Sound Off!

Guitar Wars
by DAVE IOZZIA

Guitarists Joe Satriani and Eric Johnson rocked and rolled the near-capacity Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, New Jersey on April 18, 2006. Satch’s set of power, aggression, and technical prowess was perfectly balanced by the style and diversity of Eric Johnson. The guitar aficionados in attendance were treated to more than three hours of outstanding musicianship by these two guitar virtuosos and their incredible backing bands. Satriani’s headlining set featured instrumentals from his newly released CD “Super Colossal” including the title track and the incredible “One Robot’s Dream.” Eric Johnson’s diverse set blended rock and blues power while featuring cuts like his signature song “Cliffs of Dover” and a cover of Jimi Hendrix’s “Love or Confusion.”

Satriani and Johnson are veterans of the G3 concerts that almost annually feature some of the world’s top guitarists touring across North America and Europe. G3 in past years has also featured Stevie Vai, Yngwie Malmsteen, John Petrucci, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, and Robert Fripp. The only disappointment of this performance is that the two guitarists didn’t play together for the concert’s finale. Mathematics was never my strong suit but on this night in April in Sayreville, N.J., G3 minus one = guitarists extraordinaire 2X.

Walking through the crowd, I couldn’t help but notice that ninety-nine percent of the crowd was musicians, some playing air guitars, while the other one percent were the wives and girlfriends these guys dragged reluctantly to the show. Not too much dancing going on at this show. It was a “sausage festival” if you know what I mean. Chances are you’d catch a guitar pick or a drumstick faster than finding a young lady to buy a drink and ask for her phone number at this concert. Shows like these are all about the six-strings, not the 36’s and g-strings, so keep rockin’.

**Sound Off! is Rock-Is-Life.com's verison of Letters to the Editor.
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