Steve Vai & Metropole Orkest perform "The Aching Hunger"
Paradiso, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
May 24, 2004
By John "BoBo" Bollenberg
Composer: Steve Vai
Conductor: Dick Bakker
Organizer: Co de Kloet/NPS
Location: Paradiso, Amsterdam
Date: 24th May 2004
No doubt a lot of Steve Vai fans will be very disappointed to know that the "Aching Hunger" concerts, which he performed live with a 53-piece orchestra (at least that's how many musicians I counted), will never be performed again other than the one night in Groningen, Holland on May 22nd, and both dates at the well-known Paradiso in Amsterdam on May 23rd and 24th. I witnessed the show on the 24th, a day that also marked my birthday! With three kisses from Pia Vai, no doubt this day would definitely be one to remember. Add to that the wonderful warmth and friendliness of Steve Vai himself, and yours truly surely was in for a treat.
The interview (which will be published in Progression magazine) got postponed a little as the orchestra still had little bits and pieces they wanted to rehearse. However, it was OK for me to sit in during the rehearsals, which for a tiny part also included Steve. Vai then went to one of the vans outside, which were equipped to record the entire event. In fact, all three of the dates were recorded, to be released on CD a little later. Sadly no cameras were present so don't expect a DVD of this unique situation. No doubt an opportunity missed as Paradiso is a great location. However, due to the size of the orchestra, about 2/3 of the venue was now reserved to the orchestra, so in the end only 800 people could get in. Needless to say these shows were sold out in a flash!
At 8:30 p.m., Vai friend and supporter Co de Kloet took to the stage explaining to people what this evening was all about. He also told everyone present that Steve would be back next year for the second part, as Steve had written in excess of two hours of brand new material. In the end, "The Aching Hunger" comprises well-known Vai compositions but re-arranged for orchestra, whilst the concert took off with a good 45 minutes of pure genius without the help of Steve Vai. Then Steve did the first part of "Kill The Guy With The Ball" with the orchestra before he introduced a fifteen minute intermission. During the second part it was Vai as we like him best, doing extremely difficult things on his guitar, yet with the slightest of ease. 
Conductor Dick Backer's eyes almost popped out when he saw Steve play the guitar with his tongue! In fact, the Metropole Orkest is not a real classical orchestra. It's better to see this band as kind of a big band with strings. For the occasion, a real band, with extra guitar, bass, drums and keyboards, was injected within the orchestra, whilst no fewer than three percussionists added a lot of spice. Every single member of the orchestra looked like they were having a field day. But it was mainly Steve Vai who had the best days of his life, hearing the orchestra play what he heard in his head for so long now. A dream come true for everyone involved!
Here's what was played that night on May 24th :
1) HELIOS & VESTA (this was the 25 minutes plus part which also contained the outrageous violin solo next to a lot of percussion. This composition also contained some references towards other Vai compositions such as "Whispering A Prayer," "Incantation, " whilst also "Bangkok" got involved)
2) THEADOLITE
3) FRANGELICA
4) MEMORIES OF A SILENT ROSE
5) REFLECTIONS
6) KILL THE GUY WITH THE BALL - PART ONE (which is where Vai joined the orchestra for the first time)
15 min intermission
7) MURDER
8) BRANDOS COSTUMES
9) LOTUS FEET (this is a beautiful ballad that Steve wrote and orchestrated for the Sound Current concert in Syracuse. It has never been released.)
10) LIBERTY (this was one of the highlights for the many Vai addicts. It's a song from his Passion & Warfare album whilst the director fronted his orchestra with the words "heads up")
11) ANSWERS
12) BALLERINA 12/24 (here Steve had the privilege to watch and listen to the harp and piano from the comfort of his little chair on stage)
13) FOR THE LOVE OF GOD (surely his best known work had to be included in the set as well)
14) THE ATTITUDE SONG
Here the actual concert stopped, and as it was the last of the three performances, Vai had some presents to give away. 
His blue Ibanez was given to conductor Dick Bakker. His blue Jem was given to his friend Co de Kloet. A little jar of homemade Firegarden Honey was presented to the girl who delivered this insane violin solo. Meanwhile everyone had left the stage and Steve came back on for the only encore, but as he had given away the guitar that he needed, Vai improvised a little as an interim-conductor interacting with the orchestra. Finally Co brought the blue Jem back and the final chords of the evening resonated with:
15) KILL THE GUY WITH THE BALL - PART TWO
Steve Vai and the orchestra thanked the audience and left the stage. During the aftershow all of the musicians involved in this project met for a final drink together. All of them spoke highly of Steve both as a musician and as a person. Few of these musicians knew Vai before they embarked on this project, but the Metropole Orkest, who has also worked with Pat Metheny and Herbie Hancock to name but two, from now on for sure know who the hell Steve Vai is! As a farewell gift, they presented Vai with a book destined to give Steve a better insight into the life of the Dutch people. No doubt this will help him a great deal as indeed he promises to be back soon to deliver the second part of this great venture.
In September NPS radio will broadcast some, if not all, of these special concerts. So do visit www.omroep.nl/nps/4fm/ on a regular basis to know more (sorry the site is in Dutch only!) however I'm sure that also www.vai.com will undoubtedly inform you about this as well.
Steve Vai with John Bollenberg
(photo: © John Bollenberg)
[More pictures in the Gallery]
Discography
- Frank Zappa - Tinseltown Rebellion (1981/1990)
- Frank Zappa - You Are What You Is (1981/1990)
- Frank Zappa - Shut Up 'N Play Yer Guitar (1981/1986)
- Frank Zappa - Ship Arriving Too Late To Save A Drowning Witch (1982)
- Lisa Popeil - Lisa Popeil (1983)
- Frank Zappa - The Man From Utopia (1983)
- Frank Zappa - Them Or Us (1984)
- Flex-able (1984)
- Flex-Able Leftovers (ep) (1984)
- Frank Zappa - Thing Fish (1984/1986)
- Heresy - At The Door (1985)
- Alcatrazz - Disturbing The Peace (1985/2002)
- Public Imagine Limited - Album/Cassette/Compact Disc (1985)
- Frank Zappa - Meets The Mothers Of Prevention (1985)
- Bob Harris - The Great Nostalgia (1986)
- Shankar/Caroline - The Epidemics
- David Lee Roth - Eat 'Em And Smile (1986)
- David Lee Roth - Sonrisa Salvaje (1986)
- Randy Coven - Funk Me Tender (1986)
- Western Vacation - Western Vacation (1986)
- Frank Zappa - Jazz From Hell (1986)
- Dudes OST (1987)
- Frank Zappa - Guitar (1988)
- David Lee Roth - Skyscraper (1988)
- Frank Zappa - You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Vol 1. (1988)
- Various - Guitar's Practicing Musicians (1989)
- Frank Zappa - You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Vol. 3 (1989)
- Whitesnake - Slip Of The Tongue (1989)
- Rebecca - The Best Of Dreams (1990)
- Passion & Warfare (1990)
- Alice Cooper - Hey Stoopid (1991)
- Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey OST (1991)
- Frank Zappa - As An Am (1991)
- Encino Man OST (1991)
- Frank Zappa - You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Vol. 4 (1992)
- Frank Zappa - You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Vol. 5 (1992)
- Frank Zappa - You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Vol. 6 (1992)
- Various - Zappa's Universe (1993)
- Sex And Religion (1993)
- PCU OST (1993)
- Whitesnake - Greatest Hits (1995)
- Alien Love Secrets (1995)
- Various - In From The Storm (1995)
- Frank Zappa - Strictly Commercial (1995)
- Various - The Songs OF West Side Story (1996)
- Fire Garden (1996)
- Wild Style - Cryin' (1996)
- G3 Live In Concert (w/Joe Satriani, Eric Johnson) (1997)
- Flex-Able Leftovers (1998, reissue w/bonus)
- Various - Merry Axemas: A Guitar Christmas (1997)
- Munetaka Higuchi w/Dream Castle - Free World (1997)
- Frank Zappa - Have I Offended Someone? (1997)
- Various - Angelica (1997)
- David Lee Roth - The Best (1997)
- Gregg Bissonette - Gregg Bissonette (1998)
- Frank Zappa - Cheep Thrills (1998)
- Al Di Meola - The Infinite Desire (1998)
- Various - Merry Axemas, Vol. 2: More Guitars For Christmas (1998)
- The Seventh Song - Steve Vai Archives Vol. 1 (1999)
- Various - Radio Disney Kid Jams (1999)
- Thana Harris - Thanatopsis (1999)
- Frank Zappa - Son Of Cheep Thrills (1999)
- The Ultra Zone (1999)
- Joe Jackson - Symphony No. 1 (1999)
- Gregg Bissonette - Submarine (2000)
- Alive In An Ultra World (2001)
- Billy Sheehan - Compression (2001)
- Ghosts Of Mars OST (2001)
- The Secret Jewel Box (2001)
- Various - Roland Guitar Masters (2002)
- The Elusive Light and Sound, Vol. 1 (2002)
- Various - Guitars For Freedom (2002)
- Live At The Astoria In London (2003) (DVD)
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