Joe Satriani - Shockwave supernova | FESTIVALPHOTO
Joe Satriani - Shockwave supernova
These days there are hundreds of guitarists who have released solo albums, which are almost all instrumental only - which cynics would suggest is to feed their egos and avoid having vocals distract from their guitar playing. The problem is that very few of these albums actually appeal to anyone other than other guitarists. Yes they'll sell to fans of the band they are in but generally it seems to be mainly guitarists that buy guitar based instrumental albums. As a result few of them manage to release more than a handful of albums.
For every rule though there is an exception, and Joe Satriani is someone who really stands out. For a start he's made his name purely as a guitarist releasing solo albums, rather than as a member of a band. He's also had a long successful career at releasing instrumental albums, and Shockwave Supernova is his fifteenth album - his first album came outalmost 30 years ago. The fact that Joe Satriani has managed to release 15 albums and be very successful should tell you that he is something special.
Part of what I think makes Satriani so successful is that he manages to make albums that don't just appeal to other guitarists - instead Joe Satriani albums are far more widely accessible. Normally I find instrumental albums boring and self-indulgent, but I've listened to several of Joe Satriani's albums over the years going back as far as 1987's "Surfing with the alien", and I've always enjoyed them.
His technical ability is staggering - it's clear why he's so respected as a guitarist, but he also has a vision for how the album should be, so instead of a load of tracks showing off different aspects of his playing, you get a proper album that has a definite flow to it. Yes it shows off different aspects of his playing, but that feeling that these tracks all belong together is I think what helps lift his albums above those of other guitarists.
While best listened to as an album rather than individual tracks, if I had to pick out a couple of standout tracks I'd go for "Shockwave supernova" and "In my pocket" as being particularly memorable ones.
I'm definitely lookng forward to seeing Joe Satriani play some of these tracks live when he tours later in the year. With Dan Patlansky as support it's a tour not to be missed. Check out the tour dates at the bottom of this post.
"Shockwave supernova" will be released on 24th July 2015
Track listing:
1. Shockwave supernova
2. Lost in a memory
3. Crazy Joey
4. In my pocket
5. On peregrine wings
6. Cataclysmic
7. San Francisco blue
8. Keep on movin'
9. All of my life
10. A phase I'm going through
11. Scarborough stomp
12. Butterfly and zebra
13. If there is no heaven
14. Stars race across the sky
15. Goodye supernova
ALL TICKETS PRICED £38.00 AND £34.50
START TIME ON ALL SHOWS: 7:30 PM
MANCHESTER O2 APOLLO
Sunday 1st November 2015
Box Office: 08444 777 677
Tickets: £38.00 / £34.50 www.02apollomanchester.co.uk
Stockport Road, Higher Ardwick, Manchester, M12 6AP
BIRMINGHAM SYMPHONY HALL
Monday 2nd November 2015
Box Office: 0121 780 3333 / 0121 357 0000
Tickets: £38.00 / £34.50 www.thsh.co.uk
Broad Street, Birmingham, West Midlands, B1 2EA
GLASGOW ROYAL CONCERT HALL
Tuesday 3rd November 2015
Box Office: 0141 353 8000
Tickets: £38.00 / £34.50 www.glasgowconcerthalls.com
2 Sauciehall Street, Glasgow, G2 3NY
SHEFFIELD CITY HALL
Wednesday 4th November 2015
Box Office: 01142 789 789
Tickets: £38.00 / £34.50 www.sheffieldcityhall.co.uk
Sheffield City Hall, Barkers Pool, Sheffield, S1 2JA
