Steve Vai Reveals Official Video for “Teeth of the Hydra”

Steve Vai Reveals Official Video for “Teeth of the Hydra”

1st April 2022 0 By Jon Deaux

Steve Vai and Favored Nations / Mascot Label Group present the official music video for “Teeth Of The Hydra.”

Vai shares, “The idea for this guitar and track came to me roughly seven years ago.  I envisioned composing and performing a piece of music on a multi-neck instrument where all of the sound emanated from that one creation with the exception of some keyboards and drums.  I sent my ideas to Ibanez, and their builders delivered this astonishing wooden creature.  I was stunned.  It was awesome.  When I first laid eyes on it, I named it the Hydra, and instantly knew the name of the song would be ‘Teeth of the Hydra.’  A Hydra is a dragon-like creature from Greek mythology possessing various heads.  For every head chopped off, two would grow in its place.  I then set out to write a piece of music that utilized all the features of the Hydra, but could also stand on its own as an enjoyable composition with a sultry melody and heavy dynamics.” 

He continues, “When I finally sat with the Hydra and started to contemplate writing this piece and how I was to navigate the instrument in a seamless way, for a moment it seemed impossible.  I just started slowly, and it all began to unfold very naturally.  Things that can seem impossible don’t seem so impossible once you just start doing them.  Every new discovery and accomplishment were treated as a joyous victory, even if it only involved figuring out one bar of music.  The overall inner vision was the guide through the process, but with every accomplishment, the process became more and more addictive.  I became immersed in the splendors of the Hydra.  It was a meditative experience, and on the day that it all finally clicked, performing the song felt like stillness in motion—that’s when the performance becomes virtually effortless, and the freedom of present-moment expression has you feeling as if your feet are about a foot off the ground.  The exhilaration can be overwhelming at times.  I’m very happy with the way the video came out, and having BJ McDonnell as director, along with his amazing crew, was vital. Enjoy!”
 
The performance clip was directed by BJ McDonnell, and produced by John Heller and Jason Salzman. The Director of Photography was Eric Leach, with art direction by Michael Mesker. Greg Wurth was the Sound Engineer and Assistant Editor.
 
Vai’s new studio album Inviolate debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Current Hard Rock Albums chart. Cumulative streams exceed 5 million, with “Teeth Of The Hydra” accounting for more than one million. 
 
The Inviolate World Tour will commence with a European leg of appearances beginning in Glasgow on 4 June, 2022. The itinerary will stretch in to mid-July, staging performances in the U.K., Ireland, France, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Belgium, and Spain. Steve Vai’s North American performances supporting the new album will start on September 28 at The Magnolia in El Cajon, CA. The final show is planned for his hometown of Los Angeles, at the Theatre at Ace Hotel on December 3.  For tickets and a variety of EVO Experience VIP bundles available visit https://www.vai.com
 
Vai will be joined by his long-tenured ensemble members Dave Weiner (guitar / keys), Philip Bynoe (bass), and Jeremy Colson (drums).  Vai shares, “It’s amazing to realize that after three years of not performing our show on a stage, that it’s now on the horizon, and will start to unfold in Europe this summer.  I can feel the road now and the enthusiastic audiences that we will be connecting with.”

Confirmed appearances include:
04 June                Glasgow, UK                                                   o2 Academy
05 June                Manchester, UK                                              The Ritz
07 June                London, UK                                                     Palladium
09 June                Bristol, UK                                                       o2 Academy
10 June                Dublin, Ireland                                                 Academy
11 June                Belfast, UK                                                      The Limelight
13 June                Paris, France                                                  Le Trianon
14 June                Strasbourg, France                                         La Laiterie
16 June                Oslo, Norway                                                  Rockefeller
17 June                Bergen, Norway                                              USF Verftet
18 June                Gothenburg, Sweden                                     Pustervik
19 June                Stockholm, Sweden                                       Fållan
20 June                Copenhagen, Denmark                                  Amager Bio
22 June                Lille, France                                                    Splendid
23 June                Clisson, France                                              Hellfest
24 June                Bordeaux-Cenon, France                               Rocher de Palmer
25 June                Nimes, France                                                Paloma
26 June                Lyon, France                                                  Transbordeur
28 June                Nuremberg, Germany                                     Hirsch
29 June                Linz, Austria                                                    Posthof
01 July                  Udine, Italy                                                     Castello
02 July                  Macerata, Italy                                               Sferisterio
03 July                  Bari, Italy                                                        Teatro Petruzzelli
04 July                  Firenze, Italy                                                   Ultravox Arena
05 July                  Gardone Riviera, Italy                                     Anfiteatro del Vittoriale
06 July                  Zurich, Switzerland                                         Komplex
08 July                  Berlin, Germany                                              Columbia Theatre
09 July                  Weert, Netherlands                                         Bospop Festival
10 July                  Antwerp, Belgium                                            OLT Rivierenhof
12 July                  Toulouse, France                                             Le Bikini
14 July                  Sancti Petri, Spain                                           Concert Music Festival
16 July                  Valencia, Spain                                                Jardin de Viveros
17 July                  Vigo, Spain                                                       Auditorio Mar do Vigo
19 July                  Barcelona, Spain                                             Teatro Tivoli

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