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20K views 92 replies 33 participants last post by  smkin_guitar  
#1 ·
I see these online banners about Satch appearing at several Guitar Center stores around the country, but I don't see anything on how to attend. Does anybody have any details on this?
 
#18 ·
Leave it to Guitar Center to avoid the giant Guitar Center in Boston, where there are thousands of musicians from Berklee and the 100 surrounding colleges that would love to see the show, and instead have it at the Natick GC, completely annoying and partially out of reach for most people who dont have a car in the city. And wtf is Natick (Boston)?. Boston's GC and Natick's GC are 30 minutes away from each other.
 
#27 ·
Last time Steve did one of those, it was a very casual thing and it was held at a centric GC in northern VA. I suppose, since this thing will start at 6pm, that more people will show up. I'm probably going to have to go to work, leave early, drive back home to pickup the stuff and then head out there.

Jimmy:smile:
 
#28 ·
Ok so here goes my review for the Chicago clinic (hope you can read that much :lol: )

The event was more of a mad house than I expected. I had originally planned to get there 4 hrs before the event and just hang out GC 'till the clinic started
that's where things started to go wrong! the day was so nice that everybody and their brother were out and that made it hell to get to GC! :x
Then after 1 1/2 hrs of traffic I get to GC at about 3:30 and there is already a line of 150 to 200 people outside the store! I was like crap! now I'll never get in I might as well go home but I figured since I was already there I should go and take a look. So there I went to the end of the line!!!
I had my JS1000WH in case and my camera so I sat on the case and armed myself with patience! then rumors started flying out in the line that Satch would not sign anything then they said only cd's (I was like, WTH! is this what I dragged my guitar for?!?) then they said well, he'll sign your guitar as long as it is an Ibanez (sign of relief) then one of the GC reps said more than likely he won't sign everybody's stuff! I told the guy: You don't know Satch watch he will sign stuff for everybody (that's before I knew 600+ people would show up)

Then more waiting followed along with some funny moments like: guys selling drinks and pizza to the line and people stopping in the middle of the street while driving to ask: what is the line for? at first everybody was like Duh! for Joe Satriani but after a while we all started BSing enquirers with things like: is the American Idol try out line or they're giving guitars away! :lol: finally 5:30 came and they started letting people in. I got in at about 10 to 6 and it was packed!!!! you could not fit a needle in there! there was an mob of over 600 I believe. I just could not believe that GC would let that many people in the door! It was really hot and uncomfortable, but I can't complaint since I got a pretty good spot standing unobstructed in center view of the stage. GC took away the HSC at the entrance so I had to carry the guitar all the time and had to watch for people not to kick,nick, scratch it etc... (so be aware of this if you're planning to attend and you're taking your guitar) so the clinic started pretty much in time and Satch started talking about how he applies certain techniques to a certain song to get the sound he wants and the fact he likes weird sounding scales like the Hungarian minor, then he went ahead and played a tune off the new album (I think) that demonstrated the use of that scale. Afterwards, he talked about gear and some of the techniques he used to pull off his weird/sinister sounds!

He also talked about pitch axis and how he likes to harmonize scales and different ideas to them that may not necessarily be diatonic. He also mentioned how important theory was but at the same time he said people should not get too caught up in it or be afraid of it since it opens more possibilities.

Then he shifted gears and started talking about how he attacks certain notes to get his bluesy vibe as well when and how he uses his legato. Joe narrated how he grew up listening to Jazz because of his parents and how his sister influenced him to learn guitar since he actually started banging on the drums! then Joe mentioned how big an influence Hendrix was along with other Blues cats like Buddy Guy. Joe asserted how important his influences were and how he uses them to come up with all that Bluesy/Jazzy stuff he plays/writes. Right after that he played another track off his new album which I actually thought was really good Joe said it had a Jazz/swing vibe to it (which I agree). Then for the other half of the performance Joe started reaching in for the old tune bag and played some Flying in a Blue dream, once he was done he explained how he approached the writing of the melody and the solo and demonstrated how he achieved the feedback in the intro. then he did Always with me Always with you and wrapped it up with Satch Boogie! Then Q&A came and that was "LAME" people asked some really stupid questions like how he dialed the delay pedal, and if he was going to sell a distortion pedal and for how much and yet another guy asked for a lefty chromeboy?!? :roll: I know we're all fans but c'mon people let's ask smarter questions than that! buying Satriani's pedal or dialing your BOSS DD3 like him won't make you sound like him but whatever!! The only half decent question came from a guy who asked if there could be a G3 with Uli Jon Roth in the states to which he said "It's funny we were recently looking for his phone number" so we'll see what becomes of that. Joe also mentioned that doing the European G3 with Uli and Michael Schenker was really cool but insinuated that Michael was not all that fun to be around. Finally they started lining people up to get our stuff autographed! I just could not believe it! I know Joe is super cool but this was unfathomable!!! picture yourself signing autographs and taking pics with over 600 people!

That was REALLY BIG OF HIM and actually thought I'd never get my turn but he stayed there and made sure "EVERYONE" was taken care of!!!
I really have a lot of respect for how much he cares about us the fans and he definitely took the time to show it! Joe is definitely "COOL#9"

Some pics:

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#29 ·
When I met Iron Mike Portnoy at Daddys a while back, there was an insane amount of people (i mean it was across from BERKLEE, what can ya expect), but he signed stuff for each person. I was there for the whole thing and I got the most talk time, because Mike told me this whole story about the poster I brought to sign and how rare it was. Mike rules. :). Similar thing happened when i met Porcupine Tree and Blackfield on two separate occasions, I was the only person to get a picture...for some reason everyone else who asked got told no.

I admit im disappointed with the new Satriani album though. I feel like the torch has long since passed to Andy Timmons and co.
 
#30 ·
I went to the Plymouth Meeting session. It was an unbelievable experience. I did stand in the cold for almost 5 hours, but well worth it because this netted me a front row seat and I was one of the first (4th!) person to have my item signed and get a picture with him. So I was out of there by 7:30pm -- good deal. I took 1/2 day off from work, but small price to pay.

his performance was simply out of this world. He played (and explained his inspiration and technical ideas for) Musterion, Overdriver, DiddlyDoDat, FIABD, AWMAWY and Satch Boogie. Great songs -- he's the master.

Meeting him (my first time) was surreal because he truly appears gracious and humble to meet the people who idolize him.

Get there early, I highly recommend for a superb experience.
 
#31 ·
I talked to a guy who went to the show in Philly not too long ago and he said that Joe did 7-8 songs off the new album and he then answered questions for 20min. After that (here's the kicker) he was able to sign one (1) autograph per person because it was too late. Now, its once in a blue moon i get to see this guy and id be kinda ticked if i waiting in line for a few hours to be close to the front and the rock-star wannabe GC people say "one autograph per person" just so they can go home. Pics were allowed too of course.

I know, i know. Im probably overreacting and could sneak in one or maybe two more things for him to sign. Its just the mindset that those guys told everyone in Philly only one thing ya know?

On the first page, i said that i called GC. When the woman answered i got one of those...."Joe.....Joe Satri.....who?". :( I........nvm.
 
#32 ·
Evidently it's going to vary per venue, but they were allowing guitar + 1 other if you brought a guitar to be signed. Of course, Joe will always be Joe, if you stick something in front of him he'll sign as many things as you want. Just remember there will be a few hundred people trying to do the same thing so respect his time and those of others.
 
#34 ·
Yeah our experience was pretty much the same as Olie's. Me and my son went to the Rockville, MD event on Friday. We got there around 4pm and were about maybe 100+ people back from the front of line.

When we got inside we had to stand up in the back. I could barely see and my son couldn't see at all. The line for the signing went pretty quick though, and Joe was really cool. My son got his guitar signed, and I got my original SWTA cd sleeze signed. I going to make a display with that and the pic we got.

Overall it was cool experience and even cooler that he gives his fans an opportunity like this.:grin: