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Experience Hendrix Tour: Joe Satriani's blog, part 2
"Chicago's show was extraordinary"
Joe Satriani, Mon 22 Mar 2010, 4:20 pm GMT
The Experience Hendrix Tour rolls on. As he did after the opening night in Santa Barbara, California, Joe Satriani blogs exclusively for MusicRadar, covering stops from Los Angeles to Chicago.
Joe is joined on the tour by artists such as Jonny Lang, Eric Johnson, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Living Colour, Brad Whitford, Doyle Bramhall II, Sacred Steel featuring Robert Randolph, Ernie Isley, Double Trouble drummer Chris Layton, and bassist Billy Cox, who played with Hendrix in Band Of Gypsys - not to mention guest stars who drop by for a gig or two.
Los Angeles, California. During sound check at the Gibson Ampitheatre, Eric Johnson and I compared notes on fingering the opening chords for Third Stone From The Sun. Since my tone is bit different from Jimi's, I decided to edit a few notes to make what I'm playing sound clearer. I think it worked.
Here's one from the life-imitates-art department: During the tour's opening night show in Santa Barbara, my throat was feeling scratchy and I joked with the audience that I needed an interpreter to communicate with the crowd between songs. Now it's developed into full-blown laryngitis, and last night I couldn't even talk to the audience.
Nevertheless, it was a great show, with the high point being the song Red House, on which I was joined by Brad Whitford and Billy Cox. Brad was on fire playing through a hand-wired Marshall head, and even Billy took a solo after me as we slipped into a jazzy chorus a la 'Hendrix in the West.' The LA crowd was awesome. I only wish I could have managed a proper "Thank you!" at the end of the night.
"I watched the show from the side of the stage and thought, This is so cool. This must be what Rock 'N' Roll Heaven is like."
Las Vegas! Being sick on tour is a terrible feeling. I had an in-store appearance before the show, and all I could think about was getting something to soothe my aching throat.
Just started listening to Valleys Of Neptune. While looking through the CD booklet I noticed something interesting: in all the pictures of Jimi in the studio, he's perfectly dressed. Everyone else is in T-shirts and what have you, but Jimi's got his whole look going on, even while tracking basics.
The gig was great! We played a venue called The Joint By Rogue at the Hard Rock. Brad and I really tore it up during Red House. And my set with Living Colour was the best one yet. For some reason, we played more 'out' than ever; at the same time, we were somehow tighter. The audience was with us all the way.
Again, I watched everyone's set from the side of the stage and was so amazed at the level of talent on this tour.
Mesa, Arizona. Slept seven hours straight on the bus today. I needed that!
The Ikeda Theatre. At the top of my set, I played Happy Birthday for Ernie Isley. He was so thrilled, he came running out and gave us all hugs.
Random thoughts: Eric Johnson got a standing ovation tonight. Drummer Will Calhoun was nowhere to be found at the top of my set, so we had to use Chris Layton for Third Stone. Maybe Will had an unscheduled bathroom break - I still don't know what happened. Thankfully, he made it to the stage halfway into the set. He and Chris switched right at the break, at the exact moment where the drums go all 'Elvin Jones.' (Just like we planned it. Ha!)
Before I went on, I watched the show from the side of the stage and thought, This is so cool. Eric Johnson was to one side of me, sitting on the floor and playing his guitar; Doyle Bramhall II was on my other side, just standing there, grooving to the music. I guess Rock 'N' Roll Heaven must be like this.
