Guitar titan Steve Vai has announced an extensive North American tour in celebration of the 25th anniversary of his breakthrough second album, Passion and Warfare. Vai, who is currently wrapping up a series of European dates, will launch the U.S. leg of the tour October 8 at the Fox Performing Arts Center in Riverside, California, followed by other West Coast dates and performances in the Midwest, on the East Coast and in Canada. See the full tour itinerary below.
Technically, the tour actually marks the 26th anniversary of the all-instrumental Passion and Warfare, which was released in mid-1990 on the Relativity label. The album ultimately peaked at #18 in Billboard, establishing Vai as one of the reigning guitar gods of the era. Throughout the tour, Vai will perform the Passion and Warfare album in its entirety for the first time, as well as “some very special surprises,” according to the guitarist’s announcement. The 20 newly announced concerts represent the first half of the tour; the remaining shows will be announced soon.
Related: Listen to the full Passion and Warfare album here
Sony Music Entertainment and Legacy Recordings recently released Vai’s Modern Primitive/Passion and Warfare 25th Anniversary Edition. Modern Primitive includes previously unreleased material either recorded or written after Vai’s solo debut Flex-Able and prior to the writing and recording of the music on Passion and Warfare. Four bonus tracks are featured on the 25th anniversary version of Passion and Warfare.
“The enjoyment that the band is having and the audience response to the shows we are playing in Europe has taken us a bit by surprise,” Vai said in his announcement. “The collective support for the PAW 25th, Modern Primitive and this show is humbling. There is deep appreciation from us in having the opportunity to honor this record with this tour and we are smiling every moment of it.”
Corresponding with the album release and tour, TrueFire has launched Steve Vai’s Alien Guitar Secrets: Passion & Warfare, an interactive video masterclass in which Vai shares methods “to help guitarists unlock their own personal musical identities.” The video class also includes select playing examples for each of the songs on the album.
Vai will host his third Vai Academy guitar camp—Vai Academy 3.0 “Passion and Technique”—at the Asilomar Center in Carmel, California, Jan. 2-6, 2017, with special guests Al Di Meola, Zakk Wylde, Carlos Alomar and others.
Watch Vai perform “Sisters” from Passion and Warfare at a recent soundcheck in London…
Steve Vai Passion and Warfare 25th Anniversary North American Tour (Tickets are available here.)
October 8 – Riverside, CA – Fox Performing Arts Center
October 9 – Las Vegas, NV – House of Blues – Las Vegas
October 11 – San Diego, CA – House of Blues – San Diego
October 12 – Ventura, CA – Majestic Ventura Theatre
October 13 – San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore
October 14 – Sacramento, CA – Ace of Spades
October 16 – Portland, OR – Revolution Hall
October 17 – Nanaimo, BC – The Port Theater
October 18 – Kelowna, BC – Kelowna Community Theatre
October 19 – Calgary, AB – Jack Singer Concert Hall
October 21 – Saskatoon, SK – O’Brian’s Event Centre
October 22 – Winnipeg, MB – Burton Cummings Theatre
October 23 – Burnsville, MN – The Ames Center at Burnsville Performing Arts Center
October 25 – Northfield, OH – Hard Rock Live
October 26 – Milwaukee, WI – The Pabst Theater
October 28 – Grand Rapids, MI – The Orbit Room
October 29 – North Tonawanda, NY – Riviera Theater
October 30 – Kitchener, ON – Centre in the Square
November 1 – London, ON – London Music Hall
November 2 – Ottawa, ON – Algonquin Commons Theatre
Additional North American tour dates to be announced soon
