Although current pop music is mainly synth-driven, guitar virtuosity remains in high demand. There are now multiple package tours featuring guitar wizards displaying their instrumental prowess, and the latest is Generation Axe, uniting the talents of Steve Vai, Zakk Wylde, Yngwie Malmsteen, Nuno Bettencourt and Tosin Abasi. All five players are major figures in hard rock and heavy metal, both as members of iconic groups and as solo artists.
Vai, the mastermind behind Generation Axe, is best known for his own instrumental albums, although he’s recorded with stars such as Frank Zappa, David Lee Roth and Mary J. Blige. Wylde has spent decades as the main guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne, and also fronts his own band Black Label Society. Swedish shredder Malmsteen is one of the biggest stars of ’80s hard rock, with his band Rising Force. Bettencourt is a member of pop-rock band Extreme, known for hits “More Than Words” and “Hole Hearted.” And Abasi is part of the instrumental prog-rock band Animals as Leaders, which is full of virtuosic players. For the Generation Axe shows, the five musicians perform solo and in various configurations, demonstrating the continuing power and appeal of guitar heroics.
Hard Rock Hotel, 8 p.m. Nov. 9, starting at $49.50 plus tax and fee. 888.929.7849 AXS
