Eric Johnson / Joe Satriani / Steve Vai G3 Live In Concert CD

/Eric Johnson/Steve Vai.
Personnel: Joe Satriani, Eric Johnson, Steve Vai (vocals, guitar); Mike Keneally (guitar, sitar, keyboards, percussion); Steven Barber (keyboards); Stuart Hamm, Roscoe Beck, Philip Bynoe (bass); Jeff Campitelli, Brannen Temple, Mike Mangini (drums).
Engineers include: Kooster McAllister, Skip Kent, Paul Special.
Recorded live at The Memorial Auditorium, Columbus, Ohio; The Palace Of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan; Aragon Ballroom, Chicago, Illinois; and The Northrop Auditorium, Minneapolis, Minnesota between October 30 and November 2, 1996.
"Summer Song" and "For The Love Of God" were nominated for 1998 Grammy Awards for Best Rock Instrumental Performance.
/Eric Johnson/Steve Vai.
Recorded live in Chicago, Illinois; Detroit, Michigan; Columbus, Ohio; Minneapolis, Minnesota in October 1996.
The summit meeting of Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, and Eric Johnson was a dream come true for guitar fanatics, and surprisingly, it actually met expectations. The trio toured successfully as G3 in 1996, which is when the recordings that comprise Live in Concert were made. Each guitarist has three solo tracks, and they perform together for three tracks. What makes the album work is that it's not simply a shredding showcase; it's a forum for three similarly minded guitarists to play in a sympathetic environment. Contrary to popular belief (at least among certain rock critics), these guitarists aren't simply speed and style demons, they're fully rounded musicians -- and that's ultimately what impresses about Live in Concert. On the individual tracks and the massive jam sessions alike, they know how to deploy their speed-bomb attacks for maximum attack. It is true that when all three cut loose on "Going Down," "My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Mama," and "Red House," it's a little overwhelming, but even at their most extravagant, G3 is tasteful and that's what makes this record a minor treasure for hard rock guitar fanatics. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine
G3: Live in Concert brings Joe Satriani, Eric Johnson, and Steve Vai's blockbuster 1996 tour to home video. Each of the superstar guitarists -- who had never toured or appeared together previously -- performs three of their definitive pieces, including Satriani's "Flying in a Blue Dream," Johnson's "Zap," and Vai's "The Attitude Song." The three play together in a three-song finale of "Going Down," "My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Mama," and "Red House" that blends technique, showmanship, and friendship into an energetic, entertaining performance that will please all of the guitarists' fans. The DVD's biographies and Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound are nice extras for diehards and audiophiles. ~ Heather Phares
G3 LIVE IN CONCERT matches six-time Grammy Award nominee Joe Satriani with three-time Grammy nominee Steve Vai, and Grammy winner Eric Johnson. The CD documents the group's 1996 North American tour, and features three tracks apiece by each of the guitarists as well as three no-holds-barred jams featuring all three axe-men.
G3 LIVE IN CONCERT is sure to please all lovers of guitar wizardry. This high-energy CD showcases the eclectic compositional skills of the three men, with tracks featuring everything from pumped-up fusion grooves to funk-infused rhythms and jazz-flavored numbers. Each tune, though, is really a vehicle for the soaring guitar pyrotechnics for which Vai, Satriana and Johnson are famous.