steve vai

Steve Vai + Eric Sardinas
March 11, 2004 - House Of Blues
New Orleans, LA
story by Ritchie Champagne
photos by Glen Mercer
steve vai
 Six years is an eternity in the music business, especially when you’re talking about the length of time between releases. Before 2005’s Real Illusions: Reflections, Steve Vai’s most recent collection of new studio recordings was The Ultra Zone, released in 1999. That’s not to say that Vai has been taking it easy. In the interim, the guitarist has released six compilations (The 7th Song, Original Recordings with Frank Zappa, The Elusive Light And Sound Vol. 1, Mystery Tracks Volume 3 and Volume 4, and the 2 CD anthology The Infinite Steve Vai) as well as the live double CD Alive In An Ultra World (which featured all original songs) and the live double DVD Live At The Astoria London.
Additionally, Vai participated in the 2003 G3 Tour with Joe Satriani and Yngwie Malmsteen, resulting in both a live double CD and a live DVD, each with unique content. He also wrote and performed with the Metropole Orchestra in Groningen, Holland on an ongoing project called The Aching Hunger (Lotus Feet from the Real Illusions CD is culled from those performances). Vai also managed to squeeze in a few guest appearances on other artists’ records and toured incessantly. Not to shabby for a six year layoff!
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