A wide range of enthusiasts, ranging from '60s rockers to college hipsters to impressionable youthful rockers-to-be, showed up at the Center for the Arts (CFA) this Sunday to witness Joe Satriani's guitar mastery. No one left disappointed.
Satriani, a guitarist who has worked with artists like Mick Jagger and The Yardbirds, has developed a fan base comprised of guitar aficionados impressed with his skill and appreciative ears of his unique mix of instrumental blues and hard rock sensibility.
For his CFA performance to promote his new album, Professor Satchafunkilus and the Musterion of Rock, the guitarist's songs were, save his encore, instrumental. Though this may sound pretentious or pompous, it wasn't even close, with Satriani proving his abilities as a showman equal to those as an artist.
Joining him for the occasion was hard rock band Mountain, best known for "Mississippi Queen," whose lead guitarist Leslie West is a legend in his own right. Providing vocal support was long-time drummer and original member Corky Laing.
New member and bassist Rev Theory seemed to be of a different era than the original members, complete with a metal ponytail that was appropriately swirled around in a helicopter fashion in the midst of every song's climax.
"Mississippi Queen" was played of course, but the psychedelic rock of "Nantucket Sleighride" proved the highlight of the opening act; long, trippy and intense, the song offered its own sense of euphoria. In fact, when comparing the originality of "Sleighride," songs like "Mississippi Queen" came off as almost too standard and predictable. That being said, "Queen" remained a crowd-pleaser.
Satriani, with his signature sunglasses, pleasant smile and backup band then took the reigns. Opening with a new song entitled "I Just Want To Rock," Satriani's straightforward fashion, power chords and robotic tinged chorus set the mood for the remainder of the show.
After a few more straight-laced rock openers, Satriani directly addressed the crowd and introduced his band, which included bassist and long-time partner Stu Hamm. The constant chant of "Stuuuuuu" from the crowd proved that if you're a rock star and have a name that makes an "ooo" sound, it's forever impossible to be booed.
Hamm was as important to the show as Satriani and his bass solo towards the end of the show left the crowd in stunned appreciation. At one point, Hamm took this silent energy and turned it into a country music-styled "clap along" session, baffling the crowd but adding yet another credential to his list of talents.
Satriani mixed in old material with new cuts, including the track "Ghosts". In Satriani's own words, the song was inspired by the idea of "meeting a ghost who's able to shred on the guitar." Taking a step down from the hard rock of the night's dawn, the song was haunting and mysterious and perhaps the highlight of the night.
The middle of the show saw a mixture of blues, psychedelic rock and plenty of solos. "Andalusia;" a song inspired by the flamenco music of Spain, was a particularly original mixture of influences that came out sounding entirely original.
Following this, a final selection of hard rock tracks guided the audience to the end of the show. This included Satriani playing to the crowd, including a spirited section of playing the guitar with his teeth.
For the encore, West was brought back on stage. Ending on a classic blues play-off, Satriani and West seemed to enjoy themselves, riffing on the guitar and daring the other to top it.
Satriani continues to be one of the most purely talented guitarists of our time, leaving the crowd entertained and in awe. Jumping between the slow and trippy to the fast and direct, Satriani showed that he has truly earned his sunglasses.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
