G3 Reunited – A Review Of “G3: 25 Anniversary Reunion Tour” Live Album Set To Be Released on January 31, 2025

 

 

 

Formed by the legendary Joe Satriani, G3 embarked on their first-ever tour in 1996. Joining Satriani were his former student, Steve Vai and guitarist and singer Eric Johnson. Since 1996, G3 has taken various forms with other musicians joining Satriani. Legendary performers like Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Yngwie Malmsteen and Phil Collen of Def Leppard have all embarked on tours under the G3 name. But, for the 25th anniversary, the original three of Satriani, Vai and Johnson toured for select dates in 2024. To commemorate the tour, the trio recorded one show for a live album release.

The 27-track live record features three performances by Satriani, Vai and Johnson’s bands. At the tail end of the record also features a jam with all three spectacular guitarists at the very end. Since there are so many spectacular songs on this live record, it’s only fair to highlight three songs per member followed by the all-star collaboration at every end. 

Vai kicks off the record. Vai has eight songs that he played during the recording of this live album. The first highlight is song No. 2, “Avalancha” off of 2022’s Inviolate. During the tune’s seven-and-a-half-minute run time, it feels like Vai is taking listeners on an electric guitar’s voyage through space. It’s extremely easy to see why Vai has played with David Lee Roth of Van Halen and Whitesnake. For any hard rock instrumental fan, this is the live song that’ll grab your attention. After the instrumental introduction of “Gravitas” before this song, Vai blasts into “Avalancha.” Listeners can picture Vai bending the notes using the whammy bar on his guitar while posing at the front of the stage during this song.

Vai shows his softer side on song five, “Tender Surrender.” This song originally appeared on his 1995 Alien Love Secrets EP. This slower song is about halfway down during Vai’s set. This perfectly placed song does a spectacular job at breaking up some of the hard rock, in-your-face, music. The crew recording this live record does a perfect job at capturing Vai and his entire band on this song. Jeremy Colson’s drums are so crisp. It feels as if he is right in front of you drumming while the song moves forward. “Tender Surrender” showcases Vai’s perfection as a musician as he takes dramatic pauses between notes. This lets the silence act as the muted notes needed.

Song eight, “For the Love of God” marks Vai’s last song on the record. In this song, the use of other instruments in the background adds a complex layer of sound to already challenging music. I like the electric sound that Vai took on this song in the background. It makes his guitar stand out among the other sounds that are used in the background.

 

 

Eric Johnson’s first song on the record is the spectacular “Land of 1,000 Dances” which is a Wilson Pickett cover. The easy singalong repetition of the chorus gets stuck in listeners as the song moves along the three-and-a-half minute run time. Like Vai, Johnson’s backing back is perfectly captured and as they are in perfect rhythm behind Johnson soloing, they don’t overpower him. It’s nice to have Johnson in the middle separating Vai and Satriani, it breaks up the instrumental hard rock guitar song with classic blues.

Before the start of song 11, “Trail of Tears,” Johnson dedicates it “to the native American.” This seven-and-a-half-minute song is the longest of his set. This song originally appears on Johnson’s 1986 record, Tones. Dave Scher is heard on background vocals on this song as he and Johnson are perfectly harmonizing with each other. This is the best song of Johnsons set. Wayne Salzmann II keeps a nice consistent beat on drums throughout that helps move this dreamy song to its eventual end.

“Desert Rose” checks in at song 14 and is Johnson’s second to last song on the record. The song opens with a groovy repetitive guitar riff before once again Johnson takes center stage with the rest of his amazing band surrounding him. At the two-minute mark, this song showcases Johnson’s guitar prowess as he masters the fretboard and moves around the neck of the guitar which -what sounds like – ease.

 

 

It’s impossible to not talk about Satriani without talking about the amazing “Surfing with the Alien.” This perfect instrumental originally appeared on Satriani’s 1987 record of the same name. Keeping the groove behind Satriani is none other than Kenny Aronoff. If you aren’t familiar with Aronoff, he has worked with the likes of The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney and Lady Gaga – that should be all you need to know about how amazing he is. Fans will listen to this song on repeat while doing their best Satriani impression when air guitaring.

Song 21 is the only song that Satriani sings during his set. “Big Bad Moon” captures Satriani’s unique voice while also capturing the perfect crunch and twang of his guitar. It’s nice to hear Satriani sing one song on the record. It breaks up his guitar shredding and is a different sound for the listener. The pace of this song shows how tight his band is.

 

 

For song 23, Satriani breaks out the slow semi-ballad, “Always with Me, Always with You.” This song excellently compliments the other hard rock, fast-driving tunes. It creates an equilibrium with the other tunes during his set that leaves a lasting impression on the listeners and the audience that he’s him live.

As the trio begins their G3 set, they break out into a cover of Cream’s “Crossroads.” What is apparent in these three covers is that these guitarists have zero ego. Each guitarist gets their moment to shine and solo before taking backseats to fall into the rhythm section while the other solos. “Crossroads” kicks off a flurry of three amazing covers. During “Crossroads,” Vai, Satriani and Johnson each bring a different feel during their solo that shifts the song into a different direction before returning to the roots of the song for the finale.

 

 

The second cover is “Spanish Castle Magic” by the great Jimi Hendrix. This track is the 26th song on the record and clocks in at 11 and a half minutes, which so happens to be the longest on the record. Fans would think that having so many instruments on stage would create a muffled or heavy tone, but that is not the case. The music is balanced perfectly to create a light and airy sound instead of a darker, heavier tone. Fans can only imagine that this is what rehearsals for this tour must have sounded like. Just 10-plus minutes of jamming and allowing the music to carry them anywhere before ending.

The final song of the live record is a splendid cover of Steppenwolf’s “Born to be Wild.” It’s hard to do an original justice while adding a new and unique feel to it. Luckily for the trio of guitarists, they’re able to take this tune to new heights. “Born to be Wild” is the perfect song to close the record on. It captures the essence of G3 perfectly and they even add a snippet of “Sunshine of Your Love” by Cream before ending the tune.

The “G3: 25 Anniversary Reunion Tour” live album is well worth the long wait for fans. The entire record perfectly captures the original trio’s first tour 20-plus years later. The guitar mastery lasts a total of 27 songs that will leave fans begging for one more note from the trio. This amazing live record captures what G3 is all about, rock and roll fueled by electric guitar passion. On  “G3: 25 Anniversary Reunion Tour” that passion that has fueled Satriani, Vai and Johnson’s career seeps out of every guitar note into the speakers of the listeners.

 

Rating: 8.5/10

 

 

 

Tracklist:

1. Gravitas (Vai)

2. Avalancha (Vai)

3. Little Pretty Intro (Vai)

4. Little Pretty (Vai)

5. Tender Surrender (Vai)

6. Zeus In Chains (Vai)

7. Teeth of the Hydra (Vai)

8. For the Love of God (Vai)

9. Land of 1,000 Dances (Johnson) (Wilson Pickett cover)

10. Righteous (Johnson)

11. Trail of Tears (Johnson)

12. On-Ramp Improv (Johnson)

13. Freeway Jam (Johnson)

14. Desert Rose (Johnson)

15. Venus Reprise (Johnson)

16. Raspberry Jam Delta-V (Satriani)

17. Surfing with the Alien (Satriani)

18. Satch Boogie (Satriani)

19. Sahara (Satriani)

20. Nineteen Eighty (Satriani)

21. Big Bad Moon (Satriani)

22. Always with Me, Always with You (Satriani)

23. Summer Song (Satriani)

24. Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Eric Johnson Introductions

25. Crossroads (G3) (Cream cover)

26. Spanish Castle Magic (G3) (Jimi Hendrix cover)

27. Born to be Wild (G3) (Steppenwolf cover)

 

 

Steve Vai’s Band Is:

Steve Vai – Guitar

Dante Frisilee – Guitar

Philip Bynoe – Bass

Jeremy Colson – Drums

 

Joe Satriani’s Band Is:

Joe Satriani – Guitar/Vocals

Kenny Aronoff – Drums,

Bryan Beller – Bass

Rai Thistlethwayte – Keyboards/Guitar

 

Eric Johnson’s Band Is:

Eric Johnson – Guitars/Vocals

Wayne Salzmann II – Drums

Roscoe Beck – Bass

Dave Scher – Keyboards/Vocals/Guitar

 

 

 

 

 

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