Guitar geeks unite for G3’s reunion tour at the First Interstate

When Joe Satriani introduced the G3 concept a generation ago, it was a tour which featured the guitar virtuoso and two other axe heroes.

Satriani, 67, has amped it up on the G3 jaunt, which will stop Monday at the First Interstate Center for the Arts. Satriani, who is touring with his longtime pals, Eric Johnson and Steve Vai, is adding a guest guitarist or two for each concert.

“So this will be more like a G4 or G5 show,” Satriani said while calling from his Los Angeles home. “We see where we’re performing and who is in the area that might want to come out. For instance, whenever we play Oakland, I call (Journey guitarist) Neal Schon and he’ll come out for a few dates. So I’m checking to see who might join me in Spokane.”

When South Hill’s Myles Kennedy was mentioned as a possibility, Satriani was shocked that the Alter Bridge frontman resides in Spokane.

“I had no idea that Myles still lives in Spokane,” Satriani said. “Wow. I assumed he was in the Hollywood Hills. I always assumed Myles lived around the block from Slash. It would be a fantastic honor to have Myles, since he’s an amazing guitarist.”

While it would have been cool to witness Kennedy trade licks with Satriani, Vai and Johnson, Slash is touring with his Conspirators. When G3 reunion tour stops at the FICA, Slash, Kennedy and the Conspirators will be on the Brazilian leg of their tour.

However, guitar aficionados will be stimulated. Fans will be treated to solo material, such as Satriani’s “Satch Boogie” and some cool covers. During the last G3 tour, such tunes as Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song,” Deep Purple’s “Highway Star” and Bob Dylan’s “All Along the Watchtower” were delivered.

“We’re going to be reprising some of the songs we did in 1996 during that first tour,” Satriani said. “We’re emailing songs back and forth that we might jam to. We also give careful consideration to what we’ll be performing with our guest guitarist or guitarists.

“We want to make sure what we offer is inviting for the guest guitarist. We don’t want to hit them with a song that’s so difficult that they say, ‘No thanks.’ There isn’t as much room for expression with songs that are very complicated. It’s not about hitting a million notes.”

An example of a tune that gives the guitarists room to roam is the Albert King/Freddie King classic, “Going Down,” which is often part of the G3 set list.

“I love that song since it’s so wide open,” Satriani said. “I remember hearing Jeff Beck play that when I was a kid and I was blown away. What I loved about Beck’s version is that he played it in this rude, cavalier manner. He had such attitude. Other guitarists played that song in a more traditional way and then you have Beck come in like he was from outer space. It’s about adding a dimension to that song, which is what we try to do. That’s a perfect song for a guest guitarist to just go and take off.”

Satriani’s son ZZ (Zachariah Zane) will be shooting a documentary on the G3 tour.

“He has been part of this since he was 4 years old,” Satriani said. “ZZ was a little kid when the first tour happened. This has been his life.

“He’s a gifted filmmaker. He’s the perfect guy to document this. Our experience is storybook stuff. The three of us have shared so much history. Eric and I have been friends forever. Steve and I grew up in the same neighborhood. We went to the same high school and I gave him guitar lessons when he was 12 years old.”

The trio are close pals but they also push each other musically.

“It’s all about excelling, and we drive each other,” Satriani said. “It’s also about trust. We can do the craziest stuff up onstage due to that high level of trust.”

After the G3 tour ends during the spring, Satriani will hit the road with his pals Sammy Hagar, Michael Anthony and Jason Bonham. “The Best of All Worlds” tour is slated for Aug. 13 at Northern Quest Resort and Casino.

“As soon as this tour ends I’m going straight to the rehearsals with Sammy,” Satriani said. “It’s a legacy tour for Sammy so it’ll be a lot of fun.”

Expect a heavy dose of Van Halen.

“I’m sure we’ll do at least ten Van Halen songs and that will take up a good bit of the show,” Satriani said.

There have been rumors about a Van Halen tour since VH drummer Alex Van Halen asked Satriani about resurrecting the classic rockers sound.

“Alex contacted me not long after Eddie (Van Halen) passed away (in 2020),” Satriani said. “I was shocked. I had never spoken with Alex. I said, ‘I must be 10th on the list.’ He said, ‘No, I think you’re the guy for the gig.’

“It’s funny because back in the day, I avoided listening to Eddie’s stuff since I didn’t want to sound like him even though I admired him. He was one of my favorite guitarists but I didn’t want to accidentally steal from him. Then all these years later I hear from his brother about playing Van Halen songs with him.”

The VH project never happened. According to Eddie Van Halen’s son, Wolfgang Van Halen, such a band is not on the horizon. When asked about a post Eddie Van Halen band, Wolfgang Van Halen told The Spokesman-Review in December to not expect any type of VH tour.

“I don’t see anything like that happening,” Van Halen said. “It’s an unfortunate fact of life that things end and there are new beginnings. It’s impossible to have Van Halen without my dad.”

Satriani understands.

“Whatever Wolfgang says about it is the truth,” Satriani said. “The rest of us are just fans. I respect whatever Wolfgang says.

“I just remember how I felt the first time I heard Van Halen. I heard ‘Eruption’ on the radio and I was transfixed and frozen. I was just so happy a guitar player showed up on the scene and reinvented the sound. Van Halen inspired me, and I hope to inspire fans as well with G3 and everything I do.”