The Guitar Channel

Winter NAMM 2012: Day Two

Things seriously picked up on day two of the 2012 Winter NAMM show. More attendees, more celebs, more everything it seemed. Tons of great players made appeances, including Guthrie Govan, Steve Vai, Eric Johnson, and others. On the gear front, I saw lots of interesting stuff, but was particularly taken with the boutique stomp box company Jam Pedals. Based out of Athens Greece, all of their pedals are analog, hand made and hand painted, with some of the most unique designs I've ever seen - no two pedals look exactly alike. And they sound great too; from the demos I heard, the Delay Llama really stood out, as did the Rattler distortion box. Very cool stuff.

New for 2012, the Ibanez AM73B was my favorite guitar of the day. It plays like a dream, and the flat red and tobacco finishes both look great. Plus, this thing is a steal at only $523 retail. Looks like a really cool choice for a not-quite-straight-ahead jazz guitar.

After a long day at the show, I headed to Alva's in San Pedro to see OHM and Polcat. Both sets were fantastic; look for a separate post with pics later. On to day three!

More pics from NAMM 2012 Day Two:

Winter NAMM 2012: Day One

I'm getting ready to tackle day two of the 2012 Winter NAMM show, but before I do, here is some of the coolest stuff I saw on day one. Carvin recently announced their new line of Allan Holdsworth HH Series guitars, and these were easily some of the best instruments I saw all day. These things feel rock solid, yet are surprisingly light due to their chambered, semi-hollow bodies. The set-necks are super smooth, making for easy access to the upper frets. The Carvin rep told me that Holdsworth came down to the factory the day the first prototype was complete, and loved it so much he took it home and used it exclusively on his next string of live dates. FYI - The man himself is scheduled to appear at the Carvin booth on Saturday.

I also found the EVH Wolfgang line to be quite impressive. The Wolfgang Custom model I tried out was built like an absolute tank. In contrast to the Holdsworth Carvins, this thing weighed a metric ton, and had a similar feel to a Yamaha SBG IMO. The guitar has a loud sound that projects when you play it unplugged; a good sign. Definitely a rock-solid axe.

The Orange OPC has been around awhile, but I checked one out yesterday for the first time and was really blown away. This cool piece of gear is essentially a computer and amp rolled into one unit. It's loaded with amp modeling and multi-track recording software, a DVD burner, USB and video outputs, the works. It can be used as regular amp if you like, though all of the sounds are produced through the amp emulation settings, courtesy of the built-in AmpliTube 3 application. Easily one of the hippest home studio solutions I've yet seen.

More pics from NAMM 2012 Day One:

 

Updated G3 2012 Tour Dates - Joe Satriani, Steve Vai and Steve Lukather

Here is an updated list of dates for the 2012 G3 tour of Australia and New Zealand featuring Joe Satriani, Steve Vai and Steve Lukather.

24 March 2012 Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington, New Zealand

25 March 2012 Logan Campbell Centre, Greenlane Auckland, New Zealand

27 March 2012 Royal Theatre, Canberra, Australia

30 March 2012 Hordern Pavillion, Sydney, Australia

31 March 2012 Palais Theatre, St. Kilda, Victoria, Australia

03 April 2012 Festival Theatre, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

05 April 2012 Convention Centre, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

06 April 2012 Byron Bay Bluesfest, Byron Bay, Australia

 

Joe Satriani, Steve Vai and Steve Lukather: G3 Tour 2012

Whoa! A new 2012 G3 Tour is in the works for Australia and New Zealand featiuring Joe Satriani, Steve Vai and Steve Lukather(!). They are currently scheduled to perform on April 6th at Australia's Byron Bay Bluesfest. I'll post more details as they become available.

New releases

Here's some new or upcoming stuff that popped up on my radar:

Shane Theriot - Dirty Power

I really loved Theriot's last album The Grease Factor. His latest includes Sonny Landreth, Ritchie Hayward, and Adam Nitti among others.

Jason Sadites - Weve

Includes Brett Garsed, Tony Levin, Marco Minnemann, Chad Wackerman, and many others. Sadites has some serious chops.

Mike Stern - Big Neighborhood

Release date: 8/11/09. Guests include Steve Vai, Eric Johnson, Medeski Martin and Wood, and many others.

Robben Ford - Soul on Ten

Release date: 8/11/09. Follow up to Truth. Has anyone seen the cover art for this yet?

Modern Guitars reviews new Mike Stern album

Vince Lewis has written a nice review of Mike Stern's upcoming album Big Neighborhood for Modern Guitars Magazine. The album is scheduled for release on August 11th, and includes guests Steve Vai, Eric Johnson, Medeski Martin and Wood, and many others.

Modern Guitars Magazine Review: Mike Stern - Big Neighborhood

London Guitar Show 2009 lineup announced

Press Release – March 2009 

London Guitar Show 2009 Line-up 

The biggest, most anticipated and unrivaled guitar event of the year, The London Guitar Show launches on the 11^th June to seriously Blow your mind! The four day show will bring, excitement, celebrities, inspiration and transform ExCeL into the coolest hangout in London!  

We can now announce a truly world class line-up of acts to entertain, inspire and wow the crowds starting with the Master Guitar Virtuoso himself, Steve Vai, who is to bring his Alien Guitar Secrets master class to the show. This is a 3 hour unique experience and once in a lifetime opportunity to hear Steve discuss music theory, guitar techniques, the music business, and most importantly, techniques on how to discover and unlock personal musical identity. 

Grammy award winning and undisputed king of country picking guitarist, Albert Lee will be playing London Guitar Show. With his unique sound and style, Albert’s has worked with some of the world’s top artists from Eric Clapton to Bill Wyman.His own solo career with the Hogan’s Heroes, has seen him win countless awards and nominations.  

Also confirmed is the critically acclaimed band, Swans in Flight. Their debut album launched in spring 2008 and was recorded exclusively using acoustic guitars, featuring thirteen guests ranging from James LoMenzo (Black Label Society/Megadeth), Kip Winger (Alice Cooper/Winger) to Phil Johnston (The Robert Plant Band). The band have already played a range of major festivals and they’ll be bringing their guitar charged rock to the London Guitar Show with special guest bass players Marco Mendoza (Thin Lizzy/Whitesnake) and the King of Metal funk, TM Stevens (James Brown,The Pretenders). 
 
Continuing the tradition of staging a wide variety of killer guitarists, Jan Akkerman will be astounding the audience with high-speed pyrotechnics and distinctive sound. He’s been top of his game for decades playing in Dutch band Focus and then going on to work with everyone from BB King to Ice-T! 

Truly unmissable will be one of the world’s best players, UK guitar legend Phil Hilborne with his band featuring Iron Maiden’s Nicko McBrain. They will once again hold court on the main stage on Saturday and Sunday for an amazing concert and Steve Vai will join Phil & Nicko on stage for a couple of tracks of jamming therapy. 

It doesn’t stop there as we are proud to be staging the final Guitar Idol, the world’s biggest online talent search to find the hottest undiscovered guitarists on the planet. Following 2008’s spectacular final where the winner flew in from Brazil, this final is the chance to live the dream after many of the finalists from 2008 attracted recording, endorsement and lucrative tour deals. Check out http://www.guitaridol.tv for the latest news and follow the heats on who’s going to have the honour of playing at the London Guitar Show! 

New to this years show, will be a chance to have a free guitar lesson in association with the Institute for Contemporary Music Performance and the organisers will be announcing an action packed schedule of seminars, workshops, artist signing sessions, instrument demonstrations and celebrity appearances. Already they can announce an opportunity to meet editors from the UK’s top selling guitar magazines Mick Taylor (Guitarist), Neville Marten and Jason Sidwell ( Guitar Techniques), Stephen Lawson ( Total Guitar ).There will be a new retail section offering the chance to buy the very latest gear, plus an exhibition of over 300 companies of musical equipment, including a New! British Builders section, where you can see some amazing hand build guitars and drums from the UK’s best builders.  

The London Guitar Show is part of the UK’s Biggest Music exhibition, The London International Music show, which includes Drummer Live, Unplugged and Sound Recording and Technology Show. It takes place at www.excel-london.co.uk/, now firmly established as one of the UK’s premier (and largest) exhibition venues. For more information about the show and to buy tickets see http://www.londoninternationalmusicshow.com/

Steve Vai interview at Ultimate Guitar

In the final installment of their G3 interview series, Ultimate-Guitar.com has posted an interview with Steve Vai. He talks a bit about his writing process, his gear, and of course G3.

Link

G3 in Australia - Opening night review

The Australian has a review of Wednesday's G3 show in Brisbane. It was the opening night of their current Australian tour.

Link

G3 completes Latin American tour - Australian dates coming up

The G3 tour of Latin America is complete. This version of the G3 lineup included Joe Satriani, John Petrucci, and Eric Johnson. Here is a forum thread with a review (and pics) of the final show in Rio De Janeiro Brazil:

G3  - Rio De Janeiro 10/29 review

Next up for G3 is a short tour of Australia starting in late November. This time the lineup will be Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, and John Petrucci. Here are the dates:

Wed Nov 29th - Brisbane, Australia - Brisbane Convention Centre
Fri Dec 1st - Sydney, Australia - Hordern Pavillion
Sat Dec 2nd - Melbourne, Australia - Regent Theater
Sun Dec 3rd - Melbourne, Australia - Regent Theater
Wed Dec 6th - Adelaide, Australia - Entertainment Centre
Fri Dec 8th - Perth, Australia - Challenge Stadium 

Nice write-up of the "Concert For Cliff" with Vai and Satriani

Junkman from KNAC has written a great review of the "Concert For Cliff" that took place this past Saturday at the House of Blues in Hollywood. This was the Joe Satriani/Steve Vai benefit concert for their friend Cliff Cultreri. Cliff is a music industry veteran who is currently suffering from a host of Auto-Immune and Connective-Tissue disorders. The show featured guest performers Steve Lukather, Paul Gilbert, Scott Henderson, Johnny Hiland, Dweezil Zappa, and Johnny A. The review features the full set-list, including all the details of the various jams.

Junkman review of the "Concert for Cliff"

I also found this review by Yosean, and a gallery of camera phone pics he took of the show.

Joe Satriani, Steve Vai and Friends Announce Benefit Concert

PRESS RELEASE

NEW YORK, NY -- (MARKET WIRE) -- September  12, 2006 --  Legendary guitarists Joe Satriani and Steve Vai announce plans for a benefit concert for music industry veteran and friend, Cliff Cultreri. "The Cliff Show" will take place on Saturday, September 30th at the House Of Blues, Hollywood, and will feature performances by both Satriani and Vai, as well as special guests to be announced.

Cliff Cultreri is the A&R executive who "discovered" both Satriani and Vai as well as many other popular recording artists, while working at Relativity Records. Cultreri is currently suffering from a host of Auto-Immune and Connective-Tissue disorders that are attacking his immune system, a one in 100 million occurrence that causes severe pain and physical problems. Satriani and Vai hope to raise funds to help Cultreri and his family's financial needs.

Cultreri is currently VP of A&R at KOCH Records where he has worked with such artists as RZA, B.G., Turk, Ying Yang Twins, Kurupt, Death Row, Big Gipp & Goodie Mob, Master P, and many others. During his years in the industry, Cultreri has served as A&R for a number of top names, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Allan Holdsworth, Billy Sheehan & Talas, Peter Frampton, Megadeth, Corrosion Of Conformity, Exodus, Anthrax, Death, Venom, Slash's Snakepit, Cradle Of Filth, Godflesh, Our Lady Peace, My Bloody Valentine, The Cure, Modern English, Gene Loves Jezebel, Fat Joe, Common, Bone Thugs 'N Harmony, 3-6 Mafia, KRS 1, Beatnuts, C Murder, Soulja Slim, and many others in all genres of music. In addition, he has received 18 Grammy nominations, 13 Gold and 14 Platinum and Multi-Platinum awards for albums on which he was the executive producer, co-producer or A&R. He won Grammys for "Song of the Year" and "Album of the Year" with Bone Thugs 'N Harmony for which he served as A&R.

"Cliff has been a musical force and guiding light in my career and my life for 2 decades. He introduced and championed my music to the music business. He is a dear friend and musical ally and quite the guitar player himself," said Satriani. "Steve and I wanted to help Cliff and the idea of a show in LA with other members of the guitar community seemed to be the obvious way to celebrate and help him."

Buy Tickets @ Ticketmaster.com

AUG 9 PRESALE PASSWORDS: "cliff" (Artist) & "satch" (HOB)

Tickets prices will be set at $100 and are set to go on sale August 12th. Limited number of $75 tickets will be available August 9th through www.satriani.com and www.vai.com

A special note from Cliff (9/6/06):

If you are unable to attend the show but would still like to help Cliff and his family, donations may be made by check (NO CHECK IS TOO SMALL OR TOO LARGE) and can be sent to the following address:

KOCH Entertainment
22 Harbor Park Drive
Port Washington, New York 11050
Attn: Nancy Young
Please make all checks payable to: Patricia Cultreri

All of us at KOCH Entertainment express our gratitude to all of you who can find it in your heart to support this worthy cause.

About KOCH Records

KOCH Records is a division of KOCH Entertainment, the fastest-growing music company and the market leader among independents in North America. The KOCH Entertainment corporate umbrella encompasses the KOCH Records label, KOCH Vision home video, KOCH Music Publishing and KOCH Entertainment Distribution with operations in both the U.S. and Canada. KOCH Records proudly claims the largest number of Billboard charting albums among independents for each of the last five years (2001-2005). For additional info on the KOCH Records label and its roster of artists, please visit www.kochrecords.com

 

9/14/06 UPDATE: According to Blabbermouth.net - Paul Gilbert, Scott Henderson, and Steve Lukather will be among the special guests!