Vai, Wylde, Malmsteen, Bettencourt & Tosin To Launch Second Generation Axe Tour

The term “supergroup” gets thrown around on a regular basis these days, however, GENERATION AXE undisputedly brings together some of the greatest guitarists of all time. Steve Vai, Zakk Wylde, Yngwie Malmsteen, Nuno Bettencourt, and Tosin Abisi once again will join together to tour North America to stage 32 appearances across the country.  Beginning on November 7 at the Fox Theater in Oakland, CA, the run will return to markets where the inaugural tour was celebrated and hit several new cities for the first time.  The general on-sale goes live July 13.

Steve Vai offers, “The Generation Axe show is a unique performance of five fiercely talented guitar players coming together to create a 6-string extravaganza that is sure to amaze and delight.” Each tour stop will include a variety of collaborations by the five players, including everyone performing together as one cohesive band with a rhythm section including Pete Griffin (Dweezil Zappa, Stanley Clarke, Edgar Winter) on bass, Nick Marinovich (Yngwie Malmsteen) on keys, and JP Bouvet on drums.  Vai, Wylde, Malmsteen, Bettencourt and Abasi will perform songs from their various catalogs and join forces on some well-known songs (as well as probably a few unexpected, unearthed gems).  Vai shares, “The Generation Axe experience goes way beyond simply gathering five guitar greats on one stage to jam. The idea was to create a seamless show with one backing band and 5 completely accomplished and astonishing guitarists that take to the stage in various configurations, performing some of their solo music and merging together as cohesive co-creators of lushly orchestrated guitar extravaganzas. Guitar Jams like this can get really messy when there is no organization and my idea was to create parts for everybody to play in harmony and off each other so it’s not a mess of noise. This worked out remarkably well. There are places where everyone is playing together in wild harmony.”

Confirmed appearances include:

11/07   Oakland, CA                                                   Fox Theater

11/08   Anaheim, CA                                                  City National Grove

11/09   Las Vegas, NV                                               The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino

11/10   Tempe, AZ                                                      Marquee Theatre #

11/11   Albuquerque, NM                                           El Rey Theater

11/13   Denver, CO                                                     Paramount Theatre – Denver

11/15   Kansas City, MO                                            Uptown Theatre

11/16   Salina, KS                                                       The Stiefel Theatre

11/17   Tulsa, OK                                                       Brady Theater

11/18   Des Moines, IA                                              Hoyt Sherman Theatre

11/19   Cincinnati, OH                                                Taft Theatre

11/20   Grand Rapids, MI                                           20 Monroe Live

11/21   Detroit, MI                                                      Fillmore Detroit

11/23   Medford, MA                                                 The Chevalier Theater

11/24   Niagara Falls, NY                                           The Rapids Theatre

11/25   Kitchener, ON                                                 Centre in the Square

11/27   Bethlehem, PA                                                Sands Bethlehem Event Center

11/28   Port Chester, NY                                            Capitol Theatre

11/29   Albany, NY                                                    The Palace Theatre

11/30   Atlantic City, NJ                                             Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City – The Theater

12/01   Rochester, NY                                                Kodak Center

12/03   Greensburg, PA                                              The Palace Theatre

12/04   Westbury, NY                                                 NYCB Theatre at Westbury

12/05   Richmond, VA                                                The National

12/08   Atlanta, GA                                                     Tabernacle

12/09   Orlando, FL                                                    Hard Rock Live

12/10   Davie, FL                                                        Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino

12/11   Clearwater, FL                                                 Ruth Eckerd Hall

12/13   Austin, TX                                                      The Moody Theater

12/14   Dallas, TX                                                       The Bomb Factory

12/16   Salt Lake City, UT                                          The Complex – Rockwell

12/18   Los Angeles, CA                                            The Wiltern

# – Nuno Bettencourt not appearing