Steve Vai is more than just a guitar player. During a time in the ’80s and ’90s when guitarists like Vai, Joe Satriani and Yngwie Malmsteen could score hit records without relying on lyrics or vocals, Vai was as big a rock star as any of his peers who played alongside famous singers. His biggest-selling album, 1990’s Passion and Warfare, charted in eight countries and sold half a million copies in the U.S. Vai’s flashy, virtuosic style fit perfectly with the flamboyant hard rock of the ’80s, and his stellar musicianship has helped him maintain a dedicated fan base as popular tastes have changed.
Vai’s current tour celebrates the 25th anniversary of Passion and Warfare, with Vai playing the entire album every night, along with material from Modern Primitive, a collection originally recorded prior to Passion and Warfare. “The music on Modern Primitive was written and recorded with virtually no expectations for its future,” Vai said when announcing the tour. “As a result, there was an opening up to a powerful and personal creativity that allowed me to find the most stimulating music I could conjure.”
House of Blues at Mandalay Bay, 7 p.m. Oct. 9, starting at $35 plus tax and fee. 800.745.3000 Ticketmaster
