6 June 2013 - Moscow - Steve Vai and the E.T.O

[Jeroen]

Are you attending this show at the Crocus City Hall?

Meet up with fellow fans and review the show in this thread.

Jeroen
vai.com

[scott715]

I was at the show on 6 June in Moscow sitting in the 5th row. It was great to see Steve live finally for the first time. That being said, I was a little disappointed with the show. First it started almost 35 minutes late. I don't care who you are, if you are late for an appointment you apologize, whatever the reason.

Another disappointment was that the main set was only an hour. I saw Paco de Lucia on Monday and he played for two hours straight without an intermission and came back for an encore. Steve did two encores as I recall, but of only one song each. Maybe the show length was because it is not his normal group and it was all they rehearsed but it was disappointing. He also didn't do any songs from "The Story Of Light" that I recognized anyway. I would have at least liked to have heard "Gravity Storm" live. He also sang a little on one tune, but didn't seem to realize that the mic wasn't on.

All the slightly negative comments aside, it was really good to see Steve live. The theater was probably less than half full and it seems like the whole thing was put together in kind of a hurry. I would like to see him again with a regular rock band. His playing is still amazing and he hasn't lost a step in that area but I almost wish he would put together some kind of "supergroup" like his friend Joe Satriani.

One last negative and maybe I didn't see what I thought I saw. At the end he was shaking hands and signing autograph but it seems he refused to sign a guitar someone brought. I guess he thinks it will end up for sale on e-bay but to begrudge someone the opportunity to make a couple of bucks. A Someone who will make less money in their whole life than Steve probably makes in a week seems kind of petty. I have been to see Joe Bonamassa 5 times and he signs everything, poses for pictures and sometimes I see things he has signed on e-bay, but it is not like he is losing money from anything and it enhances his reputation with his fans.

Still, I love Steve's music and hope to see him live again soon.

[IanBlack8]

I was at this concert (1st row parterre), and it was one of the best concerts I've attended in my whole life. It was so exciting to finally see Steve live, and also to hear a full symphonic orchestra.
It seems that Steve performed the Racing The World and Velorum (The Story Of Light compositions) for the first time live ever with the orchestra, which is very valuable, at least to me. The
Steve's playing was precise and overall flawless, as always, but it's so much more striking live! Many compositions were played very similar to Sound Theories, but thats fine, they're just perfect already.
But the sad thing is... there were so few people! Whole sections of seats were empty! I've thought that Steve has very strong fanbase in Russia and especially in Moscow, but the absence of half audience really put me in shame - it might have been such dissapointment for him in his birthday. Also, I felt that audience was somehow cold and reaction-less for the first half of the show... I really hope that wouldn't affect his future decisions to tour in Russia! Will come to any future perfomances of Steve for sure! Thank you.

[leona]

Mama-mia, what are the reviews always unhappy people posted here for Mr.Vai in the beginning of the Russian tour!! Probably to encourage him not to show up any more here?! How I recognize "a bad Russian habit" to complain about everything even in paradise, even when it was outstanding,...so good to find a fly in a bunch of honey!-;)))

Ok,ok.. let's go step by step, I can also add a bit from my side about Paco de Lucia concert 2 days before, I was sitting there half sleeping during all 2 hours, almost at the same place rather close and trying to figure out Paco in the darkness of absolutely black stage behind during all the show, with a few stupid palm trees in the very back/to decorate the stage/?!/ and another 6 guys helping Paco to put the show in order, as sometimes he needed a brake up. I have nothing against maestro Paco de Lucia, I enjoyed his instrumental recordings years ago, but this show was a total disappointment, I was asking myself how I managed not to miss this folk dance&singing as I know well what flamenco is all about, but I haven't expect it that much in such a way during that concert.

So....it was rather difficult to me to make a decision to make another trip to Crocus City Hall a couple days later for..absolutely unknown person as Steve Vai, hi-hi.., honestly he was recommended to me by 2 good friends a while ago, but I never took time to check what is that and what he's doing in this World.I knew he came to Moscow before to perform in a club, but I didn't feel well about sound quality in our clubs, so didn't go. /By the way I didn't know how to answer that difficult question about "The main Steve's guitar" to get access to this Forum,so it took me 2 evenings to find the right answer ,as Mr.Vai has been playing so maaaaanyyyy guitars during his career....wow! seriously, for a newcomer the admin could invent something easier-;/
Any way, I decided to see it anyway -- well, and at the very beginning it was easier and faster to get inside the hall than to Paco's show. Yes, right, less people were there , but what an atmosphere!
warm, attending, showing respect and impatience altogether, people were united by the great name,talent, and his music. And that is all of appreciation and sence of everything, people should feel the same at one time and one place, for an hour -- an hour and a half, doesn't matter. Only the result matters, and this magic can come true only in real hands of the real musician. I've already listened to some and....really difficult to surprise me by anything anymore.. with the time I became a bit skeptical and a bit critical..,but Steve Vai gig deserves the highest estimation and the word "superb" with no doubts! The orchestra was a rare compliment and perfect addition. Thank You so much, dear Steve, for coming and being with us on your birthday, I haven't seen so many times the public standing up from their chairs with applause for someone's birthday at a concert! Thank you for Your Time, Your Energy, Your Heart and Soul,Your beautiful music, hope to meet You next here or... there, on the other side of the Tune-:).
Good luck for St-Petersburg and the rest of the Russian tour.

[ejene]

I would like to thank Steve for coming to Russia more and more evey year! I'm from Novosibisk and I attended Steve's guitar master class on the 2d of June and it was so cool to see him playing and talking to us, it was good to see my friends were jamming with him. Real joy!

I was visiting Moscow for Steve's concert for the 2d time (last year for G3 tour, and this year for this concert). Steve and the show are worth it! I had a great time!