Live Review: Steve Vai

If you've never been to Perth Concert Hall, you're typically in for a sumptuous treat, and with the Steve Vai legend coming to town Wednesday night was no exception. Steve Vai is generally considered to music what full body painting is to art and the reality sure fulfilled the myth; the trouble was the myth was no longer fulfilling. Perhaps it is simply a shrinking attention span or perhaps the lust for context built around solos and not visa-versa has grown but a pure Steve Vai had suddenly become too much. A long show of shredding, a few different pedal effects and some rad pants didn't feel as fresh. Scales and mode blended into one another and the underlying tracks, as epic as they were in parts, never built a solid castle around their core. It was Ewing and the Knicks all over again. Concentration moved in peaks and troughs instead of the usual 'face-aches-for-days' smile that usual accompanies a more riveting act. This general mood hung thick in the air and was further evidenced by the whole family that fell asleep from dad to the teenage sons wearing the G&R's shirts. To put that in context, that number is usually only achievable at the obligatory Grandparents and Bubs movie sessions. Make no bones about it, this was world class talent and the man is a star, but it's a man with a guitar and the tricks no longer seemed fresh. Vai as a part of G3 with Satch and Petrucci was a blast, stars that varied and complemented each other made for a hell of a show. It hurts to say, but blazing solos, gyrating hips and '80s rock star pants just didn't cut it in the lone act and one long, lonely set.