Steve Vai - New Orleans - March 11'05

[fremder99]

Imagine, if you can, how I felt when a friend called some weeks ago, and said "Hey, I've got two EVO Experience passes to the Steve Vai concert, wann go??"

Back in your chair? Well, I gave notice I wouldn't be at work that day, and we went down to New Orleans around noon, and quickly made our way to the House of Blues. A really great guy from the road crew met us all (only about 15-20 in all) and gave us the plan for the day, which eventually began with "15-20 minutes with Steve" turning into about 30-45 minutes of sitting in a group with Steve and talking, asking questions, and being "handed" a few surprises (which I'll withhold for the rest of the EVO Experience takers-this was only the 9th of about 50 dates). Steve was great, and genuinely enjoyed talking with everyone. Questions ranged from digging for "lost" tapes, to new projects, to war stories, etc... He seemed really peaceful and laid back, and that was in spite of just getting over the flu, and announcing that he probably wasn't going to be able to sing...

From there, we headed out of the balcony down to font stage, to watch the sound check. On stage wtih Steve was his drummer (Jeremy Colson aka "Birthday Boy" who got a gift onstage that only New Orleans could deliver!), Tony Macalpine (keys/guitar) and Dave Weiner (guitars). Billy Sheehan appeared for a bit...This quickly, and very spontaneously, turned into a race to get a new idea down. Steve played a sort of bass riff that grabbed his ear. "Are you recording this?" Steve shouted to the board! He then began working out parts, and teaching them to the band. This was NOT rehersed, and was a bit of a struggle, as you could see Steve working to cling to the idea before it left him! Dave looked a bit haggard, like maybe he had recently felt the full force of New Orleans "head-on" so to speak... Tony was amazing, as he could replay the brand new phrasing after one or two "previews" from Steve. After about an hour or so of this, they had an "A part" and a "B part". It will be interesting to see if the idea makes it to the light of day, and what form it takes if it does.

Finally, after running off for a quick bite of food, we reassembled outside the HoB, and were let in ahead of the lines to stake out wherever we wanted to watch the show. By then, the EVO group was more of a "herd" that had bonded, so we pretty much all gathered down front for the show.

The opener was Eric Sardinas. If you saw the Ultra Zone tour, you probably saw him then. He plays an amped-up dobro with a slide, and uses a thumb pick, and has one finger pick taped to his index finger. He is really an agile picker, but VERY physical performer. He struts and squirms and roars through amazing blues songs, and has an arsenal of tricks that make the dobro squeal on demand. He's a very impressive performer, and frankly has a "niche" that no one else can touch. He also has an enormous tatoo of a coiled cobra on his chest...

Steve's set-list, taped to the floor, had 30 songs PLUS the encore! He played for OVER three hours!! And, he eventually came to a vocal tune, and said he would "give it a try". He ended up playing/singing the songs he had stricken from the set list (Zappa's "My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Mama"). Then he got ready to play the "next" song, but told the band he wanted to play "Answers" because the woman (Sue Mathis) who helped him write it was in the audience. She was standing right next to me! She told me she and Steve had had a band with Tommy Mars (of Zappa's band) and Stu Hamm, among others. The song is an instrumental, but apparently she had written lyrics for it back then.

The band members took solo spots, and Steve & Billy played an extended bit with the drummer in "power trio" mode! Sheehan is an amazing bass player. He mugs a lot, at one point looking at his own right hand in disbelief, and is clearly having pretty much fun up there! I'm a sucker for Steve's big ballads, and he played "Whispering a Prayer" better than I've ever heard it!

If I have any complaint, its the New Orleans crowds... I have seen a lot of shows at the HoB down there, and every frigging show, the band plays their last song, the crowd roars for about 30 seconds, and then starts talking until the band comes back out for the encore. I wish bands would start repaying this unkindness by packing it in early... Are all city's audiences so jaded???

Regardless, an incredible, and quite memorable day in the Big Easy!! As pricey as the EVO experience might be, it is an amazing opportunity to get access to an artist, if you want it... And Steve did not seem to "endure" it at all, but clearly enjoyed it. So did we!! Thanks Steve, your great band, and your great road crew!!