Rating: 
Summary: Intolerable Camera
Review: The camara work in this is so bad that "watching" the performance is pointless; you may as well turn off your T.V. and just listen. No shot is held for more than 10 seconds (if you're lucky), and worst of all the camera does not stay on the other soloists.Want to see Tony do some magic on the keyboards? Forget it. You'll be listening to him in the background while we watch Vai change his costume. This is not a joke. Avoid this DVD until Steve can learn from his mistake and get some camera workers with a shred of brain. The music is great. The DVD is a travesty.
Rating:
Summary: I HATE IT
Review: I really anticipated for this DVD. And then 5 minutes into the dvd, I lost interest. The camera work was so distracting that I had a really difficult time to enjoy the concert. It really pissed me off to see the camera work done so poorly. I'm not talking about poor camera work here and there, but it's the whole dvd!!! not bad, but i mean terrible!!! it literally takes your attention from the concert! it's almost as if someone is doing it to anoy you. The constant shifting, zooming too close, circling, up side down shots, side way shots...etc. all of that just kills the mood. why is the camera guy in front ALWAYS shaking???? was someone tickling him? How the hell do you do camera work to the beat of the song for every song!!???? are you out of your mind??? How could the producer of the effects let this pass? Another thing that I did not like is the music itself. There's no good song. I never once felt like "wow this song really touch me, i'm gonna listen to it over and over and over again." Instead i was saying to myself "will he skip this electronic 'new age' crap already and play a song with some good rythm and melody?" A lot of the beats for the songs were just so weak and strange that it's just not right. I found myself laying on my chair, bored!! I looked away a few times because of the dizzying camera crap. however, i'm impress by steve's guitar work. duh! who woulnd't be??? that's the only thing i like. He doesn't have any good song, maybe the only good song was "for the love of god." it had a good beat, a beginning and an end, good lead, and most important melody that touches you! etc. the rest was just a mesh of weird ideas that din't really speak to me. Just noises that were meshed together. i also bought the anthology along with this dvd. so far it sounds relaly good.
Rating: 
Summary: Great show contaminated with annoying video effects.
Review: Well, I don't want to bash a product that actually showcases the best of one of the most attractive and colorful personalities in the music industry today. Quirky, wacky, freaky, whatever... Steve Vai is a musician that irradiates so much energy, brainpower, passion and fun that you finally jump with him into his magical world, even if this world is presented through a not-so-good item, such as this DVD itself. What really surprises me is that Vai is a perfectionist, a guy that respects his work over everything else in the world. And shamefully this DVD is far from being perfect. But let's start by talking about the good things on it: First of all, the tracklist couldn't be better. Nothing essential was left out. From the opening "Shy Boy" (with those amazing tapping duettos with Billy Sheehan!) to the closing "The Attitude Song" (with everybody jamming around like a bunch of crazy witches), almost all what you expect to be there, is there: "Giant Balls of Gold", "Bad Horsie", "Whispering a Prayer", "Jibboon", "For the love of God"... and much much much more! I'm no less than EXTREMELY happy with the tracklist, really -well, don't tell me that you wanted to listen to "Fire Garden Suite". Of course that one is NOT there :-). Secondly, the performers are more than amazing. Their live playing is close to perfection without scarifying a dime in attitude. How good they are was captured and proudly packaged into this DVD. Not only Steve Vai himself shines, but also Virgil Donati (what a drum solo! -what a DRUMMER!), Tony MacAlpine (guys, I've never understood why he never got the fame he deserves so well!), Billy Sheehan (the perfect skillful bass player to match Vai on stage) and Dave Weiner (the low-profile dwarf that does everything well and plays the guitar like a god); them all really excel! Now, the bad things: the synchronization between the video and the music sometimes is lost, and the sound is a tad thin in my opinion; but the worst of everything are those annoying video transitions (so cheap and cheesy!) and those absurd camera moves -which almost ruin the entire production and won't let you see what you really want to see more than once! In few words, this release contains a lot of good tracks and I still consider it a gem in my collection, but it could have been far better. I just hope that the G3 DVD, produced (I hope) by Sony, will be top-quality and won't leave any bitter taste in my mouth -like "Live at the Astoria London" did, though slightly. So, music and performance: five stars. Image and sound: four stars. Video editing and production: better not say. :-)
Rating:
Summary: Waste of talent
Review: No doubt, Vai is blessed with ability. Mind blowing speed and tricks out the wazoo. But that doesn't equal music. These songs SUCK. He's a forty something playing and acting like a teenager..I felt embarressed for him and the boys most of the time...
Go buy some Robert Fripp dvd's or Stevie Ray...they're better for your teeth...
Rating: 
Summary: I have just finished squirming in my chair !
Review: I thought I would review the DVD in terms of "watchability" rather than the music. Clearly, I would not be watching the DVD unless I was a huge Steve Vai fan, and the music is uniformly superb. However, that said, I really feel that Steve is in danger of alienating the older audience with his, there is no other word for it, childish antics. Stupid sexual parodies, ridiculous costume changes ( who are you really,? Britney ? ), laughable face pulling, whirling around like an idiot, and general embarrassing behaviour. Old f..t, I hear you say !! Well possibly, but at 50 I have rarely felt so embarrassed for one of my "heros" and I actual squirm in my seat watching this DVD. Dave Weiner, Billy Sheehan and Tony MacAlpine don't "need" to do it ... why, oh why, does Steve ? Don't you appreciate that a large portion of your audience has been around the rock scene for years, grown up (ha!) with you, and recognise you as a phenomenal player? YOU DON'T NEED TO SHOWBOAT through every song ... you don't need to embarrass us with your attempts at moon walking, or daft stories about "I could have been a pop star"!! I was quite prepared, from the reviews, NOT to like this DVD for the amateur camera work.. Believe me, it is fine, and is not the reason this DVD is difficult to watch. When I saw Steve last, I was pretty near the front, but I don't remember him making me squirm in the same way this DVD does. Was he trying too hard to "entertain"? .. Well Steve, I love you for your brilliance, but take a leaf out of Joe and Steve M's book, and play for us ... that is TRULY more than we can wish for ... and leave the posing and pouting to the 90% of talentless "pop stars" that you say you could have been. You are NOT, thank goodness. Please look at this DVD and put it down as a learning experience. I will listen to it full blast, but that is about all !
Rating:
Summary: STEVE VAI'S BEST AND NO WORST
Review: STEVE VAI LIVE AT THE ASTORIA is a best of Steve Vai on DVD. Yes, it's production values aren't amazing, but if you want cinematography and direction I advise you rent American Beauty, the Godfather or see Lost in Translation. This is a concert video and it should be all about the music. Vai is a creative virtuoso guitarist and all of his best music from the last 2 decades are on this DVD. Included are SHYBOY, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, BLUE POWDER, WHISPERING A PRAYER and many more. Vai has released some discs that I am not a fan of but none of those tunes are on here. There are also a couple of Jimi Hendrix covers. There isn't a Vai favorite missing and no bad songs from his catalog.
Joining Steve for this concert are Dave Weiner on guitar, Virgil Donati on Drums, Tony Macalpine replaces Mike Keneally on Guitar/keyboards and does a commendable job, and rounding out the band is the amazing Billy Sheehan on bass.(The greatest bassist in the rock genre) Each musician is given an opportunity to show his stuff through a solo piece or exchanging fours with Vai. There are even moments of triple unison lines and the use of 3 guitarists recreates multitrack studio songs live without anything missing. This band is one of the greatest collections of talents in a rock band that I've ever seen. Vai has some unreal interplay with Sheehan and it seems as if he never stopped playing with Billy since David Lee Roth. Steve also has some moments of pure insanity with Macalpine and throughout the show Vai displays why he is the inheritor of the Jimi Hendrix/Stevie Ray Vaughn 'school of cool moves' throne. As one of my friends said, 'It is like watching a magic act.'
If you are a Steve Vai fan then you should run out and get this NOW. If you're a guitarist that likes virtuosos and don't own any Vai yet; then this might be the only Vai release that you need.One of the best concert DVD's because the song selection is great. Vai's seemingly unlimited talents are finally brought out in full force.
Rating: 
Summary: Steve Vai being Steve Vai
Review: Let me start by saying this, if you don't like Steve don't buy it. It appears many aren't smart enought to get that. Having said that, this video is perfect for true fans. You have a true master of his instrument surrounded with what may be the best backup band (if you can call them that) ever. This video I think goes a long way towards putting Vai in a very elite group of players all time (Hendrix, Vaughan, Satch, Malmsteen, etc.) He is a showman. I have Satch's live at San Fran and it has many great songs (I believe Satch may have better melodies in his music) but Vai adds a level of entertainment that rivals Stevie Ray at the El Macambo or any Jimi videos. I was relieved to determine he wasn't playing Shy Boy blindfolded thougth. I almost gave up the intrument when I thought he could do that without looking at all.
Rating:
Summary: Trying too hard.
Review: Wow! Here comes steve vai! Look at him! Whatever. Steve, undeniably is a guitar virtuoso. He can really play his guitar. But apart from having all those gifted skills, he doesnt seem to ever come out with very good music. He has a bag of licks and tricks which he proudly shows off on his albums and live footage. But a pleasant melody and hummable tune is rarely present. This DVD definitely shows that aspect of his talent. Steve is more skill driven. He tries to incorporate ideas and visions into a world of heavy effects, electronics and highly fancy guitars. And then he slides in his emotional philosophy which ends making his albums look thoughtful and creative, but he simply cannot transfer his vision to us through music. Sorry Steve.
Rating:
Summary: COULD BE BETTER...
Review: I've been listening to vai for 14 years.I guess no one can judge his talent.He has written songs that can blow your head.So There is nothing to say about him and his music. Well,about The DVD,there is too much to mention. 1.the 5.1 mixing of the DVD is a diseaster,first I thought that there was something wrong with my amplifier settings.You can barely hear vai's guitar at low volumes.You should choose the 2 Channel option and spread the sound to all 5 speakers manually. 2.The effects just spoil your mood. 3.The song list is not so well chosen.Most of the songs are covers from jimi and billy,only a few steve vai's originals. 4.Virgil Donati's drum solo is astonishing.At the end he just sends a message to portnoy saying "Wanna battle?" shortly; The DVD is O.K. but not so superb like satriani's Live in san francisco.
Rating:
Summary: Passion, Warfare, it's VAI at it's Best!
Review: this is a must-have for vai's fans...it really blew me away. In my opinion it's the best guitarist's video work at the moment!
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