STEVE VAI and JOE SATRIANI JAM | CHICAGO NAMM 1987

This has been sitting in my cupboard on a VHS tape for the last 30 years. It was always one of my favourite bits of video and on watching it again I can see why. Steve Vai is on fire! Possibly the most inspired I've ever seen him. That solo at 14:20 and 12:00!! WTF! The descending lick at 14:53 is possibly my favourite ever Vai moment. I watched this so many times when I was a kid.
I've been hoping that somebody else would post a good quality version to KZbin, but it never happened. Maybe this will inspire whoever owns a better version of it to share it. I only just realised it was from the Chicago NAMM show.
I also have the Racer X, Vinnie Moore and full Joe Satriani set. All great but this one really blows my mind.

[@michaelbean5312]

This was actually the first time Joe, Stu, & Jonathan played together . It was for an Ibanez showcase at a NAMM show. Vai was there to debut his Jem 777 guitar. The trio ended up taking it on tour and the rest is history.

[@FeelingShred]

so did Jonathan Mover record all the drum parts for albums up to The Extremist? was he on Time Machine discs 1 and 2 too? and was Jonathan playing drums for all the concerts too during that period? did Jeff Campitelli record any drum parts from that period before 1993?

[@raymondlugo9960]

Mover didn't record until Flying in a Blue Dream. Yes, after Surfing came out is when Mover got the drum gig. Joe had to tour to support the Surfing album.

[@tedcabana]

Joe-Vai! Hands down, the greatest guitar duo if the 20th/21st century! Two virtuoso guitar-bros making the best sense of modern day guitar music.

[@diegoignacio4923]

Vai is pure fire in here :O Please upload more of these!! I would love to see Vinnie Moore too!!

[@chocolatecookie8571]

Ninja Steve Vai

[@eddienotvanhalen]

I was there! Thank you for sharing this!!

[@paulhindmarshmusic]

Oh I'm so jealous!

[@michaelbean5312]

Me too.

[@gilbertocruz1683]

When I saw Vai plugging into that tiny Marshall I remembered Stuart Hamm in the 90's telling us the story about how nobody wanted to lend their amp to Vai at music school when they were young because Vai had the bad reputation of blowing every speakers up so loud he would always play 🤣🤣🤣

[@raw5150]

Never heard and seen this before. It is a piece of rock history. Thank you for sharing!🔥🙏

[@alholds]

I was there. My Dad worked for Ibanez

[@lucianmunteanu8751]

Profesor and student...Amazing

[@marvinthemartian6788]

This might have been the namm show where the jem was first revealed to the world. It looks like joe is playing his first js1 guitar. The one he named black dog, which he ended up drawing all over. This jam is a gem in of itself

[@FeelingShred]

according to an interview with Joe this concert happened only six days after going to the meeting on Ibanez factory, so I guess there was no time for the guitar to be manufactured and delivered just yet... unless they already had some prototype to him... I would guess it's probably the one he calls "Boogey Body Strat" that he assembled from parts and recorded the entirety of Surfing With The Alien with it

[@marvinthemartian6788]

It’s hard to tell if maybe the guitar had a Steve vai monkey grip, meaning it’s a jem. The first guitar he was given by Ibanez was black dog. It was a 540radius body with a roadstar neck. The single coil neck cavity was widen to humbucker size and the middle coil was removed and filled in with wood. It could be the black dog. Soon after he started drawing all over it. Either way, this concert is interesting as joe seems hesitant to “ step on vais toes”. The friendship between these two is awesome

[@omaramador4669]

WOW‼️‼️😮 😮……….this jam mean a lot. I bet that many people at that time didn’t put so much attention to this jam. This is an example of how many guitars 🎸 players were roaming around the world at that time ( 1987) from old bands to new bands. From blues- jazz to Metal, Heavy Metal-Trash Metal- Dark Metal the 80’s was the best decade. After all this years (45) listening rock music is difficult for me to say or analyze who was better than the others because the chase was on. All of them were/ are competing to be the best and I have to say thank you to all. Some of them died/ Ill in their careers, some of them didn’t were so lucky with the Media, some of them didn’t catch the attention of the audience. In one way or in another they put flavors in the life of many fans around the world through the years. All of them performed and still rocking. This is epic Thank you so much for sharing this with me

[@Ibaneddie76]

Very echo-e these guys have matured as musicians immeasurably since this was recorded! Badass video!

[@satchimoogle]

This is bloody amazing!! Thanks for sharing

[@festero31]

thanks for this upload my friend!!! this is a inedit footage for me and I love Vai and Satch! magic era!! hugs, you´re great!

[@QuikdethDeviantart]

I love the intro where the wireless starts picking up radio… 😂

[@rlawrence71]

Spinal Tap moment

[@NeilTurnbull007]

This is such a bit of magic , just wish I could have seen this years ago . Thanks for sharing !!

[@Satchafunkilus18]

Great video of course. It would be great to listen Joe's full set and all the other videos you mentioned you have, so please upload them when you find time :)

[@rogsolaris7411]

Back in the day so to speak. You just don't see this kind of talent these days, this kind of vibe, unless I'm missing someone? This is really nice to hear. It's cool because the bassist is jamming to the drummer, and Steve and Joe are playing off each other.

[@joshuajkoplin]

There’s a lot of really great new guitar players out there these days. I’d say there’s more to access since the invention of social media. Not sure if you only like shred guitar but check out a guy named Chris Buck. He’s not really a shredder like Vai or Satch but he’s an amazing player that has developed his own voice on the guitar.

[@RabihSaadguitars]

Unreal footage mate...Thank you for uploading...

[@FeelingShred]

so this was the 1st-ever gig of the Satch-Stu-Mover lineup, six days after Joe meeting Jonathan Mover for the first time and giving him a (pre-release) tape of Surfing With The Alien for Jonathan to learn the drum parts

[@Kidgloves1984]

It is so awesome that Vai learned the basics from Joe and they've been close friends since their early teens.

[@satchrules101]

This is gold.

[@Rootwitch06]

I remember when pictures from this jam were published in one of the guitar magazines back in 87... I was 17, and took a printing class in high school. I can't remember how it was done (pre Photoshop) but I got one of the pics of Steve hovering over Joe, both guys jamming, and I was able to make all the outlined details of the guys (and their guitars) white, and I printed it on a black t-shirt with the caption "It must be something in the water". It was my favorite shirt, and I often stared at that photo wondering what that show sounded like... at 54, it's a bit obnoxious to the ear - Two guys throwing the kitchen sink at each other, in unison... but my 17 year old self probably would have loved it... LOL. Thanks for finally giving sound to the images I fawned over for 36 years.

[@LeeWrathe]

Paul!!! Set this video loose on the public! It’s set to unlisted at the moment and is too good not to share 🙌🏼

[@paulhindmarshmusic]

It’s insane isn’t it. I was going to message you when I first did it.

[@chocolatecookie8571]

Wow, so cool this upload. With YT there is a whole new world we didnt had in the past.

[@scirasco1]

This jam is kinda the precurser of the riddle of passion and warfare too bad they never recorded a album together

[@Peter_Joshua]

How about now, mate? 😜

[@JonHernandezOficial]

If you wish it, you have it 😂

[@thegame787]

I was 6 yrs old when this was happening.. im 41 now 😮 that's how much experience they have .

[@andyracksthecams]

Killed the combo by looking at it...🤣. I think it just shat itself. Great Video. Thank you.

[@GabiLotcu]

Thank's so much! I hope that you have time to upload the others videos

[@gbarrancos1]

Wow, did not know that by 1987 there was already a proto version of"The Riddle". Probably this is the only live performance of it featuring Stuart Hamm on Bass, who played at the final recording as well

[@Rootwitch06]

They'd been playing it for many years before this. I had a bootleg of Steve with Stu called "An Evening Of Indulgent Guitar Music" from '84 that had The Riddle on it, well before P&W. kzbin.info/www/bejne/n3K8Yn55g5d7g8k

[@david-alexandreleduc8731]

Great stuff!! thanks. Happy to see the other videos from 1987 (great youtube chain BTW; congrats!)

[@riverrat55]

Thanks for the old clip of this awesome jam fest , when the teachers jams with his student, Love Joe & Steve playing together have a nice collection of them playing together over the many years on my channel , great sound by two guitar masters, and Stu and his bass playing is amazing the 3 together are mezmerising , Thanks for this video

[@fcho3001]

고마워요 귀한 영상 ❤

[@edelcorrallira]

Ladies and gentlemen Joe Vai and Steve Satriani:P Seriously what a gem, they're both experimenting. They have a very different sound, though they're already masters. Thank you for posting!

[@JamesEvans-uh7nu]

It’s jem not gem 😂

[@edelcorrallira]

@@JamesEvans-uh7nu hehe the typo gremlin strikes again ... I could edit but I like the comment so ... The typo stays :)

[@misaelalejandrohenriquezhe339]

Esto es una joya!!!

[@MichMaison]

Thank you so much for this share. Incredible ! Steve was playing on a small Marshall combo amp !

[@christiancortes9118]

Masteeeer Steve and Satriani💪💪👌👌👌

[@robertorenner8245]

Please post Vinnie Moore ‘s and Satriani full concert. Thanks for sharing.

[@LOZi175]

Budweiser sponsoring this performance 😂 “This Bud’s for you!”

[@rayerscarpensael2300]

This is when the EVH era ended. I remember it very vividly.

[@robertdefex3439]

U make no sense these guys r unknown

[@Revelator2025]

@@robertdefex3439’86 was Eat ‘em and Smile…Vai was pretty well known by ‘87 NAMM

[@MackDaddyVic]

When the audio quality was way better than the video quality. Priorities lol

[@fachriP]

They skill actually never increase. Just creativity and the fans

[@leddygee1896]

Pure Gold!!😊

[@renetvedtpedersen5048]

Sound comes first and picture second = VHS

[@Jim-zt1hl]

I was there!!! Wow first time see this year's later!

[@paulhindmarshmusic]

Jealous !

[@Jim-zt1hl]

@paulhindmarshmusic Yeah it was real cool, many celebrities and rock stars in the audience all around me. Steve Vai in my opinion blew the other guys off the stage that night!

[@alholds]

I was there also

[@Jim-zt1hl]

@Mike Wilson Real Cool!!! I remember , Neal Schon was trying to get a Budweiser chick I was dealing on...the guys from Slaghter were around me , Vinnie Vincent, Racer X...it was real cool

[@alholds]

@@Jim-zt1hl wow! My dad worked for Ibanez and got to go as a kid. I think it was vinnie Moore that opened the show

[@parkerflyz]

Sounds like "The Riddle", "Lords of Karma"... and more

[@thiagocorrea2028]

Amazing..amazing ..amazing🤪🤪🤪🤪🙉🙉🙉🙉🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘

[@davidkopec9442]

Vai had a Spinal Tap Air force base moment going for a minute.

[@lifelongfan07]

Steve Vai is ON FIRE! playing on a noisy ass Marshall! The Alien kept up though! This was the show of the photo I saw in guitar magazine! HELL YEAH!

[@paulsusi6929]

Can you post the Vinnie Moore please? Also Racer X if you have that too. Thank you for the upload, this is great.

[@r.g.armstrong2688]

I was there and who impressed me the most was Vito Bratta. George Lynch, also.

[@luca848stars]

proto- the riddle!!!!!

[@django-unchained]

The Bass player looks like he ran straight from office to make it in time for the gig.

[@OlemirCandido]

Factor Bass🤩

[@josegregorioalvarez1433]

GUUUU. AAAAAA. OOOOOOO. WE. SALUTE. SALUDOS. DE. GREGO. desde. TENERIFE. (. CANARY. ISLAND. ).

[@lifelongfan07]

Geez, they did a song from Passion and Warfare, (can’t remember the tune) Seems like Joe was well versed because he complimented perfectly!

[@SKARKIBANEZ]

G2 from back then :P

[@HFamilyDad]

Bless Joe with his hair

[@tymanngruter1808]

The time that Steve was a 24 youngster and Joe had a hair piece...... magic! 🪨

[@Rootwitch06]

Steve was 27 here, and Joe never wore a hairpiece - Like most bald men, he used to have hair.

[@tymanngruter1808]

@@Rootwitch06 its all about fun! Hair piece...... 🤔🤪😀

[@Sebster85]

Damn, Vai was really feeling himself. lol

[@MyExRebirth]

Damn! I was barely 3 years old at that time! I must build a time machine and go ba

[@gearhead762]

I didnt think the Floral Jem was even out in 87 but this does look like the one off for Steve with the pyramid inlays vs the normal tree of life on production models. The Jem he was showing off at the shows debut for the Jem series was pink.

[@superdave7241]

Something tells me those guys got a future... Wonder whatever happened to those two 🤔

[@iAussieGuy]

This was neat seeing young Joe and Steve, they were already at their peak here and they weren't much older than 35 I think?

[@lgb1974]

Vai would have been 27, Satriani 31. Google is your friend

[@iAussieGuy]

@@lgb1974 Thanks for that info, kinda helps knowing where they were at in their career's at that time in regard to their playing. And yeah, google is pretty cool

[@lgb1974]

@@iAussieGuy It’s always depressing when you watch something like that and realise how young they were. If you haven’t watched it already, try and find Expo 92 Seville on here. I watched it live… Vai, Satriani and others. Amazing concert

[@iAussieGuy]

@@lgb1974 I've seen it online it was an awesome show, Satriani and Vai together are just so good, like bread and butter. Lucky you got to see it live! 😲

[@karenalexanderful]

❤

[@bradking1536]

Thank you for sharing hope you are well God loves you deeply shalom 🤗🐼♥️✝️💐 Philippians 4:8

[@fernandes5986]

Vai is amazing, nobody has his stage presence.

[@jerryporter1700]

But the sound quality is decent...not bad all..thanks for the upload

[@FeelingShred]

14:09 is this the Boogey Body Strat black guitar that Joe mentions assemblying from parts that he still keeps to this day and is even used on album recordings? that's a fairly nice clean tone right there

[@yopiandri4241]

Real harmonis mr joe n stev👍

[@paulr.4968]

I like to play the guitar.

[@jdb123ize]

Steve Vai: I’m the best John Petrucci: yes

[@Cyberflips]

Is this Stu Hamm on the Bass?

[@Cyberflips]

@Shawn Thorpe Yeah, he is such a good Musician/Bass-Man

[@BenMcrea61]

It is Stu Hamm

[@pasyensyatv9092]

was this recorded first before joe played at the limelight club in new york 1987? because he jammed with Stu playing the same bass line

[@FeelingShred]

I was reading the interview and Joe mentions the Limelight being in Chicago 1987... unless he mixed the words... according to interview this NAMM concert happened only six days after meeting Jonathan Mover for the 1st time ever and handing him a pre-release tape of Surfing for him to learn the drum parts

[@carlosportalatin8020]

I just noticed, Joe is playing a RG model?

[@myworms]

At this point, Joe had just recently visited the Ibanez factory to discuss a possible signature model, so this is almost certainly a stock RG.

[@michaelbean5312]

This is the one that eventually had the silver Sharpie pen scribbles, doodles, & designs all over it. They did one of Jonathan's black snare drums just like it.

[@grantsutherland7640]

@@myworms no.this I believe was a 540r(?) Which was part of the 1986-1987 pro line series.....r standing for radius which body shape basically became the satch model in later years....then you had the 540s (sabre),540 p(power which satch is playing in always with me...video..i think.may be wrong on the video) ,540 pII which I think was an alex skolnick model....also the 540s was the basis for Frank gamble model fgm 300 /fgm 100

[@grantsutherland7640]

Edit: gambale

[@FeelingShred]

wasn't it his Boogey Body Strat he assembled from parts, colored black? could be an ibanez yeah, since according to the story this happened 6 days after visiting Ibanez factory

[@JayTheLane]

Think Malmsteen is in the building, I can hear the hiss from his hair.

[@theouterplanet]

seems like Joe shredded more back then

[@SwedenWitchcraft]

Does anyone think that sounds beautiful?

[@gq_79]

What’s the name of the second song?

[@mrBDeye]

Steve is obviously an attention hog. Joe and Stu were both nice enough to pull it altogether with very cool rhythm and backing.

[@SharpEdgeStandardOfficial]

Vai with a Jem77fp prototype?

[@derekboik4322]

Must be... with Pyramid inlays instead of the vine. I always preferred the Pyramids, especially on a Rosewood fretboard.

[@swimsuit4688]

Stu ham

[@berndjungmann5600]

Kakophonia , can't hear any music ,only noise 🤷

[@matthewotremba9230]

Make it stop

[@satchimoogle]

G4 jam

[@jerrypeal653]

Gucan flat play but this is noise .

[@crutcrutcrut]

Slash was still the best guitarist

[@mrfakovmrfako5245]

Slayer in that years sounds much more interesting. This is something boring

[@nvader88]

Noise.

[@berndjungmann5600]

Terrible Sound ,endless noodling, Feedback , controlled or accidental,,constant hum from Lack of earthed Marshall Amps 🤪and they have the best Sound Crew working for them ? Shredding at all costs IS No music ..high gain..more gain ,more delay, more compression..Jeff Beck and His Team would kill all of them for breakfast 🤨

[@Revelator2025]

Then move on happy guy 😊

[@RealmoftheBlackShadow]

All I hear is indistinguishable noise.

[@bfields1448]

Exactly

[@Dwoed]

2 Wannabees;-)

[@ecostatic5739]

Compared with music, this was rubbish! Unless the audience was on something, in which case they might have loved it! 😱

[@MrUmandMrEr]

Jesus. I love both these guys but that was awful music. Come back Nirvana!

[@mufozomby7637]

that baas guys gotta go lol