This concert, taking place on Sunday, April 23, is one that all you serious rock-n-rollers out there do not want to miss. Anyone of the featured artists on their own could fill any concert hall in Bangkok, so getting them all together is quite superb.
The ticket pricing has been cleverly done with the first 300 tickets selling at the early bird price of 2,200 baht. After that it is the normal cost of 2,600 baht and for those turning up on the night 3,000 baht. Quite a difference! If you take your rock-n-roll partner, that could make a saving of 1,600 baht between the two of you. Enough for food and drinks for the evening, so the Dog’s suggestion is – get your tickets now!
As the concert title suggests, this is a ‘Generation Axe’ guitar show. The tour has already covered most of the world and is now coming to Bangkok. I shall give a quick description of the guitarists on display that evening – listed according to the billing, not necessarily their individual ability.
If you are lucky enough to get tickets please do not arrive late for the show as starting out proceedings will be Nigeria’s most famous export into the world of progressive rock guitar, Tosin Abasi, who has already released 4 albums, all of which are worth a listen. So straight down the front as soon as the doors open.
Next up is Extreme’s guitarist Nunu Bettencourt from Portugal, and expect some really upbeat funk/rock to get down to.
Then for the heaviest section of the night we have Zakk Wylde, who is probably most famous for being the heavy metal guitarist with Ozzy Osbourne (Ozzy once advised everybody to wear ear plugs as Zakk gets seriously loud.) Zakk played with Ozzy from 1988-2007 and has at the same time run his own heavy metal band Black Label Society from 1999-2014.
Following Zakk will be Yngwie Malmsteen, the Swedish guitar genius famous for mixing his heavy metal leanings with neo classical styles. Malmsteem has often been favorably compared to Ritchie Blackmore in playing style and has already released twenty one albums under his own name, every one of them a smash hit in Europe. His showmanship alone is something to behold.
Topping the bill is none other than Steve Vai who has already played two sold out shows in Bangkok in recent years. Steve has an incredible pedigree starting out with Frank Zappa, then moving onto Alcatrazz from 84-86 before leaving and being replaced by Yngwie Malmsteen (bit of a coincidence that.) Vai was then enticed to join the Dave Lee Roth Band, playing the Eddie Van Halen part of the partnership with Dave Lee Roth, where he co-wrote and tore up his guitar on two of the greatest rock albums on the mid Eighties, “Eat ‘Em & Smile” (1986) and “Skyscraper” (1988). During this time he also got to play Jack Wild: The Devil’s Guitarist in the movie “Crossroads’. Vai then jumped ship to join David Coverdale in Whitesnake for two years 1989-91. Since then he has released 9 solo albums.
At the end of the show all five guitarists will come on stage to jam together. I know what the song is and you do not want to leave before they rip through this.
If that was not enough to convince you, the rhythm section is worth seeing on its own: Derek Sherinian on keyboards, Pete Griffin on bass guitar and JP Bouvet on drums. If they were playing in Bangkok alone without a lead guitarist I would still go. They are that good.
The venue Moonstar 8 is also one of the best settings to see a live band, with a good sound system and great facilities.
Written by Mott the Dog and Hells Bells: (For more information on this guitar extravaganza, contact Mott The Dog who can often be found chatting over a beer at Jameson’s Pub, Nova Park, Soi AR, North Pattaya).
