Joe Satriani dropped in during “Answers,” John Petrucci joined for a few measures of “The Audience Is Listening,” “Sisters” was beautifully introduced by Tommy Emmanuel and his acoustic guitar, and Frank Zappa made a legendary live appearance in “Stevie’s Spanking.” In addition to the first-time release of his 'lost' 'Modern Primitive' music, composer/producer and electric guitar virtuoso Steve Vai will celebrate the 25th anniversary of his landmark album 'Passion And Warfare' with a world tour starting on May 28 featuring for the first time ever in concert full performances of his groundbreaking. The video screen comes into play several times throughout the set, playing retro videos in time with songs being performed.Ī cool addition to the show is how pre-recorded videos from special guests were incorporated into the live performances. The 25th anniversary edition of Passion and Warfare does something that anniversary reissues rarely do: provide a re-framing of a classic album.
Above the stage, a live performance video of Vai and Queen’s Brian May from 1992 played while Steve and his current band rocked through the tune. From the first track, “Liberty,” we got a glimpse of a regular feature in this show.
Vai knows how to make an entrance.Īny Steve Vai performance is worth the cost of admission, but we were all here to witness the magic of Passion And Warfare. (After hearing some of his wildly amazing guitar compositions over the years, I already thought he was otherworldly!) With a white hood, red laser eyes and an Ibanez JEM with LED fret markers, Mr. Kicking things off with his infamous cameo in Crossroads playing on the video screens above the stage straight into the monstrous crunch of “Bad Horsie,” Vai walked onto the stage with a getup that made him seem from another planet. The Passion And Warfare 25th Anniversary Tour made its way to Knoxville, Tennessee at the Bijou Theatre on November 20, 2016.
“There are songs here I’ve never performed before, and I’m delighted that 25 years after its release, I feel as though my guitar chops are as much up to the task as ever before.” “Performing this record from top to bottom, with some very special surprises in the works, is something I’ve always dreamed of doing,” Vai said.
To further celebrate the occasion, Vai embarked on a world tour featuring – for the first time ever in concert – full performances of his groundbreaking instrumental rock masterpiece in its entirety. Get the Steve Vai Setlist of the concert at House of Blues, San Diego, CA, USA on Octofrom the Passion And Warfare 25th Anniversary Tour and other Steve Vai Setlists for free on setlist. To commemorate the album’s 25th anniversary, Vai teamed with Legacy Recordings to issue a special two-disc edition of Passion And Warfare. Considered his breakout album, Passion And Warfare catapulted Vai to rock star status and solidified him as one of the ultimate guitar heroes. Steve Vai’s Passion And Warfare, released in 1990, is highly regarded as one of the most influential rock instrumental albums of all time.