Vai - Ability!

There is a reason I started to write about guitarists and last night Steve Vai illustrated it perfectly. He is a virtuoso.

On his first solo tour in seven years, he played his 5th date in Charlotte NC at  the Fillmore.

For those that have not seen him tour before, it is an experience you shall not soon forget.

The audience was filled with guitarists: it was obvious, as they were glued to Vai from the moment he walked on stage...and reasonably so.  Donning a large brim cowboy hat, (in what was to be the first of several costume changes) Vai settled in to do what he does best: play guitar.  The hands of the rapt audience moved unconsciously up and down unseen guitar necks, my own fingers bent imaginary strings as I yearned, like everyone else in the room, to perhaps inhale some of the talent that floated off the stage in the midst of the smoke that swirled at times around his feet and then drifted on toward us.

I found myself watching not just his hands but his whole body as every part of him was engaged in bringing music forth: hands, arms, shoulders, back, his breath and yes,  his tongue (be still my heart) to play that final run.

It confirmed what I was thinking throughout the night: Steve Vai does not merely play guitar: he makes love to it.

He caresses it to bring forth the most pleasurable sounds imaginable, and then makes it scream.  He woos it, teases it, and makes it laugh.  The guitar is connected to him in a way that is seldom seen.

It is apparent in his eyes, his smile, his laughter....its as though the music has filled him so completely he has no choice but to let it bubble over the top, out of him and into the room

He finds humor in his playing, and pulls the audience in.  Whether it is playful scat singing as we try to mimic exactly what he throws out to us (and we do, quite well I may add) or whether its showing us how he writes a song with participation from a young child in the audience.

The child "Matthew" stood bravely on stage, and only a few words came out, but somehow Vai managed to turn an "I don't know" into a drum rhythm , "South Carolina" into a bass and harp line, and "it took 45 minutes to get here" into the melody, which of course he improvised around.

The newly created song of the night was quickly discussed with the band, and we listened and watched as his band responded...Steve thanked Matthew for helping him write it, but reminded him that he "retained all publishing rights to the new song," for he was "Steve Vai".  The crowd roared their approval.

Mesmerizing, Tantalizing, Teasing, Playful, Lyrical, Masterful and more.  Steve Vai captured me from note one, and I regretted seeing him walk off the stage.  Quite honestly, I think he did too.

For there was something that happened during that performance that made me see how he respected and loved his guitars as living, breathing extensions of his own inner self.  He opened his soul to us for a while and let us see his joy.  It was a beautiful thing to behold and hear.

He has dates lined up through mid October in the States: do not miss an opportunity to see him.  You will not regret it.  GO!  NOW  : I provided a link below to help you get tix and info more quickly!

His new album is "The Story of Light".    I for one, can tell you "It Glows"

http://www.vai.com/