Paul Gilbert / Joe Satriani, Hammersmith Apollo, London UK, May 20, 2008

		PAUL GILBERT/JOE SATRIANI HAMMERSMITH APOLLO LONDON, UK MAY 20, 2008 review & photos by Alissa Ordabai
		LINKS: paulgilbert.com myspace.com/paulgilbert joesatriani.com myspace.com/joesatriani
These days Britain gets to hear live instrumental guitar rock almost exclusively from visiting Americans, since the main premises of this genre have now finally and seemingly irrevocably migrated to the other side of the Atlantic. The show on May 20th at Hammersmith Apollo was one of those treats, showcasing two American guitar gurus at their irreproachable best. The venue was packed, and, surprisingly, not just by the hordes of local guitar nerds who, despite attempting to overrun the venue, blended in rather agreeably, if slightly oddly, with the rest of the crowd – fresh-faced teenagers, music writers, a group of glamorous looking women, and another contingent of confident, relaxed guys who looked like company executives and would have been totally unremarkable if not for an ever-so-slight glint of madness in their eyes which made you suspect they secretly keep an Ibanez Iceman hidden somewhere in the office. Photographers from Marshall amps were there too, as well as snappers from British guitar magazines who told this writer that Mr. Gilbert, apart from being a chopsman supreme, is also the best subject-matter any rock photographer can wish for.
A few moments later Gilbert proved them right, opening his set with sweltering heat, utterly uninhibited and allowing each spark of his fretboard fireworks to reflect on his face. Visual appeal aside, the opener, “Hurry Up”, was a highly keyed, wall-of-flame stomper setting the tone for the rest of this performance, perfectly matching the inner essence with outward expression. Instead of illustrating outworn myths, Gilbert now uses the rock tradition he was bred and educated in as a launching pad for his pan-stylistic extrapolations, never afraid to advance too far or to take chances with the new and the unforeseeable. Which, given high redundancy of styles in rock, seems the most reasonable thing to do these days. “Silence Followed by a Deafening Roar”, the title composition of his newly released album, illustrated perfectly how he re-channels his energy into different directions album after album. The tune’s sumptuous sequence of beautifully balanced phrases and showers of shimmering notes, as well as Gilbert’s knowledge and skill he uses so effortlessly to transmit pure sensation, turned it into one of the biggest highlights of the evening. Parts where he played with a violin bow were tongue-in-cheek references to Gilbert’s all-time guitar hero Jimmy Page, and were received graciously by the audience, the crowd appreciating the sense of continuity, even if this time purely symbolic.
Making an effort to escape the pattern yet again, Gilbert then contrasted this showstopper with “Eudaimonia Overture”, another standout from the new record. The intro was a whirlwind of notes discharged with laser-like precision, which soon shaped into a wonderfully catchy upbeat tune, an almost poppy number rendered with a twist, somehow managing to steer clear from pop and rock clichés. A connoisseur of movements between the automatic, the spontaneous and the recalled, on “Bronx 1971” Gilbert showed yet again how an open and unconservative attitude to music can still allow a musician to retain a perfect sense of shape within a given piece when supported by faultless technique and unerring sense of composition. Despite the cross-rhythmic pace, things remained perfectly articulated, Gilbert straddled the fence between rock and funk, but still managed somehow to cohere both intentions, as well as occasional jazz-tingled moments into one whole, all this executed with lightning-fast speed, turning this number into the most captivating, daring highlight of the set. Towards the end of this piece you could hear subtle nods to Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck transpiring now and then in nuanced turns of phrases, accents and intonations – an affectionate and gracious tribute to British pioneers of rock guitar.
	“Suite Modale” set a contemplative mood with beautiful contrast between the guitar and the keyboard, a piece where Gilbert ventured outside of the 20th century paradigm blending classical harmonies with experimental melodic motifs. Constantly seeking out new musical challenges, Gilbert transforms his act into something new after each album he releases. This time around he not only sounded loose and one hundred per cent confident, but he also looked like he was having a blast. These days it is his individuality that drives him on his creative search, not demands for radio-friendly material, and each of his records leaves you with a promise of even more fertile resources waiting to be explored.
The crowd, worked up and restless, was left to simmer in anticipation for half an hour before Satch hit the stage and the venue lit up with an entirely different kind of energy. Sporting colourful head gear, skinny jeans and a plan dark t-shirt, he looked confident, if slightly detached, opening his set with “I Just Want to Rock” from his new album Professor Satchafunkilus and the Musterion of Rock. Less gregarious than Gilbert, he immerses himself in his performances completely, and while he always appreciates the audience’s response, you can tell that his is a different creative process altogether, with what goes on inside always dictating what you hear. There is deep-voiced fortitude and unerring logic to the way he communicates his message, a different trip from Gilbert’s impressionistic style, which becomes even more apparent when the two are juxtaposed against each another. The first highlight of the set was “Satch Boogie” – expansive and pulsating, with blistering groove underlining flamboyant melodic intensity. It received a riotous response from the crowd, and while “Revelation”, “Musterion” and “Andalusia” from the new album that followed put across lots of range, invention and feeling, and all were given a fabulous reception, the old classics each time still drew the loudest cheers.
“Cryin’” from the landmark 1992 album The Extremist was a gorgeously fluid, poetic tune opening up a sprawling musical dimension with elegant harmonic changes and soaring singing notes, finding space for melodic nuances and sumptuous details of tone amidst all this broad-brushstroke splendour. Stu Hamm’s bass solo which preceded it, showcasing a formidable slap technique and quoting a chunk out of Led Zeppelin’s “Going to California” was another highlight, cheered by the crowd as enthusiastically as they cheered Satch.
“Always With Me, Always With You”, played towards the end of the show, was another example of how Satriani’s distinctive sound signature can shape-shift from thumping rockers to transparent and clear song-like compositions. Perfect in shape and modulation, it still rang out with an elusive touch of mysterious yearning, turning it into a dreamy, faraway highlight which would have left the crowd spellbound for the rest of the show if not for “Surfing with the Alien” that followed it. The biggest standout of the set, it hit out loud and clear, sounding just as alive, vibrant and exciting as it did 20 years ago, expressing audacious energy and swaggering motion with raucous guitar singing in a multitude of protean voices over a shifting harmonic plain. This kind of clarity, articulation and energy remain unmatched to this day, despite all the progress and innovation that swept the instrumental guitar circuit since then. It can’t be pinned down simply to Satriani’s flawless sense of melody, or his energy and force, or his gift for composition, or his phenomenal chops, but combined together all those elements on the night spoke of genius for music that can convey sensations, moods and emotions no other art form can. “Summer Song” concluded the show on an elated note, leaving the crowd demanding more tunes despite the set having run for over two hours. Apart from his prodigious technique, Satriani once again proved that he remains a completely original, thoroughly modern musician, continuing to produce music full of energy and content, his adventure continuing along an adventurous route without concessions to the routine or considerations dictated by the market.