There is certainly a buzz in the air as I enter the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester with huge anticipation of what’s in store. Guitar Virtuoso Joe Satriani is in town. It may have been three years waiting and for some nearly years years since they bought their tickets but finally he is here.
Satriani is no stranger to Manchester, having been in town at least fourteen times, if you include the 2012 show with Chickenfoot. So it is no surprise that the venue is close to capacity. One interesting fact is that Bridgewater Hall is built on two hundred and eighty steel springs to isolate external noise from the auditorium; I think tonight they will be working in reverse and isolating Manchester from the onslaught of Joe Satriani, as he winds his Marshall Amps to 11.
As the clock strikes 8.00pm Joe’s band hit the Bridgewater Hall stage, Kenny Aronoff sets up the tempo for track ‘1980’ and the show has begun. Twelve songs and 1 hour 15 minutes later and the first half of the show is over. We have been treated to a guitar performance extraordinaire, with more dive bombs and whammy bar action than Bridgewater Hall has ever seen. Highlights for me in the first set were the majestic ‘Sahara’, the mighty grove of ‘Blue Foot Groovy’ and the awesome ‘Summer Song’ to close.
A fifteen minute interval before the beast that is the mighty Kenny Aronoff returns to the stage with an impressive drum display, before leading into the song ‘Energy’. Thirteen songs and 1 hour 15 minutes in all in the second set finishing with the monster ‘Surfing with the Alien’. Other gems for me were ‘E 104th NYC 1973’ and the beautiful ‘Teardrops’.
This was a guitar master class of utter brilliance, from the master that is Joe Satriani. I was in guitar heaven hearing things I never thought were possible, never indulgent and always tasteful. How can it have gone so quick? Now off home to practice a lot more on my guitar as I have been truly inspired tonight.
Words & photos by David Pickles
GALLERY to follow…
