JOHN PETRUCCI, STEVE VAI, JOE SATRIANI- G3 LIVE IN TOKYO

G3: Live In Tokyo is the third G3 performance to be filmed and recorded, but this here is the CD version, so I'll be speaking about it from this media. The inclusion of John Petrucci interested me, since until listening to this CD, I had only heard his work on Dream Theater.

Petrucci was promoting his debut solo album at the time, and as a result he plays song off that album. Glasgow Kiss, which is the first song, has a nice opening lick from Petrucci and indeed it starts off well in general. The way he wrote the song also shows he didn't just write for the guitar, but for the music, as is really shown with the cool interplay part between Dave La Rue and Petrucci around 3 minutes. The middle section of the song is just stunning. Petrucci puts heaps of soul into this solo, and it really just hits my heart in many ways, truly touching indeed. Damage Control is the more progressive and complex of the two songs. Lots of variety in moods and feelings in this song, and some very intense moments too. A nice touch is La Rue's bass solo, something I didn't see coming given that it is in fact a solo album piece.

Vai's set is good too, with the classic insane rocker The Audience Is Listening, with his it's-so-silly-it's-cool wah wah pedal antics during the verse. Billy Sheehan gives a thundering bass solo, a pleasant surprise and a welcome addition to the song Building The Church is a really great composition. Just listen to the part where Vai is doing the two handed tapping over the keyboard playing chords and it just fits so well, technical yet highly musical. Heavy song, but a lot of feeling too. K'm-Pee-Du-Wee has some beautiful interplay between Sheehan and Vai during the beginning of the song and in general a nice melodic song, but the pace is hampered due to Vai's excessive noodling around in the middle of the song.

Joe set's is pretty good. The best of his set, Searching. Melodic, tasteful, soulful and exceptional variation in emotions and moods throughout, just amazing. You can even feel a story happening, a story of Searching for someone, for something, and perhaps getting lost along the way. The way the song ends, just gives me the feeling that whatever is, whatever was being searched for, was never found.

The Jam is awesome, perhaps flawed at some points. Satch has a great voice for Foxy Lady, despite his rather limited vocal range, but since Hendrix was never known for a remarkable vocal range either, I think Satch's voice worked extremely well in the context. Blistering playing from Petrucci and Satch, but unfortunately not so much for Vai. For the next two songs, this pattern continues, with Satch and Petrucci just always sounding so consistent. Vai would occasionally put in sweep picked arpeggios that just didn't sound musical in the context and some of his other phrases just missed the spot sometimes.

A very good CD, one for a prog fan, and of course one a virtuoso guitar fan can seriously enjoy.