Yngwie Malmsteen @ The Arena,14/11/2006

Thu 23rd Nov, 2006 in Gig Reviews

Yngwie Malmsteen is arguably the most technically accomplished hard rock guitarist to emerge during the ‘80s. Combining a dazzling technique honed over years of obsessive practice with a love for the mighty Deep Purple and classical composers such as Bach and Beethoven. Wearing boots, pirate shirt and big, big hair, he looks like he’s stepped through a time warp, you could picture him as a 17th century buccaneer, sword fighting with his guitar, a ‘68 fender white  Stratocaster classic. Malmsteen is one of rock’s premiere virtuoso guitarists; (along with Steve Vai, Joe Satriani and a handful of others).

He is dynamic on stage, playing lead break after lead break; driving riffs and blazing solos dominate the show. He pulls as many distortions with his face as he does with his guitar, and has an army of roadies supplying rows of plectrums, that he seemed to go through at an alarming rate, throwing approx forty into the audience in an hour; it was raining plectrums, he was grinding them down that fast. Age and numerous hand injuries have not slowed his playing.

His backing band is truly international with a Scottish lead singer, Argentinean bass player, Swedish drummer, (Patrick Johansson) and brilliant keyboardist (Dream Theatre’s Derek Sherinian). Malmsteen generally chooses unknown but very talented vocalists, (Jeff Scott Soto sang with his band in the past), current singer Doogie White (ex Rainbow frontman ) employs tremendous vocals to this performance, sounding like a cross between Van Halen and Iron Maiden, so much so that he was asked to audition for Iron Maiden when Dickinson left.

However, the vocals and lyrics, not to mention every other instrument backing up is secondary to Malmsteen’s guitar; in fact the band are tucked away in the left hand corner of the stage while Malmsteen with his wall of Marshall stacks you can hear from outer space (possibly while circling another moon), took up three quarters of the stage. None of this seems to matter though as long-time fans have always shown up with a need for lightning fast solos and sheer instrumental prowess.

It was a good energy despite the sticky carpet on the Arena floor, which was attempting to eat the audience one by one. Malmsteen really is a showman throwing the guitar around like a fire staff, and playing it like Hendrix, behind his neck, up in the air, even playing it with his tongue; he is so in tune with his instrument. Malmsteen played for over two hours including encore, starting off with the opening track of his latest CD Unleash The Fury, he played a diverse variety of songs including Crack Of The Whip and I Am The Viking. Though the show highlight would have to be the neo classical metal piece Opus – making the guitar sound like a harpsichord and the powerful Black Star.