G3: Live in Tokyo
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Movie Reviews of G3: Live in Tokyo
Movie Review: The Word became Music
Summary: 5 Stars
Amazing words can't and don't even get similar to this awsome musicMovie Review: More G3 Insanity!
Summary: 4 Stars
G3 returns in fine form with "G3 Live in Tokyo". The same formula as the last two g3 DVDs is repeated. Joe Satriani teams up with Steve Vai and find a third guitarist worthy of sharing the stage with them. Each member performs his own set and then all 3 jam on stage together. It worked on the previous 2 DVDs and it works again. This time, with the addition of John Petrucci of Dream Theater/LTE, is the best time. Yes, there is only 90 minutes worth of music, but if you want the full G3 experience go see them. The 90 minutes is a great deal for under $15. Now to the show:
John Petrucci plays a couple of songs from his "Suspended Animation" disc. I saw G3 with Petrucci back in 2001 and thought that he should release the music he was playing. Now he has. Both songs showcase Petrucci's ability to combine speed, tone and phrasing in an instrumental form. Both songs have a couple of tone and time changes, and Petrucci shows why he is considered one of the best guitarists in the rock genre. (Or any genre for that matter) Fans of Dream Theater or any of John's other projects won't be dissapointed. John is joined by, DT drummer, Mike Portnoy and Dave Larue of Steve Morse and Dreg's fame. The rhythm section is solid and all over John's music. A very good set.
Steve Vai is next and continues to be the most energetic of the G3 members. Vai opens with "The Audience is Listening" from Passion & Warfare and it is a blistering version. Steve and bassist Billy Sheehan go wild during this song. They trade fours, exchange picking hands, and play some high speed unison lines. These two have been mesmerizing together since the David Lee Roth Band, and have taken their showmanship to new levels. "Building the Church" and "K'm-Pee-Du-Wee" are the other Vai tunes and Steve is his amazing self. Vai has been guilty of composing tunes that I can't identify with, but these are both great compositions and Steve's playing is true virtuosity at its best. Great set from a great showman.
Joe Satriani's set is also very good. He plays great versions of "Up In Flames" and 'Searching' but is guilty of not stretching out as far as he can. Still, both of these songs are excellent and show Satch's unparalled ability to combine catchy melodies with guitar virtuosity. 'War' is a song that Satch stretches out on and improvises a unique ending. Excellent version.
As always, the DVD ends with all 3 guitarists on stage. "Foxey Lady" is the first tune. Mike Portnoy plays drums on this tune. How can you go wrong with these 3 guys jamming to Jimi? The last two songs have Jeff Campitelli on Drums and Billy Sheehan joins Matt Bisonette on bass. The two bassists alternate taking the vocal duties and do a decent job. Both songs feature each guitarist taking a solo spot and then all 3 trading 4s at the end. More G3 madness done right. As always, if you aren't a fan of guitar, you won't be a fan of this. If you are a fan of any of these three, then you should get this. I am a fan of all 3, and find it to be the best of the 3.
Movie Review: Superb Guitars Fall A Little Flat
Summary: 4 Stars
I have been a tremendous fan of the G3 concerts for years. In fact, you can see me in the front row of the "Live in Denver" DVD. There are few people that are bigger fans of Joe, Steve, John, Yngwie, and Eric than me. Many people share my sentiments when I say that the three song set formula they have been using, leaves this post-concert experience a little empty.
If you are fortunate enough to attend one of the concerts, it usually exceeds 3 hours and allows many more songs. I've never understood why artists are unwilling to deliver what the fans (consumers) want (e.g. Metallica). There is surely a market for a multi-disk compilation featuring the entire show. It would be worth the $100.00 expense.
In regards to the DVD and CD, there isn't much to say. The performances are great, but some of the camera work leaves something to be desired. It is shot in a widescreen format, which I absolutely love, but it lacks the intimacy of the Denver show. The cameras seem very far away for the most part and they have to put the zoom on maximum to get close shots. There are also a couple of shots where they fail to adjust the viewing ratio and all three individuals are compressed, tall and skinny.
The fabulous artists in Steve Vai's band are barely evident as well. I would have been much happier to see some great shots of Dave Weiner and Tony McAlpine, but they were simply pushed to the side.
The Audio is superb. With the exception of some amplifier issues during Joe's solo at the end (he explains it in the commentary section), the 5.1 audio is flawless and a very good mix. The Joe Satriani technical difficulty is much more prominent on the CD version because their digital editor was able to smooth it out somewhat on the DVD. Joe doesn't believe in overdubs so he left it in to stay "honest" to the show.
Unlike the "Rockin' In the Free World" release, the DVD and CD are identical. Same location and set-list. Seems barely justifiable to purchase both. Hardcore fans like me won't have difficulty justifying the expense. Something to be mindful about, however, is the new copy protection software installed on the CD version. This will restrict your ability to play it on your computer without installing proprietary software and nearly impossible to play and rip in iTunes if you have a Mac. If you have the means, I would suggest recording the audio from the DVD to make yourself an audio only copy for in car use.
Ultimately, this concert allows for fans to see and hear songs, to date, they have not heard live. Most classics are absent, with the exception of "The Audience is Listening", and most songs are prominent standouts from the artist's latest releases. I can't really put my finger on it, but somehow I just feel a little short changed. Was it the (cold) venue? The camera work? I'm not really sure, but the experience lacks some luster.
Movie Review: Really, really good.
Summary: 4 Stars
John Petrucci is a very smooth player, and when he's speed-picking, his right hand moves so quickly you can barely tell it's moving at all. Steve Vai delivers the goods, as always, and his band is hot. Jeremy Colson's enthusiastic drumming is particularly admirable. Joe Satriani's performance of "War" is most significant; relevant to the times, Joe finishes with a bit of melody that is, shall we say, "extremely Eastern." I took this as a fairly bold statement.
The jam at the end is, like the previous G3 jams, another guitar-mad frenzy. The trading-off becomes a bit tedious. Satch's guitar is panned hard-left, and he could be louder. Joe's vocals are terrible on Hendrix's "Foxy Lady," but Billy Sheehan does a good job with ZZTop's "La Grange," and Matt Bissonette does OK with the Deep Purple classic, "Smoke On The Water." What's most interesting here, besides the welcome addition of Mike Portnoy on drums for the first song, is that Bissonette and Sheehan are on stage together. Personally, I think the idea of two bass players is a great one. It only adds to the "guitarishness" of it all. Ok, I know I just made up that word. Forgive me. But I believe this is the first time we've seen two bass players in a G3 jam.
All in all, this is a great concert and the price is right. Though it may be a bit of a guitar overdose, it's just what some of us need to escape from the fashion show that is the pop scene these days.
Movie Review: Better with Petrucci than with Malmstein
Summary: 4 Stars
I bought this a week after seeing the 2007 live G3 show in Boston. I had been disapointed with the show in Boston because of poor acoustics and sound mixing at the Orpheum. However, this DVD from thier Tokyo show is great and cost wayyyyy less than seeing them live. The sound quality is fantastic; the mix is perfect and the camera work is VERY good. In JP's set the camera at one point lines up perfectly to see JP and Dave Larou wailing over frets with synchronised speed and the effect is pretty exciting for a player who is watching. The Vai set is typical stuff and for me is OK but Satch's set is VERY good, maybe better than his set on the Satch, Vai, Johnson DVD. I had paid no attention to Petrucci till seeign the live show and this DVD has earned him my respect as a truly talented and professional player. His set alone is worth the price of this DVD. I also have the G3 DVD with Satch, Vai and Eric Johnson. That one is IMHO the best of the G3 concerts available on DVD. The Tokyo show is the second best. I saw the one with Malmstein and was very disapointed with Malmstein. One last note... of the 3 DVDs I mention here, the Satch, Vai, Johnson DVD has the best G3 jam at the end. The chemistry of those 3 in the jam's classic blues forum just worked better. Even Vai who is anything but a traditional blues player kicked out some of the coolest blues/rock licks I've ever heard; my favorite having a lot of Jimmy Page flavor to it.