LIVE: STEVE VAI – October 18, 2022
Venue: Bilheimer Capitol Theatre
City: Clearwater, FL
Dates: October 18, 2022
Review and Photographs by: Todd “Toddstar” Jolicoeur (www.toddstarphotography.com)
How did you spend your last birthday? I am sure there was dinner, some cake, some singing, and a lot of celebration. This year I veered from the norm and spent my birthday in Clearwater, FL inside a sold out Bilheimer Capitol Theatre and celebrated with Steve Vai and his menagerie of guitars. After a cool 30-minute performance from opener Larry Mitchell and a short intermission, it was time for the guitar maestro himself Steve Vai to grace us with his presence and that he did. Having enjoyed his music and catalog (solo and otherwise) over the last nearly 40 years, I was excited to not only witness the man and legend live, but to do so with a camera in hand as well. As he moved through track after track, it was evident that we were experiencing magic as Steve took us through songs new and old and allowed us to watch him as he played the songs we longed to hear, including a large handful of songs from his latest great release Inviolate. Each song held moments that were more like spectacles both aurally and visually. At times there were mind and sound bending components baked into the songs that were every air and real guitar players proverbial dream come true to watch. The band supporting Vai on the current run were more than simply adept at their parts… they filled their individual roles perfectly and cumulatively provided Steve with the groundwork and landscape required to deliver the set and experience he brought to Bilheimer this evening. Sure there are songs in his history that would have been fun additions to the set, but this was an evening of music cultivated by Vai from a large catalog. The packed audience fed off of the performance and pushed energy and excitement back to the stage giving Steve and his band what they needed to deliver a show of shows. There were no huge sing-a-longs or anthemic choruses, but we all got what we came for… some great music played to perfection by one of the best axe-slingers of our (and any) generation.
STEVE VAI LINKS:
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Category: Live Reviews, Photo Galleries
About the Author (Author Profile)
ToddStar - that's me... just a rocking accountant who had dreams of being a rock star. I get to do the next best thing to rocking the globe - I get to take pictures of the lucky ones that do. I love to shoot all genres of music and different types of performers. If it is related to music, I love to photograph it. I get to shoot and hang with not only some of my friends and idols, but some of the coolest people around today.Subscribe
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