The title of ‘musical virtuoso’ is not one to be handed out lightly— nonetheless, you’d be hard pressed to argue that legendary guitarists Joe Satriani and Steve Vai aren’t worthy of the praise. The duo have released some of the most pioneering music in their field since the electric guitar was invented, pushing the instrument to its absolute limits on records like ‘Surfing With The Alien’ and ‘Passion And Warfare.’ Talent alone does not a good show make though: while the SatchVai band certainly delivered an impressive performance at London’s Eventim Apollo, its standout moments tended to be few and far between.

Fans of stomping rock riffs and flashy solos would have to wait, as support act Ned Evett brought a much softer sound to the Apollo. The solo act was displaying a jaw-dropping suite of technical equipment— a sea of pedals sat alongside three (count them, three) fretless guitars, one made of glass— which ended up being his only companion on the vast stage: the performance was banking on Evett’s charisma and musical chops to carry it through. On a technical sense, there really wasn’t much to complain about, with the guitarist’s proficiency lending itself to a collection of mid-tempo singer-songwriter cuts— he could play fingerstyle, play with a slide, loop and delay various melodic lines and, when all was said and done, he could shred like no-one’s business. Though the nitty-gritty of Evett’s playing wasn’t much of a focus, it nonetheless provided a solid backbone for the opening act.

The singer-songwriter’s playing did bump shoulders awkwardly with the backing tracks though, hampering some of the intimacy of the set. Though budgetary constraints are an unfortunate reality for many small artists, a certain sense of ‘cheapness’ could be felt whenever another round of pre-programmed drums and tinny synths reared its ugly head, here to spoil the mood— it might’ve been preferable to see Evett committing to the solo act, placing greater focus on his musicianship and likability. Even still, the Eventim Apollo was an ambitious venue for this kind of performance: the space did feel fairly empty at points, with Evett taking up only a corner of the stage.

Beyond those critiques, the set was a charming, if overly safe, collection of original folk rock tunes. Evett seemed in good spirits, bouncing through cuts like ‘Good News’ and ‘Message To You’ with an infectious enthusiasm— his vocals, reminiscent of Bob Dylan at times, stayed consistently commendable, recounting both small-scale, relatable stories and grandiose sci-fi revenge tales. Honestly, we’d be hard-pressed to recount too many of the tracks Evett performed at the Apollo, as the set began to blend together in certain instances: still, the solo performer was a welcome addition to the show. Even if his attempts at ‘sing-along’ moments didn’t seem to resonate with much of the crowd, a rousing cover of The Who’s ‘Won’t Get Fooled Again’ had us excited to see what else the night might have in store.

One thing should be made clear from the off: regardless of any criticisms we may have, the undeniable truth is that Joe Satriani and Steve Vai can play the guitar like you’ve never heard. The duo showcased some truly virtuosic playing across the night, appearing completely in their element as they ripped through blazing solos and all manner of weird and wonderful techniques. The first few cuts had the entire audience stunned, with the duo blazing their way through show-stoppers like Vai’s ‘Zeus in Chains’ and Satriani’s classic hit ‘Surfing with the Alien.’ Even as the show wore on, the performers’ most daring technical feats continued to delight: Vai’s performance of ‘Teeth of the Hydra,’ played using the monstrously three-necked custom guitar, was nothing short of spell-binding.

Between those death-defying feats though, an overabundance of technique made the show, at times, fairly monotonous: those flashy guitar solos weren’t quite as impressive in the 90th minute as they were in the 1st. Vai’s penchant for unconventional song ideas and eccentric showcases often backfired, with his winding compositions frequently failed to keep us engaged (although really, we might’ve expected as much from a man who insists on performing stood on a Persian rug)— the seven-minute ‘Little Pretty’ felt like a chore, shuffling its way through endless modulations and unmemorable melodies. Even the guitarist’s biggest hits ‘Tender Surrender’ and ‘For the Love of God’ became quite exhausting as endless shredding began to fall on deaf ears: the latter was particularly egregious, with Vai treating the audience to several minutes of pointless ambience (described by one audience member, quite poetically, as ‘whale music’). 

Satriani was the clear crowd-favourite, bringing with him a collection of much more infectious and groove-heavy tracks: compared to Vai’s self-indulgence, Satriani simple oozed charisma as he sauntered around the stage. Hits like ‘Satch Boogie’ had the venue in a frenzy, putting the focus on good ol’ rock’n’roll rather than on yet more technical wankery— though his playing couldn’t fully escape that feeling of monotony, Satriani mostly kept the show light and carefree whenever he appeared. Really, the entire event might’ve benefitted from a few more crowd-pleasers: it says a lot that the closing covers of Metallica’s ‘Enter Sandman’ and Steppenwolf’s ‘Born To Be Wild’ were, by a considerable margin, the most thrilling moments of the night. The covers benefitted immensely from putting Vai and Satriani’s playing in a more approachable context, with Marco Mendoza’s vocals and some phenomenal drumming from Kenny Aronoff sealing the deal.

Though technical chops are impressive, they aren’t worth much on their own: too many times, we wished the SatchVai band would throw the audience a bone with something a tad less pretentious. Even the guitarists in the room on Saturday night were surely growing tired of Steve Vai’s endless improvisational pieces— for your average audience member, they must’ve been nothing short of baffling. Rare moments of levity teased at what the show could’ve been: as it stood, the SatchVai band were fully capable of rocking out at the Eventim Apollo, but unfortunately opted not to for the majority of their show.