Satch and Vai's solo sets.
3 - James
Overal I liked this show, But I guess it can only appeal to a small crowd of people, Preferring guitar technicality over lyrical value. I really enjoyed Joe Satriani and Steve Vai's sets, Love the one hand tapping sequence on Joe's Mystical Potato Head Groove Thing, And I love the energy he put into his performance combined with his dazzling guitar skills.
Steve Vai's set was amazing, The opening song on his three necked guitar was gorgeous, Anyone who can play with that much confidence and blistering skill deserves respect. The other songs he plays also show off his skills on the guitar, and perhaps a more sensitive approach to guitaring as well, rather than just speed.
Yngwie's set, was, as said, quite repetitive, He focuses on simply blazing the crap out of his frets rather than 'touching' the audience with what he plays like Steve Vai does, The acoustic solo didn't impress me in sound, he barely leaves any time for the notes to ring, Which to me is the point of an acoustic, The speed and fingering however were impressive, But suited to an electric. The jam at the end, I really liked, And personally I didn't think that Yngwie's voice was that bad, And I though his guitaring in Voodoo Child was impressive, Although his spinning and twirling of the guitar does get very annoying.
But, no-one can deny after seeing this that he has shedloads of skill on the guitar, Just lacks soul!
Overall I really enjoyed this show as to me, It shows how skilled these three guitarists are (And proves that there are many skilled guitarists out there, those who played with Steve Vai, And the jaw-dropping bassing done by Billy Sheehan.)
Never seen any other G3 shows, so I can't compare it, but I really enjoyed this, Just Malmsteen's guitar swinging put me off.
4 - Paul Roy
James, I enjoyed the other two G3 DVD's much more than this one. I'd check them out too.
5 - spankoaur
Loved the G3 Denver Show, however I have an issue with your critque. Vai DOES NOT start playing the melody on the 12 string neck, he begins on the 6 String Neck, then moves to the unfretted 6 string neck, and finally incorperates the 12 string. :)