22 October 2010, Steve Vai Festival Holland

[Jeroen]

Did you attend the first Steve Vai & the North Netherlands Orchestra performance?

Please post your reviews here!

Jeroen

[jemgirl]

Ohh yes, i was there!! friday the 21th.
It was amazing to see steve vai again!
Imho the orchestra was not so good like the metropole,not that smooth.
However the evening was filled with surprises...MIKE KENEALLY.....amazing guy!!!
And...on violin..BENJAMIN YUSUPOV also a great performance.
And ofcourse.....steve himself...like always giving me the chills...so good!!!
I had a very nice evening.

oh btw, it was nice to see you again cristine!!!
And you too john.

[Synchronicity]

Now in the right place on the messageboard...

I just returned from the first concert of the Steve Vai-festival in Groningen. Of course I had a fantastic evening, but that's no surpirse I guess...

There was a small change in the program as The Middle Of Everywhere was missing. The rehearsal period was too short to get all the material in for the two concerts. The program for the first concert was:

- Kill The Guy With the Ball/The God Eaters
- The Murder Prologue/The Murder
- I'm Becoming Salamanders In The Sun
- Piano solo by Mike Keneally: three pieces (sorry, forgot which ones)
- Benjamin Yusupov: Concerto for electric viola (played by Christophe Weidmann)

BREAK

- Expanding The Universe:
I - At The End of the World
II - Holograms
III - Chaos Theory
IV - Asleep in the Petals
V - Unfolding from Within

At the beginning of the concert things were not as fluent as usually. Maybe some nerves here and there, the sound was in the beginning also in need of improvement (at least where I was sitting), but soon everything fell into place. Mike Keneally playing Vai-material on piano was one of the highlights for me. The three pieces he played were not from Piano Reductions vol. 1, but will be on vol. 2! no idea yet of when that will be recorded and released. Mike took a break from touring with Satriani just to be here this weekend.
One the things you can say about Steve's composition's is that they truly stand out. It doesn't matter whether they're played by rockband, symphonic orchestra or just on one instrument.
The electric violin concerto was not a Vai composition but by a guy called Benjamin Yusupov, but was a nice surprise all in all.
Then after the break the new piece and it was sensational! Announced as a little song Steve wrote ti had a duration of 35 wonderful minutes. The different pieces the piece was made up of, were incredible, but because of the length of this symphony for guitar and orchestra, I definitely need to hear it more often to feel it from perspective of the whole piece. After this, a standing ovation and a fantastic encore: For The Love Of God. It sounded even better with this symphonic orchestra, than the previous orchestral version with the Metropole Orchestra, but that goes for most of the music that was performed tonight. The symphonic orchestra is a bigger orchestra, more instruments, so a different sound.
Also very informative and entertaining was the introduction before the concert. Tom Trapp, orchestrator for Steve (with the Metropole Orchestra and again with the NNO) talked for 40 minutes or so. Not just talking about Steve's music, but also answering questions on all sorts of things. Informative and very entertaining.

My head is still filled with the wonderful music I heard tonight, so I'm going to bed. Tomorrow's the radio show recording (with Steve and Mike) and of course the second concert. Wish you all could be here.

[Synchronicity]

And also this one in the right place...

Some more information on yesterday's concert. As you might have expected, Steve did use the Universe on Expanding The Universe and to great use. It's great to see him use the 7 string guitar again on stage.

Expanding The Universe began with Steve playing and singing. After that it was an instrumental odyssey through all kinds of fascinating pieces. Influences of Strawinsky (rhythm), Varese (sounds) among others could be heard in the different parts that made up this symphony. Chaos Theory for instance is a piece that has only three notes written down in the orchestral sheetmusic (B-flat, C, D as Tom told in the introduction), but it's a fantastic soundscape in the way it's performed.
The orchestra had a couple of additions in the form of a drumkit, bass guitar and second electric guitar (Peter Tiehuis borrowed from the Metropole Orchestra). Peter had also some spotlight as he did a couple of twin guitarparts with Steve. Another beautiful solo was done on tuba near the end of the piece.
The symphony also ended with Steve playing guitar and singing, with the final word left to sing by the audience.

As I said in my previous post, the piece is too long to digest in one take. Hopefully tonight I'll have an even better appreciation of this wonderful symphony. And of course there are more pieces on the program that I'm looking forward too. What to think about There's Still Something Dead In Here. Just remember the tune of (almost) the same name from Flexable, but now vision it in an orchestral version. That should be something!

[Simone Schaap]

I was there yesterday....I cannot give you any technical information but I will share with you my feelings..

Vai took me on a journey through our universe... The music entered my heart and I felt only love. Love for our planet, love for human kind and nature. It felt like I was watching a movie inside my soul...with total freedom of my own imagination and fantasy.... Steve is not only a guitar Jesus.. he is a great composer and I hope he will keep working with orchestra's to share his vision on music with everybody. Also his last words about the Dutch society being a tolerant place touched me deeply... I am proud you call the Netherlands your second home.

Thank you Steve you gave me a lot of energy and love.

[jemgirl]

Those are beautiful words simone.

[mainitz]

I have uploaded some photos !!!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=3 ... 57fa566ed3" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

EDIT: I also have added some impressions of my little city tour in groningen !!!

[mach1andy]

Great shots Johannes!

I have uploaded some photos !!!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=3 ... 57fa566ed3" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[matic22]

Andy, can you tell us what guitars and gear was used on concert?

[R1FSR]

SNEAK PREVIEW OF WHATS TO FOLLOW



write up to follow as well .
lots of people to thank.
one word
AWESOME

[R1FSR]

sat 23rd

[Seraphim]

Ohh yes, i was there!! friday the 21th.

I look for you all over the place...

Anyway, like Paul wrote in one word AWESOME!!! Was two memorable days. Spend a good time there. Not only at the concert, that was AWESOME, also, was AWESOME to meet you all there. My journey don't have ended yet. I'm still In Holland. As soon as I can I will post and make a proper review. No, the picture don't have the same quality as Paul

Also, enjoyed reading the above posts and watched the pictures, including the ones of Groningen.

Can´t wrote more because of the jet-lag

Seraphim

[jemgirl]

Same here Anibal,john and i looked all over the place to see you.
Ohh maybe next time.

[unicapb]

Gronigen october 22..there is no way to describe in words the ultimate experience we had this night (and the next day & night) VAI, The MUSIC, the meetings (Pia Vai, Tom Trapp, Mike Keneally, Co de Kloet, Jaan Wessmann (Mike's euro bassplayer), Thomas Nordegg), KENEALLY...just too much..I hope the photo's can express more than words. (For more photo's see the 23 october topic)

[unicapb]

Signed by Mike Keneally, Steve Vai & Tom Trapp (who drew the beard on Vai)