Guitar icon Steve Vai returned to Boston’s Wilbur Theater on November 3 with his Inviolate Tour, supporting his most recent album by the same name. The virtuoso guitarist, composer, and producer who has impressed listeners and audiences for over forty years with his incomparable fretwork and musical genius, while recording and performing with the likes of Frank Zappa, David Lee Roth, and Whitesnake, shared an intimate evening with fans while sharing personal stories in between showcasing choice selections from his musical catalog. On stage, Vai was joined by his long-tenured ensemble members Dave Weiner (guitar/keys), Philip Bynoe (bass), and Jeremy Colson (drums).
For over two hours, Vai and company tore through a 16-song set that included tasteful solos by Weiner, Bynoe, and Colson. The sold-out show captured Vai’s die-hard fans’ attention with sonic sensation. The audience was immediately entranced with “Avalancha”, “Giant Balls of Gold” and “Little Pretty”. Taking time between songs to engage with the audience, Vai demonstrated his sense of humor and wit while sharing an insight into a handful of songs, such as “Greenish Blues” and when explaining why the original show had been postponed. Vai shared that he had torn a shoulder tendon while working with a pizza oven at his home, all while wishing he had a better story but thankful that it wasn’t the unrelenting COVID pandemic. Later, “Bad Horsie” brought out Vai’s quasi-acting chops as he played along to the iconic head-cutting, guitar duel scene from the feature film Crossroads that starred Ralph Macchio. Vai was clearly having fun reenacting a few of the moves that he delivered as the devilish character, Jack Butler. Vai fanatics ate it up. After Colson’s fiery drum solo, a mysterious object, draped in black cloth was brought to the center of the stage.
Fans “in the know”, knew it was time to feast their eyes on the Hydra, a triple-necked guitar named the Hydra after the mythological beast. The somewhat Steampunk-themed creation features both a twelve-string and six-string guitar along with a four-string bass and a 13-string harp amongst revolutionary electronic and luthier craftsmanship by Kazuya Kuroki. After revealing the monstrosity that is so heavy it needs to be supported by its own stand, smoke billowed from the sides of the stage as Vai demonstrated its unworldly abilities while performing “Teeth of the Hydra”.
The night’s performance was rounded out by two of Vai’s most-recognized tracks from his groundbreaking album, 1990’s Passion and Warfare. “Liberty” drew many to their feet for the glorious anthem which was perfectly placed in the set as a celebratory token to almost close out the set. However, for the finale, Vai shared his gratitude for his fans, his band, and his touring crew – most notably Danny G., his Jack of All Trades sound engineer who stepped in to perform “For the Love of God” with the band, adding his operatic singing skills to the mix.
In the end, it was hard to tell who was having more fun or who was more grateful for the opportunity. Was it the audience, who had been entranced with the overall musicianship on stage, or Vai himself, who smiled from ear to ear, waving and gesturing to his fans for several minutes before taking the final bow with his band. Vai was loose, relaxed, and humble throughout the extraordinary performance and it was certainly an experience to behold.
Photos by Marc Lacatell
