The G3 Tour was a Winning Bet at Yaamava

Photos and words by Steve Rose

It's been nearly 30 years since the first G3 tour with Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, and Eric Johnson. This year, the line up consisting of the original three members is back on tour again bringing their fretboard wizardry to a new generation of fans. Think about how much things have changed in the past 30 years and how many advancements there have been in technology since then. The internet was in its early stages, most cell phones were confined to cars, and the ones that weren't were bricks with an antenna. DVDs were about to become a thing and have since gone by the wayside in favor of streaming - another technology that didn't exist back then. The one constant through all of these changes is the fact that these three virtuosos continue to somehow get better and wow their fans with musicianship at the highest levels.

Leading off the night was Steve Vai and he was just as impressive as expected. The showmanship he brings to the guitar is second to none and makes playing look so effortless and achievable, and from experience, I can confirm it is neither effortless nor achievable. Some highlights of his set were the last three songs consisting of "Zeus in Chains," "Teeth of the Hydra," and "For the Love of God." "Zeus in Chains" is a very catchy song with a riff that will just live in your head for a few days. For "Teeth of the Hydra," an object was brought out onstage that was covered in a shroud before being unveiled as a three neck guitar that was one part bass, two parts guitar, and all otherworldly beast. Watching Vai tame this beast throughout the song was a feat to watch. Closing out the set was the epic song, "For the Love of God." A standout track and setlist staple since its release on Passion and Warfare in 1990. As soon as the first few notes were played, the crowd were on their feet with cell phones out to capture this moment.

Next up was blues legend, Eric Johnson. His nine song set had a different vibe and lacked the obvious flair of Vai's, but still delivered his version of fireworks on the fretboard. Songs like "Trail of Tears," and the John Coltrane cover of "Impressions" were great selections with the latter really showcasing the musicianship of the entire band. Johnson's playing just oozes a sort of effortless control of the instrument. His hit song, "Cliffs of Dover," is the best illustration of this. You don't need to spend much time in any guitar store before you hear someone playing a portion of that song. It has become one of those songs one must learn while learning to play guitar.

Closing out the night was Joe Satriani. The mastermind behind the G3, Satriani's set was high-energy and had fans playing air guitar and singing his guitar parts. Much of Satriani's music feels anthemic and the set really added to that feel. Songs like "Surfing with the Alien," "Satch Boogie," and "Summer Song" are always crowd favorites, but on this night, "Always with Me, Always with You" was the highlight. Much like the two before him, Satriani's fans would often be found out of their seats filming along on their phones, some playing air guitar whilst doing so. Following Satriani's eight song set, Vai and Johnson joined him onstage for a three song jam that brought the house down as these three guitar titans exchanged licks and wove in and around each other sonically. They left it all on the stage that night.