While the ex- Zappa man’s histrionics (swinging his great-coat, prancing like The Pimpernel) may grate, and the American-ness of it all induces teeth-grinding, you can’t argue with Vai’s technique, passion and product. Zipping through a couple of dozen numbers from his more recent catalogue, his crack band (including two violinists) offer a smorgasbord of mainly instrumental guitar rock, the opening Paint Me Your Face setting out the stall of percussion and six-string crescendo, married to a luminous green axe and OTT posturing.
Oooo is one of several numbers that will appeal to Satriani followers, there’s double-tapping aplenty on Building The Church, though Tender Surrender has a caption-burst intro that will annoy after repeated plays. Vai throws in scat vocals on Firewall, slinks about on Crying Machine, and hands over the soloing to his sideman on Shove The Sun Aside.
The mainman’s own highlights include the rifling runs of Freak Show Excess, before an acoustic set takes in solo and band action, including gratuitous drum shenanigans. The Audience Is Listening is marred by rapid camera shifts, but there’s fine string-bending on The Murder and encores including a majestic Liberty. Band interviews and a promo video of Steve demonstrating a distortion pedal round things out.
