show review
amuletum
(Debbie Norton)
Wed Aug 21 '02
Ruth Eckerd Hall
Clearwater, FL, US
Rank: 10 Posted: Wed Oct 08, '03 6:17 am
This show was just awesome - I loved all the performers. I am a big fan of Kings X and Dream Theater - they really rocked. Then to top it all off, Satriani. This was the best concert of real musicians that I have ever seen. Top notch talent and incredible skill from everyone. I swore that if Satriani came around again to my area, I would be there and I have already purchased my tickets for the Oct. show at Ruth Eckerd in Clearwater. I can't wait to share this experience with my 17 year old son who is a budding guitarist and loyal Satriani fan. Satriani - you rock. I have one of your concert DVDs and it is the most professional well put together DVD of any that I own. This is one fan that appreciates all your hard work and dedication to your craft. This time I'm taking my camera and plan to get lots of photos from the audience (I'm a photographer, and didn't take it last year for fear it would be taken from me). And I'm a chick - so my favorite all time song of Joe's is Always With You, Always With Me. Thanks to my boyfriend and his brother for turning me on to this great music.

MmIoKnEt
(Mike Monteleone)
Wed Aug 21 '02
Ruth Eckerd Hall
Clearwater, FL, US
Rank: 10 Posted: Fri Sep 05, '03 5:08 pm
This was my first concert to see Joe. You can compare Joe to all the other "Jimi's" but no one will ever gain the respect I have for this man's guitar playing. I need a dose everyday. Too bad someone had to steal Pearly. I do know that this was Joe's favorite guitar and I do hope the person who stole it fry's while trying to play it. Your such the ASS!

michigan dave
(david maletich)
Wed Aug 21 '02
Ruth Eckerd Hall
Clearwater, FL, US
Rank: 8 Posted: Thu Oct 03, '02 9:21 pm
If we could see only Joe for the concert, it would definately rank as a ten!! Please do more solo shows!!!!

GranpaFunk
Wed Aug 21 '02
Ruth Eckerd Hall
Clearwater, FL, US
Rank: 10 Posted: Fri Sep 20, '02 3:07 pm
The concert would have been the best I've ever been if the sound in ruth eckerd hall was anywhere near good, but other than that it was a killer show. And I think dream theater is awesome but they play too too too many notes

buzzardme
(Terry yenni)
Wed Aug 21 '02
Ruth Eckerd Hall
Clearwater, FL, US
Rank: 4 Posted: Mon Aug 26, '02 4:43 pm
I thought Joe put on a great show but was robbed of time by Dream theater. I was very impressed by Joe's performance. Also I thought that the concert was promoting his great new album but didn't hear but a couple of songs from it.

gman58 Wed Aug 21 '02
Ruth Eckerd Hall
Clearwater, FL, US
Rank: 9 Posted: Sun Aug 25, '02 8:49 pm
What can I say. I am truly sorry for your loss Joe. I know how it feels to have a nice instrument ripped away from you. As for the show... King's X is cool, need a little work on the sound system though, they were on overdrive and drowned out the vocals for the most part, good performers though. Dream Theater was great, Pertrucci kicks butt! All solid musicians with a lot to offer. As for Joe, what can you say, he is the greatest guitar player ever. He blew us away. Everything was right on, flawless (as usual), and tight. The new additions to the band are a great complement to Joe's playing. I wanted so bad to jump up, hook and and jam with Joe in the worst way. When the band came back out for the encore I did not miss a note on Friends, one of my favorites. I really would like a longer show, but I know how it is with multiple bands. But, hey I am sure you will return here for a "Night with Joe" someday. I am sure pearly will be returned to you, I know you worked hard to get her just right, you are in our prayers, my fellow Long Islander!

Tyffin
(Dawn Tiffin)
Wed Aug 21 '02
Ruth Eckerd Hall
Clearwater, FL, US
Rank: 8 Posted: Sat Aug 24, '02 11:06 pm
While House of Blues, Chicago will always be my fave Joe gig, the Ruth Eckerd Hall gig was high on the list. A great balance of new and old, and Joe in high spirits, combined with awesome acoustics and the intimate atmosphere of the Hall made for a super enjoyable evening. I'm ashamed that the town I grew up in was where Joe's beautiful Pearly was taken...that was the ONLY low note in an otherwise (as ALWAYS!) fantastic evening with Joe and Co. See ya in Milwaukee!!

Slipmaster
(Lauren Scheblein)
Wed Aug 21 '02
Ruth Eckerd Hall
Clearwater, FL, US
Rank: 10 Posted: Sat Aug 24, '02 12:29 pm
WOW! It was such a great show. The best I've ever seen. King's X was great. I've never heard them before, but I really enjoyed watching them. Dream theater was really great. But none of them topped Joe. He was so incredible. It's one of the greatest things to see your idle right in front of you. But, I can't believe someone would sink so low as to steal his guitar!!!!!! It's sick. But I just hope I am lucky enough to have the chance to see him again.

flake
(bill brookfield)
Wed Aug 21 '02
Ruth Eckerd Hall
Clearwater, FL, US
Rank: 8 Posted: Fri Aug 23, '02 7:14 pm
Well,, Gotta happin in our town. An A--hole rips off a guitar. God I hope he comes back after this. Short and sweet,, Kings X,, Good at what they do, but not my style. Dream Theater,, Exellent band, but was on too long,, and kinda wasted my eardrums like Via did last year. ( Gittin close to 50, gotta save whats left of the ears for the one that counts.) Joe, way too short. A real bite in the a--, was that after a couple tunes into Joes set i found myself sitting alone. the young bucks were gone. I'm really lookin forward to " An Evening With ". Out of the last 3 shows, I loved the EOC show at Tampa Theatre. Perfect place for a Joe only show. I'll be there. Come Back Joe! Only problem with Ruth Eckard, is if you cant afford to help finance the hall,, you can't get a good seat, no matter how hard you try.. Tampa Theatre!

Leslie Redman
(Leslie Redman)
Wed Aug 21 '02
Ruth Eckerd Hall
Clearwater, FL, US
Rank: 9 Posted: Fri Aug 23, '02 1:50 pm

Kings X - This awesome trio really rock! Ty Tabor's guitarwork was very tasteful, and great harmony vocals. The drummer (sorry, I don't know his name) was excellent. He had the groove thing down, while looking like Animal from the puppets behind the kit. These guys have great songs! My only criticism would be that the vocals were not loud enough in the mix, and the guitar was not very clear. This often happens with opening acts. The soundmen or women, are trying to adjust the sound for a crowded venue, and the crowds ears are adjusting to the extreme volume. Changing of the guard was very organized and efficent. A big thank you to the road crew (of all the bands) for their hard work and dedication to not only the bands, but the fans as well. I just wanted to let them know it does not go unnoticed.

Dream Theater - Ok, where do I begin? The mix is a lot better, though throughout the show, James LaBrie continually made signs to the crew to turn up the vocals perhaps in his monitors. Anyhow, these gentlemen are true progressive rockers in the tradition of Rush, and Yes with a little nod towards METAL Dude! James LaBrie's voice is phenomenol, and John Petrucci's guitar was fluid and flawless. Unlike many fans of guitar, I love vocals, and I think that James really adds a lot to Dream Theater. Mike Portnoy is by far one of the best drummers of this time. And, let's face it, John Myung is, well....Not of this world! Jordan Rudess has proven to be a perfect match for the group as keyboardist. Overall their playing and performance was accurate and flawless. This does at times create a lack of rawness, and emotion. They definitely had the best stage and light performance. My only criticism here, is that I think the group as a whole should incorporate James a little more. He has such a beautiful voice and I think his vocal melodies could be a little stronger, and can also be added as a backround during instrumental parts of the songs. Back to the road crew, again thank you for the quick change.

Joe Satriani - With simple lighting, all the focus was on the band and Joe. And of course he delivered. Joe's playing was accurate, and full of emotion. Joe is definitely a master of controlled feedback, and makes use of it often. Flying In A Blue Dream was of course the opener, and set the tone for what was to come. Crushing Day, Cool #9, and Always With Me.. were played with renewed emotion and feeling. Satch Boogie, although a staple of Joe's past, was definitely a crowd pleasure. Joe shined in Mindstorm. Midnight was a pleasant surpise to guitarist, however did not compare overall to Starry Night. Devil's Slide was dead on and I think actually sounded better with a live band than on the album. Greg B. (bassist) really connected it all together, and proved to be comfortable in Stu's shoes. The rhythm guitarist was also right on, adding just the right amount of backdrop to make Satch sound awesome. Jeff (Drummer) was solid and his timing was awesome. This is truely a band effort. One and only criticism, I would have liked to see the band interact more with eachother. Other than that, an excellent show.

The Crowd - I really enjoyed the crowd at this show. They were a little mellow, and remained seated for most of all the performances. This was nice, in that it really allow you to take in the show, and really listen to the artists. The crowd cheered their approval and showed respect to the level of artistry on the stage. This crowd really listened to the performers.

Note: I just found out that one of Satches guitars was stolen from the venue. This really makes me sick. Not only for Joe, but for all of us fans as well. Part of the joy of seeing your favorite artists perform live it to see them master the instrument that they gave life to. This is a slap in the face to all of us guitar players who work day jobs, (or night jobs) to make ends meet and try to save up to get nice equipment. I have a Ibanez Prestige RG3120TW that took me 4 months to save up the money for working overtime. Part of owning an instrument having it mean something to you is the time and effort you put into it, as well as, the struggle and dedication you dished out to get it in the first place. This give the instrument spirit and emotion. Stealing something takes all the life and spirit out of the instrument. To whoever did this, please return Pearl to Joe, and let her spirit entertain and live once more.

1atomicpunk Wed Aug 21 '02
Ruth Eckerd Hall
Clearwater, FL, US
Rank: 9 Posted: Fri Aug 23, '02 1:18 pm
I have to admit I do not know much about Kings X but they really put on a good show for the amount of time they had on stage. Being a big DT fan I was very impressed with the job they did in this great venue. John Petrucci was brilliant...an awesome guitarist without a doubt but my favorite band member is Mike Portnoy....this guy plays the drums like nobody I have heard before....the feel of those bass drums kicking out at us at breakneck speed was just amazing! Great job guys....just one small thing about the set DT did....With Joe as the headliner on this night I felt that DT could have dropped a couple of tunes so Joe could have had more time. Each band did about 90 minutes, I guess I just feel that the band who is closing the show should be on longe. But Joe could have played for 3 hours and I would probably still want more! And speaking of Joe....Awesome! He did not let the people down....Joe makes playing guitar seem as easy as breathing! The way he makes his guitar actaully seem to sing is mind boggling. Fantastic show Joe...I just wish it lasted longer. Then again it did for me and a few lucky fans....we were after show winners and got to meet the man himself! We talked for a while and got some autographs...what a way to end the night. This was just the second time I have seen Joe in concert but I each time I have been lucky enough to meet him backstage. I could get spoiled by this real quick! As for the bad news about Joes guitar being swiped by some freak out there....Joe had to have had no idea about this until after we left because he was in a great mood talking with us all. As tight as security was just getting backstage with a pass on I can't imagine how someone could walk away with a guitar. Something tells me it might have been more than just a Joe fan who came to the show who took Joes guitar. I just can't see how a fan could have gotten a hold of this and walked away with it. This is a big down note to the night and I hope that the person who had the nerve to steal this guitar has even more nerve to bring it back. Thanks for the very memorable evening Joe and please come back soon!

Tony Bag O Donuts
(Anthony Gagliano)
Wed Aug 21 '02
Ruth Eckerd Hall
Clearwater, FL, US
Rank: 10 Posted: Fri Aug 23, '02 12:16 pm
Kings X was very good. Very respectful of the audience. Dream Theatre blew us all away. They are such fine musicians, the songs they have created are awesome. Joe Satriani was on tonight! It was nice to see Matt Bissonet on bass jamming with Joe. He even had pics of his two little ones on his bass:-) Nice Touch. All in all a great show. I would love to see Joe Satriani come back to Clearwater with "An Evening with Joe" so we can see him and his band play a longer set. He is so awesome to see live, that anything less than 3 hours is just a tease!

baugustine Wed Aug 21 '02
Ruth Eckerd Hall
Clearwater, FL, US
Rank: 10 Posted: Fri Aug 23, '02 5:03 am
Amazing again. Nothing more needed to be said...except to that slug who stole Joe's guitar, you better hope & pray us true fans do not find out who you are...

Chromealien Wed Aug 21 '02
Ruth Eckerd Hall
Clearwater, FL, US
Rank: 1 Posted: Thu Aug 22, '02 11:23 pm
Okay, I didn't see this show- I live in Arizona (I saw the 8/8 show) But I give this show a "1" because some A-HOLE stole one of Joe's favorite guitars and that makes me just SICK! Whoever this worm is, he isn't worthy to even touch this guitar much less sit in his s-hole apartment and strum it while looking at pictures of Joe. I get a real disgusted feeling when this shit happens. Dimebag lost his Dean a few years ago and didn't Vai lose some awhile back as well? Just give it back! What're you gonna do with it? Sell it? Not likely. The novelty will probably wear off for this idiot and it'll sit in some closet somewhere in Florida collecting dust. What a loss.

kiero
(kiera kempter)
Wed Aug 21 '02
Ruth Eckerd Hall
Clearwater, FL, US
Rank: 10 Posted: Thu Aug 22, '02 7:04 pm

Well, i have to say (considering this being my first show with these bands)... THAT WAS THE BEST NIGHT OF MY LIFE!!! The entire show was just unbelievable... If only it could've gone on longer. It was in a great order (I believe); King's X came out and i thought they were pretty good, then when Dream Theater came out i was amazed! I have to admit; Petrucci is awesome- not that the rest weren't- but hey i'm a guitarist. But when Joe came out... Words just cannot describe my feeling of excitement!!!!! I wish that Joe would've played Secret Prayer and i was also kinda hoping that Petrucci would play something with Satch because of the whole G3 thing they did together. Other than that, the only thing that would've made the night better is gettin backstage! I tried sooo hard but the SECURITY was doing what they do best. But i can't help wanting to meet my idol, can i? I was definately excited to see Chromeboy live in action right in front of me!!! The night blew me away. I can only dream that someday I'll be a female version right up there on stage someday. ;) One thing's for SURE though........

If i got amnesia, that'd be the one and ONLY thing i'd remember!

LIQUIDDRUMMER
(Michael Robinson)
Wed Aug 21 '02
Ruth Eckerd Hall
Clearwater, FL, US
Rank: 10 Posted: Thu Aug 22, '02 12:43 pm
The only disappointment of the night was that Satch didn't play Sleep Walk, that and of course his set was too short, but I thought it was a "stellar" perfomance. Although DT's show was awesome and as much of a Satch fan I am I think they stole the show but it is always good to see Joe, Mike's kit is 2 or 3 times as big as his sfam kit but he was awesome, i would have to say that this is the best gig i have ever been too.

Bahamut
(Joe Gorgacz)
Wed Aug 21 '02
Ruth Eckerd Hall
Clearwater, FL, US
Rank: 8 Posted: Thu Aug 22, '02 9:28 am
Very good show. I really looked forward to seeing King's X. Great three-piece band. I would have liked to hear more, though... Dream Theater was well organized. That album spanning medley was very cool and Six Degrees was a great and expected way to end the set. However, I wish John Petrucci would have played something on the Seven String; the power of that is unbelievable. Oh well, at least Miyung opened up with a Chapman Stick; Very cool. Joe was great as expected; I have wanted to hear "Crushing Day" for so long. it was one of the first Satch songs I learned to play. Also, "Midnight" was very cool as well. The chord-tapping technique is soooo beautiful. The Seven String action was very good too. "Mind Storm" was a rockin' piece. Over-all I give this an 8. Why? Needs to be longer. In all honesty, King's X and DT did not mix very well with Joe. The music is just too different. Going from Bands to Virtuoso does not always work. This seemed like a "taste" of each artist. DT and King's X by themselves would be great ( was great when Doug ran up and sang the backing vocals for "Lines in the Sand" he recorded with DT on Falling to Infinity ). A night with Joe is the best thing, and 4 hours of DT on the World Turbulence tour as well. Very good show, otherwise, and well worth the money. If anything a unique line-up well remembered like last years G3 ( which has not been topped ).

RevRandy Wed Aug 21 '02
Ruth Eckerd Hall
Clearwater, FL, US
Rank: 10 Posted: Thu Aug 22, '02 9:27 am
I'll make this brief...the show was incredible! Ruth Eckerd Hall is a great sounding place for a concert such as this. King's X were great show openers - the audience loved them - and as a long time fan I loved them too! Ty Tabor played some very tasty licks and boy, were they ever tight! Dream Theater was also great. There were a lot of DT fans in the audience. Their light show and showmanship were excellent - although at times I would have rather listened to the band play instrumentally (which they did a lot) instead of having the vocalist. Definitely an innovative and talented band. Joe was certainly hot as usual - he plays that thing like it was a natural extension of his body - so flawlessly and exuberantly. The new stuff sounded great and it was refreshing to hear some tunes that Joe doesn't always play live (this is only the third time I've seen him). His band was wonderful as well - although I missed seeing Stu! My only complaint is that Joe didn't do Big Bad Moon - and I thought for sure he'd end the show like a G3 show - with John Petrucci and Ty Tabor cranking on some blues number. Overall - one of the best guitar concerts ever!