Concert Reports

Joe Satriani has been an unstoppable force on the music scene for over 27 years. Now, the guitar great just wrapped a new U.S. tour, supporting his latest album Unstoppable Momentum. The tour launched on August 29th in San Diego, CA before hitting Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Albuquerque, Denver, Texas and heading east to New York, Boston and Upper Darby, PA before winding up in late October back on the west coast including a show on October 25 in Paso Robles, CA., at Vina Robles Amphitheatre

www.Satriani.com

www.VinaRoblesAmphitheatre.com

All Photos: Ray Soto/ Central Coast Rocks

Opening the show was Living Colour, who are celebrating the 25th Anniversary of their pivotal album “Vivid,” which spawned the hits “Cult Of Personality,” and “Open Letter To A Landlord.” Satriani was backed by veteran band mate Mike Keneally (Frank Zappa, Steve Vai) on keyboards, along with a new rhythm-section, featuring bassist Bryan Beller (Dethklok, Dweezil Zappa) and drummer Marco Minnemann (Adrian Belew, Steve Wilson).

Satriani is celebrating the release of Unstoppable Momentum, his 14th studio album, which was released on May 7, 2013. The Epic Records release includes the first single, “A Door Into Summer,” and the latest single “Lies And Truths”

Unstoppable Momentum  

Legendary performer and the hardest working guitarist in the business, Joe Satriani released his 14th studio album, Unstoppable Momentum, on May 7, 2013 through Epic Records. The album was recorded at Skywalker Sound in the Bay Area and was produced by Satriani and Mike Fraser (AC/DC). The album features an amazing array of talented players including Vinnie Colauita (Sting, Jeff Beck) on drums, Chris Chaney (Janes Addiction) on bass and on keyboards, Mike Keneally (Dethklok).  

Fans were encouraged to pre-order Unstoppable Momentum via Sony Music and Satriani’s own website store. When pre-ordering through the Epic Records store at www.myplaydirect.com/joe-satriani fans were given the chance to bundle new signed copies of the album with exclusive t-shirts and guitar straps. At www.satriani.com, fans will receive an exclusive, never before seen art book featuring years of drawings, doodles and sketches that Satriani has done over the years. “Some of my drawings have made their way on to guitars, straps and picks, LP and CD booklets, t-shirts, hats, keychains, etc…and even my live stage productions,” explains Satriani. “This book represents my first effort to finally compile my oddly drawn friends into one place, a wildly colorful portfolio of sorts. A collection of drawings meant to inspire and entertain.”  

After returning from the South American G3 Tour last October, Satriani got down to writing new music over the next two months. As he recalls, “A very prolific and cathartic two months followed resulting in a bundle of new music I was very excited to get recorded!”  

Eleven songs were selected to record, all “heading in different directions and touching on a variety of musical influences.” With that in mind, Satriani decided to assemble a new studio band. “The idea was to crank up the energy level of the sessions, and allow for more individual expression of the material from each player. The chemistry with Mike, Chris and Vinnie was fantastic and we blazed through all of the tracks with everyone laying down amazing performances.”

For two decades, Satriani has traveled the world, playing to sold-out crowds as both a headliner and as founder of the all-star “G3” guitar extravaganza. His studio and live recordings have sold more than 10 million copies worldwide to date and of his many solo albums, two have gone platinum and four others went gold, with 15 Grammy nominations between them. His side project, Chickenfoot, featuring former Van Halen front man Sammy Hagar, former bassist Michael Anthony, and Red Hot Chili Peppers’ drummer Chad Smith saw their debut album certified gold and their second studio album debuted at #9. In late 2010, music sensation Nicki Minaj sampled the classic Satriani song, “Always With Me Always With You” in her song, “Right Through Me” from her multi-platinum debut album. In 2011, Satriani recreated his National Anthem performance for the Opening Day of the Oakland A’s historic 2002 season in the Brad Pitt movie Moneyball.

About Vina Robles Amphitheatre Welcome to the Vina Robles Amphitheatre, where European Inspiration meets California Character and the stars always shine. Here, two of California's great compositions meet, as exceptional wine and intimate live music are paired to create an unforgettable wine country experience.  

The 3,300 seat boutique amphitheatre is nestled on a picturesque, oak-dotted hillside in Paso Robles on California's Central Coast. With its opening in the summer of 2013, the Vina Robles Amphitheatre became one of the largest outdoor venues for arts and entertainment in San Luis Obispo County. Featuring a style reminiscent of the California missions, guests are able to immerse themselves in a unique and intimate concert adventure as they enjoy modern amenities and first class hospitality. The concert season runs from May through November and features top tier acts from around the world in all genres. Various seating options all within 150 feet from the stage, including regular, VIP and general admission lawn seating, make events accessible to anyone in the community. We look forward to sharing our love of wine and the arts with you soon. For more information about the Vina Robles Winery, Click Here  

« Back to Concert Reports