STEVE VAI has announced a return to Europe for planned appearances in March through May. The second leg of European dates on the Inviolate World Tour will begin in Lisbon, Portugal on March 24. The itinerary will bring Vai through Portugal, Spain, Italy, Germany, Hungary, Hungary, Croatia, Slovakia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Greece, Romania, Czech Republic, Poland, N. Macedonia, Latvia, and Estonia prior to wrapping on May 7 in Helsinki, Finland. For tickets and a variety of EVO Experience VIP bundles available visit https://www.vai.com.
Steve Vai shares, “Our previous fall tour of North America was outstanding. Myself and the band are as oiled up and ready as ever. I’m excited to finally bring the Hydra guitar to Europe as I missed doing that on the last EU run. The response from Inviolate was tremendously positive and it showed in the press, the attendances and the energy in the audience and we are so much looking forward to this EU tour.”
This past year, Steve Vai released a new studio album titled Inviolate. In support of the release, he staged successful tours of North America and Europe. This year, plans will take the guitarist, composer, and songwriters to most continents across the world as he continues to stage events on the Inviolate World Tour.
Favored Nations / Mascot Label Group presented the official music video for “Teeth Of The Hydra,” which has now been viewed over 5.4 million times. To screen the performance video, click here: https://youtu.be/46qjDJ0lLdE . Later this month, he’ll release Vai/Gash on January 27, an album he’s held in the archive for more than three decades. He shares, “Vai/Gash was written and recorded in somewhat of a stream of consciousness in 1991 within perhaps a 2-week period as an answer to my desire to have a particular kind of music to listen to when I was riding my Harley Davison Motorcycle with my friends. One of those friends was John “Gash” Sombrotto, who is the powerful singer on this record. It’s reminiscent of a certain type of rock music I enjoyed as a teenager in the 1970’s. These recordings sat on the shelf for over 30 years and are being released now in 2023.” Three songs have been shared thus far: “She Saved My Life Tonight” (https://youtu.be/9PY28ih-Sbg), “In The Wind,” (https://youtu.be/AkbnEj2yDw0) and “Busted” (https://youtu.be/O2U5pSbFSIg).
Steve Vai and Favored Nations / Mascot Label Group will release VAI / GASH digitally and on CD January 27, 2023. The vinyl album will follow on February 24. Today, they present “She Saved My Life Tonight” which can be heard below. Vai shares, “Recorded in 1991, this track is an uplifting rocker about being way down and out, and then finding something worth living for.” The first reveal was “In The Wind,”: https://youtu.be/AkbnEj2yDw0. When initially presented Vai offered, “’In The Wind’ was the first track that was recorded for this record. It captures the spirit of the open road freedom we felt while riding our Harley’s on bike rallies and interstate road trips. The track has the exhilaration of having that kind of power under you while kissing the wind.” The second recording presented, “Busted,” can be previewed here: https://youtu.be/O2U5pSbFSIg.
As Vai shares, “This record was written and recorded in somewhat of a stream of consciousness in 1991 within perhaps a 2-week period as an answer to my desire to have a particular kind of music to listen to when I was riding my Harley Davison Motorcycle with my friends. It’s reminiscent of a certain type of rock music I enjoyed as a teenager in the 1970’s. These recordings sat on the shelf for over 30 years and are being released now in 2023. Here’s the story…”
An abbreviated synopsis of the anecdotal history and fond remembrances as articulated by Vai in the liner notes offer detail on singer Gash and his deep connection to Vai. From his teenage years on Long Island, to today, he has openly shared his love of motorcycles. Gash shared that passion.
Vai reflects, “Around 1990, I was overcome with a desire to rip out what I thought would be a straight-ahead type of rock record that contained the kind of music I wish I had to listen to when I was that teenager ensconced in the biker culture. And then I met Johnny “Gash” Sombrotto.”
John was born in Queens, New York and as a youth was an avid motorcycle enthusiast. In 1977 at the age of 21, he endured a serious accident that caused his body to catch fire while plunging 30 feet onto a barbed wire fence. Vai wrote in the liner notes, “The doctors told his family that he had third degree burns over 60% of his body, and that if he even survived, there was a strong possibility that he would lose his right arm and left leg. While in the Burn Unit, he endured excruciating pain, especially when given the intense daily cycle of hot baths for his burns. He soldiered on, and after a month he was finally discharged from the hospital. Luckily, no limbs were amputated. He was, however, left with a partial left ear and layers of skin grafts over his neck, arms, legs, and entire chest. The stories he told about his recovery and the excruciating pain involved were crushingly gut wrenching. But he survived, and eventually thrived again. He made his way out to Los Angeles in 1982 and got right back up on his motorcycle.”
Vai met John through a mutual friend, Mark Cimino. They bonded over biker culture, and he choose the name “Gash” as a nickname. Vai wrote, “…I’ve observed many people interacting with him on our numerous motorcycle road trips and other adventures. At first sight, many people could be taken by his bald head, scarred neck and burnt-off ear. Looking as he did and riding a Harley it was easy to assume he was perhaps a tough, menacing biker with a nefarious attitude, but after engaging with him for even a minute, his charm and magnetic charisma had them laughing in their shoes and completely enjoying his uplifting presence. He endeared people with his wit, warmth, and sparkle. John hit it off instantly with the most unlikely of people of every age, color, size, political or sexual persuasions. He was non superficial and never judged people. This allowed his engaging personality and intoxicating charm to draw you in. Under all those scars was a bold and fearlessly warm heart that can be seen in his disarming and big soft blue eyes.”
He continues, “…something in me wanted to get him in the studio and see how he would belt over these biker type songs I had demoed, but nothing could have prepared me for the voice that came out of his mouth. I had to think, off course he sounds like that because that’s him, confident, authentic, fearless but with a lighthearted intention. This was the voice I wanted to hear wailing over these slamming rock tracks. I was stunned. Around that timeframe I was also starting to launch work on ‘Sex and Religion’ and was hoping to eventually record more than the 8 songs I had laid down with John for an alternative project, but that was proven impossible. On September 7th, 1998, two days after my father had passed away, the phone rang, and it was John’s beloved girlfriend Nancy. Her voice was quaking, and I somehow knew what she was going to tell me. ‘John was in a bike accident and was killed’.”
After three decades, Steve Vai has finally shared this master with The World. In his opinion, “He would have absolutely been the greatest rock lead singer you would ever want to know. All the elements were in place, but he was gone. Disheartened, I put the entire project on the shelf, and would listen to it at least once a year for the past 30 years, especially around the anniversary of his passing. Then recently something compelled me to want to put it out now. I wish you would have had a chance to get to know John. I believe you would have loved him just as we all did. For now, he is ‘In the Wind’.”
STEVE VAI and Favored Nations / Mascot Label Group will release VAI / GASH digitally and on CD January 27, 2023. The vinyl album will follow on February 24. Today, they present “Busted” which can be heard here: https://youtu.be/O2U5pSbFSIg. Vai shares, “This song, ‘Busted’ is basically about the incessant and nefarious activities of a corrupt and skanky mistress against her biker boyfriend. But she got ‘Busted’. The entire track was recorded in one day and Gash slammed the vocal out in 2 takes.” The initial recording presented, “In The Wind,” has been received with a tremendous reception globally, and can be heard here: https://youtu.be/AkbnEj2yDw0 . At the time of the reveal, Vai offered, “’In The Wind’ was the first track that was recorded for this record. It captures the spirit of the open road freedom we felt while riding our Harley’s on bike rallies and interstate road trips. The track has the exhilaration of having that kind of power under you while kissing the wind.” In three weeks, the song has reached almost 250 000 streams on Spotify, YouTube and Apple.
As Vai shares, “This record was written and recorded in somewhat of a stream of consciousness in 1991 within perhaps a 2-week period as an answer to my desire to have a particular kind of music to listen to when I was riding my Harley Davison Motorcycle with my friends. It’s reminiscent of a certain type of rock music I enjoyed as a teenager in the 1970’s. These recordings sat on the shelf for over 30 years and are being released now in 2023. Here’s the story…”
An abbreviated synopsis of the anecdotal history and fond remembrances as articulated by Vai in the liner notes offer detail on singer Gash and his deep connection to Vai. From his teenage years on Long Island, to today, he has openly shared his love of motorcycles. Gash shared that passion.
Vai reflects, “Around 1990, I was overcome with a desire to rip out what I thought would be a straight-ahead type of rock record that contained the kind of music I wish I had to listen to when I was that teenager ensconced in the biker culture. And then I met Johnny “Gash” Sombrotto.”
John was born in Queens, New York and as a youth was an avid motorcycle enthusiast. In 1977 at the age of 21, he endured a serious accident that caused his body to catch fire while plunging 30 feet onto a barbed wire fence. Vai wrote in the liner notes, “The doctors told his family that he had third degree burns over 60% of his body, and that if he even survived, there was a strong possibility that he would lose his right arm and left leg. While in the Burn Unit, he endured excruciating pain, especially when given the intense daily cycle of hot baths for his burns. He soldiered on, and after a month he was finally discharged from the hospital. Luckily, no limbs were amputated. He was, however, left with a partial left ear and layers of skin grafts over his neck, arms, legs, and entire chest. The stories he told about his recovery and the excruciating pain involved were crushingly gut wrenching. But he survived, and eventually thrived again. He made his way out to Los Angeles in 1982 and got right back up on his motorcycle.”
Vai met John through a mutual friend, Mark Cimino. They bonded over biker culture, and he choose the name “Gash” as a nickname. Vai wrote, “…I’ve observed many people interacting with him on our numerous motorcycle road trips and other adventures. At first sight, many people could be taken by his bald head, scarred neck and burnt-off ear. Looking as he did and riding a Harley it was easy to assume he was perhaps a tough, menacing biker with a nefarious attitude, but after engaging with him for even a minute, his charm and magnetic charisma had them laughing in their shoes and completely enjoying his uplifting presence. He endeared people with his wit, warmth, and sparkle. John hit it off instantly with the most unlikely of people of every age, color, size, political or sexual persuasions. He was non superficial and never judged people. This allowed his engaging personality and intoxicating charm to draw you in. Under all those scars was a bold and fearlessly warm heart that can be seen in his disarming and big soft blue eyes.”
He continues, “…something in me wanted to get him in the studio and see how he would belt over these biker type songs I had demoed, but nothing could have prepared me for the voice that came out of his mouth. I had to think, off course he sounds like that because that’s him, confident, authentic, fearless but with a lighthearted intention. This was the voice I wanted to hear wailing over these slamming rock tracks. I was stunned. Around that timeframe I was also starting to launch work on ‘Sex and Religion’ and was hoping to eventually record more than the 8 songs I had laid down with John for an alternative project, but that was proven impossible. On September 7th, 1998, two days after my father had passed away, the phone rang, and it was John’s beloved girlfriend Nancy. Her voice was quaking, and I somehow knew what she was going to tell me. ‘John was in a bike accident and was killed’.”
After three decades, Steve Vai has finally shared this master with The World. In his opinion, “He would have absolutely been the greatest rock lead singer you would ever want to know. All the elements were in place, but he was gone. Disheartened, I put the entire project on the shelf, and would listen to it at least once a year for the past 30 years, especially around the anniversary of his passing. Then recently something compelled me to want to put it out now. I wish you would have had a chance to get to know John. I believe you would have loved him just as we all did. For now, he is ‘In the Wind’.”
STEVE VAI and Favored Nations / Mascot Label Group have announced the release of VAI / GASH digitally and on CD January 27, 2023. The vinyl album release will follow on February 24. Today, they present “In The Wind” which can be previewed below.
Vai offers, “’In The Wind’ was the first track that was recorded for this record. It captures the spirit of the open road freedom we felt while riding our Harley’s on bike rallies and interstate road trips. The track has the exhilaration of having that kind of power under you while kissing the wind”
As Vai shares, “This record was written and recorded in somewhat of a stream of consciousness in 1991 within perhaps a 2-week period as an answer to my desire to have a particular kind of music to listen to when I was riding my Harley Davison Motorcycle with my friends. It’s reminiscent of a certain type of rock music I enjoyed as a teenager in the 1970’s. These recordings sat on the shelf for over 30 years and are being released now in 2023. Here’s the story…”
An abbreviated synopsis of the anecdotal history and fond remembrances as articulated by Vai in th liner notes offer detail on singer Gash and his deep connection to Vai. From his teenage years on Long Island, to today, he has openly shared his love of motorcycles. Gash shared that passion.
Vai reflects, “Around 1990, I was overcome with a desire to rip out what I thought would be a straight-ahead type of rock record that contained the kind of music I wish I had to listen to when I was that teenager ensconced in the biker culture. And then I met Johnny “Gash” Sombrotto.”
John was born in Queens, New York and as a youth was an avid motorcycle enthusiast. In 1977 at the age of 21, he endured a serious accident that caused his body to catch fire while plunging 30 feet onto a barbed wire fence. Vai wrote in the liner notes, “The doctors told his family that he had third degree burns over 60% of his body, and that if he even survived, there was a strong possibility that he would lose his right arm and left leg. While in the Burn Unit, he endured excruciating pain, especially when given the intense daily cycle of hot baths for his burns. He soldiered on, and after a month he was finally discharged from the hospital. Luckily, no limbs were amputated. He was, however, left with a partial left ear and layers of skin grafts over his neck, arms, legs, and entire chest. The stories he told about his recovery and the excruciating pain involved were crushingly gut wrenching. But he survived, and eventually thrived again. He made his way out to Los Angeles in 1982 and got right back up on his motorcycle.”
Vai met John through a mutual friend, Mark Cimino. They bonded over biker culture, and he choose the name “Gash” as a nickname. Vai wrote, “…I’ve observed many people interacting with him on our numerous motorcycle road trips and other adventures. At first sight, many people could be taken by his bald head, scarred neck and burnt-off ear. Looking as he did and riding a Harley it was easy to assume he was perhaps a tough, menacing biker with a nefarious attitude, but after engaging with him for even a minute, his charm and magnetic charisma had them laughing in their shoes and completely enjoying his uplifting presence. He endeared people with his wit, warmth, and sparkle. John hit it off instantly with the most unlikely of people of every age, color, size, political or sexual persuasions. He was non superficial and never judged people. This allowed his engaging personality and
intoxicating charm to draw you in. Under all those scars was a bold and fearlessly warm heart that can be seen in his disarming and big soft blue eyes.”
He continues, “…something in me wanted to get him in the studio and see how he would belt over these biker type songs I had demoed, but nothing could have prepared me for the voice that came out of his mouth. I had to think, off course he sounds like that because that’s him, confident, authentic, fearless but with a light-hearted intention. This was the voice I wanted to hear wailing over these slamming rock tracks. I was stunned. Around that timeframe I was also starting to launch work on ‘Sex and Religion’ and was hoping to eventually record more than the 8 songs I had laid down with John for an alternative project, but that was proven impossible. On September 7th, 1998, two days after my father had passed away, the phone rang, and it was John’s beloved girlfriend Nancy. Her voice was quaking, and I somehow knew what she was going to tell me. ‘John was in a bike accident and was killed’.”
After three decades, Steve Vai has finally shared this master with The World. In his opinion, “He would have absolutely been the greatest rock lead singer you would ever want to know. All the elements were in place, but he was gone. Disheartened, I put the entire project on the shelf, and would listen to it at least once a year for the past 30 years, especially around the anniversary of his passing. Then recently something compelled me to want to put it out now. I wish you would have had a chance to get to know John. I believe you would have loved him just as we all did. For now, he is ‘In the Wind’.”
Track list In The Wind Busted Let’s Jam Woman Fever She Saved My Life Tonight Danger Zone New Generation Flowers Of Life
STEVE VAI and Favored Nations / Mascot Label Group present the official music video for “Teeth Of The Hydra.” Vai shares, “The idea for this guitar and track came to me roughly seven years ago. I envisioned composing and performing a piece of music on a multi-neck instrument where all of the sound emanated from that one creation with the exception of some keyboards and drums. I sent my ideas to Ibanez, and their builders delivered this astonishing wooden creature. I was stunned. It was awesome. When I first laid eyes on it, I named it the Hydra, and instantly knew the name of the song would be ‘Teeth of the Hydra.’ A Hydra is a dragon-like creature from Greek mythology possessing various heads. For every head chopped off, two would grow in its place. I then set out to write a piece of music that utilized all the features of the Hydra, but could also stand on its own as an enjoyable composition with a sultry melody and heavy dynamics.”
He continues, “When I finally sat with the Hydra and started to contemplate writing this piece and how I was to navigate the instrument in a seamless way, for a moment it seemed impossible. I just started slowly, and it all began to unfold very naturally. Things that can seem impossible don’t seem so impossible once you just start doing them. Every new discovery and accomplishment were treated as a joyous victory, even if it only involved figuring out one bar of music. The overall inner vision was the guide through the process, but with every accomplishment, the process became more and more addictive. I became immersed in the splendors of the Hydra. It was a meditative experience, and on the day that it all finally clicked, performing the song felt like stillness in motion—that’s when the performance becomes virtually effortless, and the freedom of present-moment expression has you feeling as if your feet are about a foot off the ground. The exhilaration can be overwhelming at times. I’m very happy with the way the video came out, and having BJ McDonnell as director, along with his amazing crew, was vital. Enjoy!”
The performance clip was directed by BJ McDonnell, and produced by John Heller and Jason Salzman. The Director of Photography was Eric Leach, with art direction by Michael Mesker. Greg Wurth was the Sound Engineer and Assistant Editor.
Vai’s new studio album Inviolate debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Current Hard Rock Albums chart. Cumulative streams exceed 5 million, with “Teeth Of The Hydra” accounting for more than one million.
The Inviolate World Tour will commence with a European leg of appearances beginning in Glasgow on 4 June, 2022. The itinerary will stretch in to mid-July, staging performances in the U.K., Ireland, France, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Belgium, and Spain. Steve Vai’s North American performances supporting the new album will start on September 28 at The Magnolia in El Cajon, CA. The final show is planned for his hometown of Los Angeles, at the Theatre at Ace Hotel on December 3. For tickets and a variety of EVO Experience VIP bundles available visit https://www.vai.com.
Vai will be joined by his long-tenured ensemble members Dave Weiner (guitar / keys), Philip Bynoe (bass), and Jeremy Colson (drums). Vai shares, “It’s amazing to realize that after three years of not performing our show on a stage, that it’s now on the horizon, and will start to unfold in Europe this summer. I can feel the road now and the enthusiastic audiences that we will be connecting with.”
Confirmed appearances include: 04 June – Glasgow, UK – o2 Academy 05 June – Manchester, UK – The Ritz 07 June – London, UK – Palladium 09 June – Bristol, UK – o2 Academy 10 June – Dublin, Ireland – Academy 11 June – Belfast, Ireland – The Limelight 13 June – Paris, France – Le Trianon 14 June – Strasbourg, France – Laiterie 16 June – Oslo, Norway – Rockefeller 17 June – Bergen, Norway – USF Verftet 18 June – Gothenburg, Sweden – Pustervik 19 June – Stockholm, Sweden – Fållan 20 June – Copenhagen, Denmark – Amager Bio 22 June – Lille, France – Splendid 24 June – Bordeaux-Cenon, France – Rocher de Palmer 25 June – Nimes, France – Paloma 26 June – Lyon, France – Transbordeur 28 June – Nuremberg, Germany – Hirsch 29 June – Linz, Austria – Postof 01 July – Udine, Italy – Castello 02 July – Macerata, Italy – Sferisterio 03 July – Bari, Italy – Teatro Petruzzelli 04 July – Firenze, Italy – Ultravox Arena 05 July – Gardon Riviera, Italy – Anfiteatro del Vittoriale 06 July – Zurich, Switzerland – Komplex 08 July – Berlin, Germany – Columbia Theatre 09 July – Weert, Netherlands – Bospop Festival 10 July – Antwerp, Belgium – Open Air Amphitheater 12 July – Toulouse, France – Le Bikini 14 July – Sancti Petri, Spain – Concert Music Festival 15 July – San Javier, Spain – San Javier Jazz Festival 16 July – Valencia, Spain – Jardin de Viveros 17 July – Vigo, Spain – Auditorio Mardo Vigo 19 July – Barcelona, Spain – Festival de la Guitarra
STEVE VAI has announced that the Inviolate World Tour will now begin with a European leg of appearances beginning in Glasgow on 4 June, 2022. He’ll be on the road into mid-July, staging performances in the U.K., Ireland, France, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Belgium and Spain. A detailed itinerary follows below.
For tickets and a variety of EVO Experience VIP bundles available visit https://www.vai.com. Vai will be joined by his long-tenured ensemble members Dave Weiner (guitar / keys), Philip Bynoe (bass), and Jeremy Colson (drums). Vai shares, “A performer thrives on performing. It’s been my life for the past 49 years, with the exception of the last two years, so we are chomping at the bit to get out there and play for people. A music concert has the ability to dissolve the many challenges we face, and celebrate one of the good things in life, live music.”
Favored Nations / Mascot Label Group released his new studio titled Inviolate on 28 January (The LP will follow on March 18). Later this year, Vai will stage 52 performances in the U.S. from 28 September in El Cajon, CA through 3 December in Los Angeles, CA. The excursion will take him coast to coast.
Confirmed appearances include: 04 June – Glasgow, UK – o2 Academy 05 June – Manchester, UK – The Ritz 07 June – London, UK – Palladium 09 June – Bristol, UK – o2 Academy 10 June – Dublin, Ireland – Academy 11 June – Belfast, Ireland – The Limelight 13 June – Paris, France – Le Trianon 14 June – Strasbourg, France – Laiterie 16 June – Oslo, Norway – Rockefeller 17 June – Bergen, Norway – USF Verftet 18 June – Gothenburg, Sweden – Pustervik 19 June – Stockholm, Sweden – Fållan 20 June – Copenhagen, Denmark – Amager Bio 22 June – Lille, France – Splendid 24 June – Bordeaux-Cenon, France – Rocher de Palmer 25 June – Nimes, France – Paloma 26 June – Lyon, France – Transbordeur 28 June – Nuremberg, Germany – Hirsch 29 June – Linz, Austria – Postof 01 July – Udine, Italy – Castello 02 July – Macerata, Italy – Sferisterio 03 July – Bari, Italy – Teatro Petruzzelli 04 July – Firenze, Italy – Ultravox Arena 05 July – Gardon Riviera, Italy – Anfiteatro del Vittoriale 06 July – Zurich, Switzerland – Komplex 08 July – Berlin, Germany – Columbia Theatre 09 July – Weert, Netherlands – Bospop Festival 10 July – Antwerp, Belgium – Open Air Amphitheater 12 July – Toulouse, France – Le Bikini 14 July – Sancti Petri, Spain – Concert Music Festival 15 July – San Javier, Spain – San Javier Jazz Festival 16 July – Valencia, Spain – Jardin de Viveros 17 July – Vigo, Spain – Auditorio Mardo Vigo 19 July – Barcelona, Spain – Festival de la Guitarra
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