First day in Europe with Joe, Stu, Jeff, Steve, Mike, Mike and Phillip, and the inscrutable Mr. Legg. No time for production rehearsals made for a very long day for Chris Varrin and his production crew, but as usual they made it happen on schedule with a new sound and light system and crew. A similar show to the U.S. (but without Eric Johnson's band) ending with Joe and Steve performing the three G3 jam songs together, with Adrian being unable to perform on his equipment at the stage volume required. A very responsive crowd sends the message that they like this G3 "very much".
The G3 juggernaut crosses Europe in a rapid succession of shows that vary in style but not consistency: Hamburg, Dusseldorf, Stuttgart, Milan, Zurich and Paris are great shows and great crowds. The G3 "Live In Concert" album is released and the fans react favorably. In Germany and France, the album makes its way onto the charts and in its first week is Epic's second biggest selling album in Europe. Joe and Steve spend two hours in Paris meeting fans at FNAC, one of the biggest Parisian record stores, then play a superb show at the Zenith Concert Hall to 5,000 G3 fans.
G3 crosses the English Channel and heads to the first UK show in Nottingham, sold out in a great sounding concert hall and the start of a seven show run that keeps getting better with every show.
A very special night in G3 history as Brian May is invited to come and sit in on the jam. When he walks onto the stage with Joe, Steve, Stuart and Jeff, the English crowd goes absolutely bananas. With his signature guitar and style, Brian plays the three song jam and takes the level of intensity to a new level. All three guitarists are on fire and drive each others performance higher. The London fans witness a very special G3 event and the musicians talk immediately of Brian joining with G3 at some time in the future. Two hours after the show the three guitarists are still huddled in a dressing room as the nights adrenaline still flows.
Two more great shows. Among the audience were members of Iron Maiden, Korn and Mr. Robert Fripp - soon to be a G3er.
Across the Atlantic to Canada and the beginning of the G3 North American tour 1997. In Quebec the line up is Joe, Steve, Michel Cusson and Robert Fripp. Chris Varrin and Doug Nightwine have put together a new production, the bands have rehearsed new songs and at the first show Michel and Robert joined Joe and Steve for the jam. The show plays one more Quebec show in Montreal with Michel before starting in Philadelphia with Kenny Wayne Shepherd.
Twelve incredible G3 shows that played the Northeast and Midwest. A very different version of G3 than 1996 or Europe. Five hours of superb musicianship, guitar playing and entertainment. The show begins every night as the doors open with Robert on stage performing for an hour or more alone and at times being joined by Stu Hamm and Mike Keneally. Robert's set of eclectic soundscapes of electronic and masterful guitar playing changed every night. Robert was an immediate fan and supporter of the G3 concept and his positive energy, historical perspective and sense of humor played a major role in the day-to-day atmosphere backstage.The audiences were not ready for a situation where they were being played to whilst entering the venues, and they took some time adjusting to the theatrical element of Robert sitting up there on stage in the daylight, playing through his bank of pedals and effects. But, the effect was awesome as Robert let his aural soundscapes build with the mood of the environment. In Cleveland, the show is in an amphitheatre situated by Lake Erie and during Robert's set a barge passed by and added a blast of foghorn to the sound effects. In Pittsburgh, a train track was not very far from the stage and at regular intervals the sound of a freight train was heard mixed into Robert's set!
Kenny Wayne Shepherd was next up to play and every night he proved that he is a truly amazing blues artist. A new singer Noah Hunt, a new bass player Robby Emerson and Kenny's band - Joe Nadeau, Jimmy Wallace and Sam Bryant brought the crowd to their feet every night with their inspired electric blues, ending with Kenny's own psychedelic tip of the hat to Hendrix and Voodoo Chile.
The crowd has gone through a transformation from Frippetronics to Kenny Wayne's Delta Blues and when the siren's blast signals the start of the Steve Vai set the night changes pace yet again. Steve and band - Mike Keneally, Mike Mangini and Phillip Bynoe have played over one hundred shows since October 1996 and their show was the proof. As usual, Steve drove the fans crazy with his incredible guitar playing and showmanship. "For the Love of God" took everyone in the venue to a high place every night, and "The Attitude Song" left them screaming. Steve left the stage each night to the words "The Evening Has Just Begun," and Joe, Stu and Jeff kept the promise. From "Cool #9" through "Surfing with the Alien," Joe put his guitar through its paces with an endless display of technique and soul. Mike Manning - the Zen Master - kept the guitars tuned and the amps running, and Joe kept up his sonic assault. Stu and Jeff worked their magic as usual, and Stu's bass solo brought the crowd to its feet and him to his knees.
And then it was time to get all four guitarists together. This year the plans had been made to keep all the equipment on-stage through Joe's set which meant no set change, just a minute or two to set up pedals and then bring out Steve, Kenny and Robert. The plan was to play all three of the jam songs heard on the last tour plus one new one. After a quick rehearsal in Hartford, the Kinks/Van Halen track "You Really Got Me" was chosen as the new song and for the next 11 shows the crowd witnessed some incredible G3 jams. Now Joe and Kenny Wayne are going into the studio to finish their albums and the G3 tour will pick up again September 26th in Vancouver for another series of dates.