show review
12string
(Carl Bergman)
Sun Jun 13 '04
Arrow Rock Festival
Lichtenvoorde, De Schans, NL
Rank: 9 Posted: Wed Jun 16, '04 5:47 am
Hi, here my review on the G3 concert on Arrow 1st Robert Fripp: I would say skip Fripp. This is not of the same size as Vai and Satch. The audience also was dissappointed with him and we could not get warmed up, most of the people got bored with it. But when Steve came onstage with the tripleneck-Jem it couldn't be better!!That cleared up everything! Starting with 'I know you're here' on this beauty. AMAZING. Further he played the show very very nice, had a very good contact with the audience and gave a great gig. "For the Love of God" started in the "Metropole Orchestra" style, a very new and nice approach of this song. Also Billy Sheehan rocked that place. Sometimes it is difficult where to look, Steve or Billy, Billy or Steve? As Vai said. The best Rock-bassplayer on this planet. I totally agree! And Tony? Somebody throw a textile on the Stage which said: G3 - Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Tony McAlpine. I couldn't say it better. Then Satch came up and blew that place away... with the volume. Man that was really loud. But the way he plays those loud notes sounds soooo good. A nice mix of old & new songs made it an unforgettable evening. The jam was really a proof why those guys do a G3 tour. So much guitarforce is the topping on the icecream. Fantastic! After the concert we had a backstage meeting with Joe, Steve and the other bandmembers which was really cool. Those guys are so kind and relaxed. They take much time for the photo's, signings and the questions. Thank you very much! Overal mix was not too good, during Vai the bass was too loud and the guitars too low, while Joe was tooo loud. At the jam, the sound was so loud that the mikes couldn't put up harder. So we didn't hear any of the singing of "Rockin'in the free world". Also the podium-mix could have better according the fingers Steve and Joe put up and down to the stage-side. Overall a must see for the guitar lovers!! CU Next year guys?? Photo's and the setlists on www.ffkijke.nl

Frenky100procent
(frank konings)
Sun Jun 13 '04
Arrow Rock Festival
Lichtenvoorde, De Schans, NL
Rank: 9 Posted: Tue Jun 15, '04 12:41 pm
It was the second time I saw Joe perform and I must say that he was awsome again! This G3 concert was great! First Robbert Fripp performed. I must say, I wasen't impressed at all. Sorry, but to me it seemed as he was playing a keyboard. After he was done, Steve Vai came on stage, and he rocked! He was awsome! As soon as he started playing his guitar, I knew why I was here... This is what I live for! When he played: Whispering a prayer, I just coudn't keep it dry... Tears were rolling down my cheeks. It was THAT touching... He did it again with: For the love of God. The next stunt will always stay by me: Playing each others guitars! Just amazing! Next up: Joe Satriani! He gave an enormous welcome with his new song: Gnaah. I was hoping he was gonna play Searching. And when he did, I was all ears! That is such an amazing song... I thank you, for making a dream come true! Frank Konings

vbezrookove
(Vladimir Bezrookove)
Sun Jun 13 '04
Arrow Rock Festival
Lichtenvoorde, De Schans, NL
Rank: 10 Posted: Tue Jun 15, '04 1:40 am
WHAT A NOISE!!!! The show was out of this world with worst sound quality I’ve ever heard. Maybe I’m getting too old and cannot cope with such loud noise any more but I couldn’t really make out the music, which was real shame. But what the hell, seeing Satch and Vai together was dream come true. About Mr. Fripp, well he was interesting but what was the solo part about? During the jam session I could see and almost hear that he can play and even match Satch’s and Vai’s technique and knowing King Crimson the show could have been great G3. But it was a G2 and really happy to be able to see it. I’m a hard-core Satch fan; I’ve got everything that he has made, listen only to his songs (well almost) nearly got all the books and at the moment play nothing except Satch songs. Joe Satriani is the guitarist of guitarists and for me seeing him live is more than just a night out. I hope that Joe will read this and hope that he can organise some tours in Holland or at least in Europe that is really dedicated to him, so that his fans can soak in his presence and music, like 2 years ago in Amsterdam or maybe even smaller venues. So Arrow Rock Festival was great but PLEASE Joe come to Europe again soon and you alone can be the whole Festival.

masse Sun Jun 13 '04
Arrow Rock Festival
Lichtenvoorde, De Schans, NL
Rank: Posted: Tue Jun 15, '04 12:43 pm
I love Fripp and can't wait to see him again! More King Crimson material would be good!

bluedonie
(Cesc Baró)
Sun Jun 13 '04
Arrow Rock Festival
Lichtenvoorde, De Schans, NL
Rank: 10 Posted: Mon Jun 14, '04 11:42 am

Well, i haven't seen the first g3 show, of european 2004 g3 tour, but i've seen the three first reviews of joe satriani web... and i think all the tour, joe and steve will be on the top of the rank, and robert will be the worst, of three. i'll be in posterior shows and i wish i'll see a good concert of robert, he is not probably the best option to play near joe & steve, but that's what we have....

If joe's reads this, for a next g3 choose some other guitar palyers, some others as Kirk, pettruci, or any other one better than robert

Iv4r
(ivar Koster)
Sun Jun 13 '04
Arrow Rock Festival
Lichtenvoorde, De Schans, NL
Rank: 9 Posted: Mon Jun 14, '04 8:22 am

Awesome show!

Mr. Fripp was, weird, as expected.

Vai kicked some serious butt, his band is really great, all excellent musicians, I can see why Dave Weiner is (stuck) in the Vai band, great player.

Satch was great, but it was waaay to loud, at some high notes I thought my eardrums would explode, but nonetheless it was a terrific energetic show. He was jumping all over the stage like a crazy rocker.

The Jam gave me goose bumps. To see Vai and Satch playing together is a real treat! Red played by the G3-jam was absolutely cool!!! I love that song and with two of my favorite musicians in it was realy cool. It's to bad that Fripp isn't that much of a showman, with the jam he was sitting way back at the stage, I didn't even saw him during the whole jam. The stage was pretty high and I was standing almost in front. This really disappointed me because I'm a fan of King Crimson and would have loved to see him play With Mr Vai and Satch.

THanks for such a wonderfull evening!

Headspace
(Patrick Lamberts)
Sun Jun 13 '04
Arrow Rock Festival
Lichtenvoorde, De Schans, NL
Rank: 7 Posted: Mon Jun 14, '04 6:02 am

This was the very first time I saw Joe Satriani live. I already saw Steve Vai earlier this year in Groningen, Oosterpoort where he played with the Metropole Orchestra. And Robert Fripp was unknown to me, but now I will remember him. I will remember him but not in a postive way. He started off and played some spooky music, he only hit three or four notes during a song of ten minutes or so. Not what I expected at all! After Fripp it was Vai's turn. He did an amazing job. He played his triple neck (as on the dvd). As far as I remember he played, You're Here, Giant Balls of Gold, Anwsers, The Reaper, Juice, Whispering A Prayer, Bangkok, For the Love of God (not in this particular order),. And then it was up to Joe... I was really excited to see him for the first time. He started off with Hands in the Air from his new album of which he played 5 songs (besides Hands in the Air he did GNAAHH!, Up In Flames, Is There Love in Space? (with Robert Fripp as third guitarist), Searching and I Like The Rain. Besides the new album Satriani played some older tunes like, War, Cool#9, Always with you, Always with me, Flying In A Blue Dream. Hands in the Air is a good opener but Joe's guitar wasn't loud enough. Maybe this was because the overall sound was actually really (maybe too) loud. I wasn't really satisfied with the overall sound and he didn't play my favourite songs of his new album (If I Could Fly, Lifestyle and Just Look Up), but you can't have 'em all off course. Fortunately he played the titlesong and Flying in A Blue Dream. Don't get me wrong I really like the other songs as well but I hoped for some other tunes. The G3 or should I say G2 jam was cool. You could almost not hear anything of what Fripp played during this jamsession, you've had to listen really hard.

Conclusion: I am glad I finally saw Joe Satriani live and I am looking forward to see 'an evening with' show of Joe. Too bad the sound wasn't all that and I have to see that Robert Fripp doesn't fit the G3 at all.

For everybody who doesn't know Symphony X yet, you should definitely check them out. They also played at the Arrow Rock Festival and it was the first time I saw them and I was very impressed. The singer Russel Allen is one of the best and the music was also very, very good. That's it...Adios

tonsavelkoul Sun Jun 13 '04
Arrow Rock Festival
Lichtenvoorde, De Schans, NL
Rank: 8 Posted: Mon Jun 14, '04 1:57 am

Hello,

I returned from Lichtenvoorde last night. This I went to ACRF only for the G3. Pitty that Qeensryche was on the same time on stage as the G3 (and pitty Yngwie Malmsteen wasn't the third guitarplayer instead of Robert Fripp).

It started with Robert Fripp, ex-guitarist King Crimson. All the time he stayed sitting on the left side of the stage. Well King Crimson is no little name, their heavy song 21th Century Schizoid Man is covered bij Voivod, and Court Of The Crimson King by Saxon. But was he playing extremely boring cyclic music, even the people in India would get sick of it. This is totally no rockmusic and doesn't fit with the guitar-violence of Vai and Satriani. A part of the audience reacted with whistle-concerts and shouting against him. On a moment a beachball was thrown on the stage, and later something else.

After that Vai came on stage, he played lovely loud. With the well-known Tony Macalpine on keyboards and guitar and Billy Sheehan on bass-guitar. Also 'rookie' Dave Weiner played very well. During this performance a banner was thrown on the stage with the text "G3 Steve Vai Joe Satriani Tony Macalpine". Indeed this was a good suggestion, having Macalpine as the third guitarplayer instead of Fripp.

Also Satriani was going extremely well and loud, with the wellknown Jeff Campitelli on drums. Vai and Satriani are so experienced in performing expressions and emotions with their guitars, that they don't really need a vocalist with lyrics. Satriani played 5 songs from the new album.

At the end they came together with the wellknown G3-jam. Not really together. Weirdo Fripp was all the time sitting left back on the stage. He totally didn't come forward while Vai and Satriani offcourse made the show. The song Red from King Crimson was played, and final act was Rockin' In A Free World from Neil Young.

We stood about 20 yards from the stage and luckely it was high. What a great evening and my ears are still yet whistling. But mister Frip will get a very difficult tour. In Italy and Spain they have enough rotten tomatoes. If they are smart the band of Vai or Satriani should quickly learn playing a few songs of King Crimson and alter the setlist of Fripp.