Free Joe Satriani Ticket

this isn't a pre scheduled blog post. i got back in late this evening with my ears ringing. a friend gave me a free ticket to go and see Joe Satriani at the Glasgow concert hall. it was a pretty great seat as well, up in the balcony facing the stage.

the reason why i was lucky enough to receive the ticket: i don't like football. rangers were playing a team down in Manchester for the uefa cup. it's called the beautiful game, but seeing a ball going into a net doesn't excite me. the ticket owner wanted to watch the game, so offered it to my brother (and possibly a few others) but he wanted to watch the game as well. the ticket eventually found it's way to me, and liking music more than footie, i duly accepted.

the ushers looked as though they had incandescent bulbs in their flashlights as they showed people to their seats. the light was quite warm, not as white as many led torches.

Satriani was on top form bouncing about, you wouldn't think he's 51! he played some new things unheard before by my ears, but also a good number of older crowd pleasing favourites. prior to this show, the last time i saw him live was 15 years ago at the playhouse in Edinburgh, back when he had hair.

someone's uploaded a clip to youtube already just a few hours after the concert. this is from the very end of the night when, for an encore they played a crowd chant and then summer song:

the supporting act was Paul Gilbert accompanied by a chap on bass, and a lady on keyboard (and electronic cowbell). i never knew who he was until looking him up on wiki. he is very talented but the songs he played didn't really appeal to me. Gilbert seems to be classed as a 'shredder.'

shredder:
Shred guitar, a unique style of electric guitar playing that focuses on quickly executing advanced techniques to increase the speed of the playing, often being utilized in the above-mentioned neo-classical metal

i must be getting older, when faster doesn't necessary =better. playing at speed can be impressive but if it isn't surrounded by a song, i don't see the point. you can witness thousands of SRV versus malmsteen arguments on youtube. i preferred Satriani's former supporting act, Adrian Legg, whose style was quite different.

anyway i digress. apparently i'm not the only one with ringing in my ears. Gilbert, like many musicians, suffers from tinnitus, which explains the huge uncool headphones. he was also dressed quite 'unrocky.' just wearing light jeans and a t-shirt, minus the headphones and you could mistake him for someone who wandered off the street. Joe was dressed down in a black t, and jeans, but his red trainers matched his red guitar when he first came on stage.

highlight of the evening? probably a toss up between always with me, always with you and cool#9.