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Steve Vai

Rock

Steve Vai Tickets

Events23 Results

United States

About

Three-time Grammy Award-winning guitarist, producer, songwriter, and composer Steve Vai has spent decades playing solo and in some of the most influential rock groups of the 20th and 21st Centuries. Ranked among the 20 best guitarists of the decade by Guitar World magazine in 2019, Vai has played with rock legends like Frank Zappa, David Lee Roth, Whitesnake and more, and sold more than 15 million records. He has also recorded with a wide range of artists such as Public Image Ltd, Mary J. Blige, Spinal Tap, and Alice Cooper, and toured with live-only acts like G3, Zappa Plays Zappa and the Experience Hendrix tour.

Born in Carle Place, New York, in 1960, Vai began playing guitar as a child and spent his high school years playing in local bands. He attended Berklee College Of Music and worked for Frank Zappa as a transcriptionist. Relocating to Los Angeles, Vai toured with Zappa, who nicknamed Vai "Stunt Guitarist" and "Little Italian Virtuoso," and played on Zappa albums such as 1981's Tinsel Town Rebellion and You Are What You Is, 1982's Ship Arriving Too Late to Save a Drowning Witch, 1983's The Man From Utopia, and 1984's Them or Us and Thing-Fish.

In the mid-'80s, Vai set out on his own, recording two solo albums: 1984's Flex-Able and Flex-Able Leftovers. Also in the 1980s, Vai joined the Van Halen-inspired rock outfit Alcatrazz and made a cameo appearance in the movie Crossroads, where he played the Devil's guitarist. Soon, he landed a gig as the guitarist in David Lee Roth's newly formed solo band and played on the group's 1986 debut album Eat 'Em And Smile. Vai also played on the group's follow-up album, Skyscraper (1988). In 1988, Vai released his own line of guitars via Ibanez: the Jam 777 series.

After Skyscraper, Vai left Roth's band to work on another solo album (Passion And Warfare) and joined Whitesnake, with whom he recorded 1989's Slip Of The Tongue. He also released a seven-string guitar that eventually caught on with late-'90s nu-metal acts like Korn and Limp Bizkit.

In the early '90s, Vai formed a new band, VAI, and hired Devin Townsend on vocals, T.M. Stevens on bass, and Terry Bozzio on drums. The group released one album in 1993 called Sex & Religion. Two years later, he released an all-instrumental EP, Alien Love Secrets. Additional '90s solo projects included 1996's Fire Garden, 1998's Flex-Able Leftovers (a re-release of his out-of-print sophomore solo album with added tracks), and 1999's The Ultra Zone.Ā 

In the early 2000s, Vai released the compilation instrumental album The 7th Song: Enchanting Guitar Melodies - Archives Vol. 1 and a live record, Alive In An Ultra World. In 2001, Vai also released his career-spanning box set: the 10-disc The Secret Jewel Box. In 2002, Vai compiled a series of compositions he'd done for films such as Crossroads and the theme to Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey and put them together on a 40-track collection dubbed The Elusive Light and Sound, Vol. 1.

In 2005, Vai returned after a hiatus with Real Illusions: Reflections and toured with the Metropole Orchestra, releasing a double live album, Sound Theories, Vols. 1 & 2 (2007). In 2010, Vai teamed with the North Netherlands Orchestra, marrying rock compositions with orchestral arrangements. He called the partnership his "Evo Era."

Also in 2010, Vai did a number of televised performances with contemporary artists like Mary J. Blige, Orianthi, Travis Barker, Ron Fair, and Randy Jackson. Two years later, he dropped his eighth studio album, The Story Of Light, which notably featured a duet with Aimee Mann.

In 2015, Vai released a recording of an October 2012 show, Stillness In Motion: Vai Live In L.A. He later released 2016's Modern Primitive, which featured updated material from the 1980s. In 2022, Vai released his 10th studio album, Inviolate, which debuted at No. 1 on the Current Hard Rock Albums chart.

Catch legendary guitar Steve Vai on tour when he comes to a city near you.

Reviews

Rating: 4.8 out of 5 based on 687 reviews
  • Rating: 5 out of 5

    GREATEST OF ALL TIME

    by Steve Martinez on 8/23/23

    broooooooooooooooooo THIS SHOW WAS CRAZY LIKE Steve did not have a single moment where he disappointed. HE WAS KILLING IT THE WHOLE SHOW HES THE GOAT

  • Rating: 5 out of 5

    Oh my goodness thank you Steve Vai. Wow.

    by Randall, David Brown on 8/22/23

    Did the meet and greet with Steve Vai seven hours of hanging out with the band and Steve? Unbelievable guitar playing show he is 63 years old and I am 63 years old. I want to be able to do that maybe in another lifetime thank you Mr. Steve Vai.

  • Rating: 5 out of 5

    An Evening with Steve Vai

    by Kelly on 8/21/23

    Phenomenal show, his playing is literally jaw dropping šŸ«Ø. I should have bought the VIP ticket. He is a Guitar God šŸ¤˜šŸ¤˜.

  • Rating: 5 out of 5

    Awsome night

    by Mario on 8/20/23

    My guitar god was awsome from start to finish..hope to see him again...and again

  • Rating: 5 out of 5

    awesome

    by doggem moe on 8/19/23

    the space was great open chairs..alot of room to walk around..and see the show..steve was great as always..

  • Rating: 5 out of 5

    Soul cleansing

    by Bis on 8/19/23

    Loved The Knitting Factory. Vai was amazing! Very intimate feel from the venue and Vai. Had a great time, looking forward visiting Knitting Factory again.

  • Rating: 5 out of 5

    New to Vai

    by Alberto on 8/19/23

    I am new to Vai music. I had no idea what to expect. At the end I left the show feeling very impressed.

  • Rating: 5 out of 5

    STEVE VAI NEVER FAILS TO AMAZE

    by rickR on 8/19/23

    The last time I saw Steve Vai in Spokane was quite some time ago when G3 weā€™re touring. That was an amazing show, and Steve now a good decade, and a half older he has not lost any of his game. Heā€™s just as daring and adventurous as ever. The show August 16 at the Knitting Factory was stellar. The ensemble were all playing at a very high-level, and complemented Steve perfectly. From the opening bars of the first song until the last tune they played nonstop for over two hours. One thing that has changed since I saw him all those years ago is his talk with the audience. he told us that his wife told him he needed to connect with the audience more and that he did! He has a great sense of humor and I really enjoyed his banter. I hope he comes back again soon. The sound was excellent. Steveā€™s music needs to be heard loud, thatā€™s the nature of it and the way he rides his feedback like a wave is awesome. The crew that were running the sound had it dialed in perfectly. It was loud, but never hurt my ears, and the balance, for the most part was excellent. I could hear all four musicians well. This isnā€™t always the case in many venues. So hats off to the Knitting Factory.

  • Rating: 5 out of 5

    Steve Vai is the best!

    by SoRelle on 8/19/23

    We bought VIP tickets and sat down to a conversation with Steve Vai. He answered many cerebral questions and some technical ones and he was very kind and patient with everyone. The show itself was, of course, Amazing! It was seriously the experience of a lifetime!

  • Rating: 5 out of 5

    Amazing!

    by Shandi on 8/14/23

    Steve is a brilliant guitarist and a fun guy to watch on stage!