G3

04/11/07
Theater at Madison Square Garden

MSG witnessed on Wednesday night THE event of the year in the guitar world : a G3 show! You could bet that 80% of the audience, mostly male, were guitar players. The line up, that changes every year and that consists of putting together three of the best guitars players, was prestigious : Joe Satriani, (as usual), John Petrucci (from Dream Theater) and Paul Gilbert (ex Mr. Big). A recent poll of the Top 100 greates rock guitarists ranked Satriani #7, Petrucci #11 and Gilbert #14.
Continuing with the same successful formula as in years past, fans would be treated to individual sets by each with their own band, before joining Satriani on stage for an all-star jam session.
Gilbert opened first and played mostly material from his latest album "Get out of my yard" which is entirely instrumental, although he sings on his previous solos records. But of course, tonight was not about singing ! He popped out for a minute the famous electrical drill he used at the time of Mr. Big (copied that one on Eddie Van Halen), and was without a doubt the most technical dude on stage that night. Accompanied by his wife on keyboards and his usual musicians, he started the show on a very energetic note, almost ... poppy.
John Petrucci followed and played a little longer ; a new style, more atmospheric, less classical, great musicianship here, especially with fellow Mike Portnoy on drums, considered today as one of the best drummers in rock n' roll. Petrucci played songs from his solo album "Suspended Animation".
Then came the main man Satriani, the master of masters, the guy everybody was waiting to see, the guy who gave lessons to Metallica's guitarist (ok, that's what the legend says...)! In his usual black tshirt and black jeans with shades on, looking truely like an alien while playing, you get to wonder where does all these notes come from and how in the world can such a thing happen ? Keeping on pushing the envelop of modern rock guitar playing, from "Mystical Potatohead Groove Thing" to "Cool n*9", he played what all the audience had came to hear. And when they all came on stage together, to cover Hendrix's "Foxy Lady", "Purple Haze", and the Stones "Jumping Jack Flash", making the songs last ten minutes, you could bless your ears for having the privilege to hear those three masters together. 4 hours of amazing guitar playing, not for the average and uneducated ear...