Review & Photos by Joe Schaeffer
The City National Grove of Anaheim couldn’t have been a more perfect location for the second date of the Generation Axe North American tour. Featuring Steve Vai, Zakk Wylde, Yngwie Malmsteen, Nuno Bettencourt and Tosin Abasi, the show was highlighted with variety of collaborations by the five players including everyone performing together as one interconnected band with a rhythm section that included Pete Griffin (Dweezil Zappa, Stanley Clarke, Edgar Winter) on bass, Nick Marinovich (Yngwie Malmsteen) on keys, and JP Bouvet on drums.
As the lights dimmed across the Marshall-stacked stage, the five guitar virtuosos walked in and took their respective places. All five guitarists traded lick after lick back and forth in the opener, “Hocus Pocus.” So began this evening’s show a true guitar lovers marathon relay race.
As the introductions wound down, Vai took to the mic stand and introduced us to the Nigerian-American Tosin Abasi. Abasi, who is the architect behind the instrumental progressive metal band Animals as Leaders, is one of the new generation of shredders that if you are unfamiliar with, you should definitely listen to and watch.
Nuno Bettencourt, the guitarist of the rock band Extreme might be best known for the MTV hit “More Than Words,” but most people familiar with Extreme know him for his stellar guitar work. He displayed his incredible fretwork both electrically and acoustic. Starting out with “Get the Funk Out,” Bettencourt showcased his vocal talent as well. He told us they are being paid by the note and proceeds to give the crowd a bevy of various guitar solos from his work with Extreme. Capping off his set he introduced us to Zakk Wylde and the duo played a superb rendition of the Citizen Cope song “Sideways.”
From his days with Ozzy Osbourne to fronting his own band, Black Label Society, Zakk Wylde is a widely known name in the Heavy Metal community. No stranger to playing the Sabbath catalog with his band Zakk Sabbath, he tears right into “Into the Void” and just blew everyone away. At one point he decided to be one with the people, and simply walked off stage left and into the aisle, playing to those folks close enough to witness. The final song of his set was Gary Moore’s “Still Got the Blues.” Bettencourt and Vai both came out to join Zakk as he then lead the procession back into the audience to their delight.
And now there is Steve Vai. There is something about the way he plays, the expressions he makes, the sheer passion he projects, the sounds he creates, and ability that comes through his fingertips onto the fret board. There are no words to properly describe Vai live. He is a Master and the consummate guitarists’ guitarist. Capable of playing anything and everything, he is the highlight for all tonight in an evening already chock full of stars.
The crowd was on their feet the moment Vai took the stage with cell phones raised all over. Every moment of the entire performance is a musician’s and music lover’s dream. To see the best of the best without the ego, sharing one stage, made this a night to remember. Vai thanked everyone for coming out and supporting the tour. He brought out Abasi, Bettencourt and Wylde to cover the Edgar Winter classic “Frankenstein.”
Yngwie Malmsteen is a man who needs no introduction. He has always carved his own path in the guitar world and turned everyone’s ears to his innovation with his lightning fingers and classical musical renditions. The consummate showman, he is a sight to behold, at several points tossing his guitar in the air and to his guitar tech. At one point he is pointing to his mic stand as it is out of guitar picks. I guess Malmsteen’s guitar tech couldn’t keep up supply with the amount of picks he tossed out to the crowd.
The night was already full of the most incredible playing imaginable. Four infamous guitarists and now the master comes back out to school them all. There are guitar players and then there is Steve Vai. He and the others tore into the Mark III Deep Purple classic “Burn” and took us out on a musical cloud.
For being the second show of this 32-date Generation Axe tour, the few sound and technical issues are simply overshadowed by the ability of the guitarists. Let’s also not forget the backing band that flawlessly played music from each artist’s catalog.
