The names Satch and Vai are as synonymous with the world of guitar as DiMaggio and Mantle are with baseball. These two Italian-American axe-slingers didn’t just excel at their respective instrument; they redefined the guitar as we know it, creating an entire ecosystem of likeminded players in their wake. Of course, there’s also the deep history that they share. For without Joe Satriani, there very likely wouldn’t be a Steve Vai. As the story famously goes, Vai showed up on Satch’s doorstep with a guitar and a pack of strings, asking the neighborhood Jedi master for guidance…and to help string his guitar.
Fast forward over half a century, millions of albums sold, and countless packs of guitar strings later. The teacher and student find themselves reunited again in their first ever joint venture, SatchVai Band. Admittedly, this isn’t the first time they’ve shared the stage together. Vai was a staple of nearly every one of Satriani’s G3 tours. However, SatchVai Band marks the first time the two have collaborated together on original music: Largely old school hard rock that showcases both their skill and sense of humor. All this and more was on full display last night at the legendary Riverside Theater in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Joining Joe and Steve in this endeavor is an equally world class ensemble of players. Self-professed “guitar nerd”, Pete Thorn, is an accomplished sideman and shredder in his own right. Former Whitesnake bassist Marco Mendoza holds down the low end and provides lead vocals while needed, while journeyman drummer and Satriani doppelganger, Kenny Aronoff, holds down the beat. Together, these five schooled the eager crowd of musos with a masterclass in musicianship at its finest, all without ever losing the spirit, soul, and most importantly, fun that comes with being in a touring rock n’ roll band. That’s right; I used the word “fun” in a review pertaining to Joe Satriani and Steve Vai. Sue me!
Off the bat, the band breezed through their three original compositions: “Dancing”, “I Wanna Play My Guitar”, and “The Sea of Emotion, Pt. 1”. While the legendary Glenn Hughes provides vocals on the studio rendition of “Guitar”, Mendoza did a most excellent job filling those colossal purple shoes. Satch and Vai couldn’t hide the smiles on their faces as they exchanged licks and solos, each resorting to their usual tricks in the process. From face-melting tap passages to whammy bar insanity, nothing was off limits for this dynamic duo.
As the evening progressed, the two took turns onstage playing some of their greatest hits. Vai treated the audience (who was most definitely listening) to the staple, “Tender Surrender”, as well as a handful off his latest album, Inviolate (2022). Songs like “Zeus in Chains” and “Teeth of the Hydra” have already become legendary, the latter if only for its incorporation of its namesake guitar that needs to be seen to be believed. Satch’s offerings were equally as fulfilling, classics like “Flying in a Blue Dream”, “Satch Boogie”, and “Surfing with the Alien” leaving a colossal grin on my face and reminding me why I picked up Ibanez nearly 20 years ago at the tender age of 9.
The ultimate highlight? Watching these legends add their own unique flavors to each other’s work. Watching Vai, Satch’s one-time student, add his own flair to “Always with Me, Always with You” and “If I Could Fly” was nothing short of incredible. On the contrary, if Master Satch harmonizing with Vai on his magnum opus, “For the Love of God”, doesn’t move you to tears, I don’t know what will. Come a closing encore of Satch’s “Crowd Chant” and a cover of Steppenwolf’s “Born to Be Wild”, the band got the largely reserved, no-nonsense crowd on their feet for a rousing grand finale.
By the time 11:15 PM rolled around, it was hard to believe nearly two hours of shred-mania had come and gone. A trek home to Chicago nearly as long as the show itself awaited, but I was flying too high on cloud 9 (or rather in a blue dream) to care. While the eclectic stylings of both Satch and Vai will forever be niche in a world consumed by faceless commercialism, those with appreciation for talent beyond words and musicianship beyond compare would be foolish to skip over the Surfing with the Hydra Tour when it comes through their town. Passion, warfare, and aliens forever!
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