For the first time in their nearly 50-year musical careers, legendary guitar icons Joe Satriani and Steve Vai have united to form the SATCHVAI Band. What’s more, the iconic guitarists will embark on an electrifying summer tour together across the UK and Europe.
Not only is it the union of both these fantastic guitarists together on stage that music fans will be getting excited about, but the revelation of the stellar band that will be performing with them – Powerhouse drummer Kenny Aronoff, renowned bassist Marco Mendoza, and virtuoso guitarist Pete Thorn complete the stellar quintet that is the SATCHVAI Band.
“Finding the right musicians for the SatchVai Band was at first a daunting task, then, an exciting one; there are so many great musicians to choose from!” said Satriani. “It’s no secret that the chemistry between players will always be the thing that makes them a magical live band, and we’ve found that chemistry with Kenny, Marco, and Pete. The upcoming shows will focus on not only our respective solo works, but also the music from our new album. We are so excited to get this show on the road and celebrate it with all of our fans!”
As Vai explained, “When considering forming one band around myself and Joe we talked about the qualities needed for each position, bass, drums, rhythm guitar. It was a surprising challenge to find the right fits.”
Drummer Kenny Aronoff is no stranger to Satriani fans. He has toured alongside him as part of the Chickenfoot band, joined on Satriani solo tours since 2019, played on The Elephant of Mars album, and most recently stepped in for Jason Bonham on the Best of All Worlds tour with Satriani, Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony.
“What can I say about the legendary Kenny Aronoff that I haven’t said before?” queried Satriani. No other drummer has the sound, feel, time, groove, and swagger like Kenny. He’s an exceptional human being too. He’s supernatural!”
“Kenny is the quintessential rock drummer,” said Vai. “His time is bullet-proof, his tone is fat and clean, and his ability to respond in an improvisational setting is instant. Besides that, he’s one of the easiest and most fun guys to tour with—an essential quality on the road.”
When it came to adding a rhythm guitarist and bass player, the duo was challenged to find the right combo. Vai had been aware of Pete Thornfor quite a while and knew he was perfect for their band. As Vai explains, “Pete’s playing is rock solid with a huge tone in his fingers. His rhythm playing is tight and in tune in a way that’s rare, and his intonation is stunning. He’s the perfect musician for this band, and we couldn’t be happier to have him.”
Satriani agreed, “Pete is an all-around monster guitarist. He has that rare ability to shine on rhythm and lead guitar, switching back and forth with finesse. He’s got the technical abilities and the rock ‘n’ roll attitude Steve, and I were hoping to find for our band.”
Then came the choice for bassist, again Vaisaid of the addition of Marco Mendoza, “Marco is a bass phenomenon. With his 6-string fretless, his bass sings with perfect intonation and swooning vibrato. His wide, rich tone and masterful control of dynamics will bring a new dimension to our songs.”
Satriani echoed that, “Marco’s musicianship is boundless. He’s got a special magic to his bass playing; it’s both foundational and out front at the same time. Together with his exceptional singing voice and stage presence, he will be a driving force in our band.”
“I’ve been performing and recording music with Joe Satriani since 2012 (Chickenfoot, Sammy Hagar, G3 and Joe’s band) and have performed live with Steve Vai, but the next level is right now because I am joining the SATCHVAI Band for a two-month tour this summer in Europe. I am pumped, excited and ready to kick ass!” said Aronoff.
“It sounds like something out of a mad fantastical dream that the 14-year-old guitar-obsessed me would have had… ‘Joe Satriani and Steve Vai called, they want you to join their new band!’ And then I’d wake up and go to 9th grade math class! But it’s real! It’s a mind-blowing opportunity, and yet I also feel like I’ve arrived exactly where I’ve always wanted to be. I’m beyond excited to be of musical service to these legends, and to rock out!” said Thorn.
While Mendoza stated: “I have to say that getting invited to be part of a great project like this is monumental for me personally! I know it’s going to be something very special, and I can’t wait to get it started.”
The UK leg of the tour will kick off at the York Barbican (13th June) followed by dates at London Eventim Apollo (14th June), Glasgow Royal Concert Hall (17th June), Wolverhampton Civic Hall (18th June), and Manchester O2 Apollo (19th June).
An exclusive 48-hour ticket pre-sale starts today, Wednesday 11th December 11 at 10am, via the link here (Using the code: surfingwiththehydra). Thereafter, tickets will go on general sale at 10am on Friday 13th December via this link and here. You can watch the official announcement of the tour by Joe Satriani and Steve Vai via the video below.
Satriani and Vai, along with each of their respective bands, initially joined forces for their first-ever tour together, outside of the G3 format, the past spring (2024) across select U.S. cities. They decided it was finally time to form a new band together and bring that winning formula to the live stage, beginning in Europe.
Celebrating nearly five decades of musical friendship, Joe Satriani and Steve Vai made their first musical collaboration debut in March 2024. ‘The Sea Of Emotion, Pt. 1’ highlights the synergy between these two legendary guitarists as they seamlessly trade solo sections throughout the six-minute opus. Their second collaboration is set to be released just before the European tour, adding even more anticipation for this epic run.
The pairs musical careers have been intertwined since their very early days. Satriani served as Vai’s guitar teacher during their teenage years on Long Island, New York. Their connection has continued to evolve over the years, even sharing record labels, starting at Relativity Records in the late 80s, to both calling Sony/Epic Records home for a significant portion of the 90s. Together, they have also frequently teamed up with a third guitarist on multiple occasions throughout the span of three decades, participating in the semi-annual G3 Tours, both in the U.S. and abroad.
“The SATCHVAI Band tour is happening! I’m so looking forward to sharing the stage with Steve again,” said Satriani. “Every time we play together, it takes me back to when we were teenagers, eating and breathing music every second of the day, pushing, challenging, and helping each other to be the best we could be. I guess we’ve never stopped!”
Vai added, “Touring with Joe is always a pleasure and an honour. He is my favourite guitarist to jam with, and now we have another opportunity to take it to the stage. I feel as though we are both at the top of our game, and the show will be a powerful celebration of the coolest instrument in the world, the electric guitar!”
Joe Satriani himself has had a packed schedule recently having concluded the Sammy Hagar-led Best Of All Worlds Tour, that was met with much fanfare and critical acclaim. While Steve Vai has been playing shows across the U.S. as part of the BEAT tour following the conclusion of the Satch/Vai tour earlier this year.
For more about the guitarists’ involvement with G3 at RAMzine click here.
For ticket information click here.
Stay tuned for more details on this unprecedented collaboration and the release of their highly anticipated new music.
