G3 is a concert tour organized by American guitarist Joe Satriani, featuring him alongside two other prominent guitarists. Since its inception in 1995, G3 has toured most years and has featured a rotating lineup of notable guitarists, including Steve Vai, Eric Johnson, John Petrucci, Yngwie Malmsteen, Robert Fripp, Paul Gilbert, Steve Morse, Steve Lukather, Uli Jon Roth, Michael Schenker, Adrian Legg, Phil Collen, and others.
History
The concept was conceived by Satriani in 1995. The inaugural G3 tour took place in 1996 in North America, featuring Satriani, Steve Vai (a former student of Satriani), and Eric Johnson, with Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Adrian Legg as opening acts on select dates. The tour's format typically consists of each guitarist performing a solo set followed by a collaborative jam session featuring all three headliners.
Tour Editions and Lineups
- 1996 (North America): Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Eric Johnson
- 1997 (North America): Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Robert Fripp
- 1997 (Europe): Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Adrian Legg
- 1998 (Europe): Joe Satriani, Michael Schenker, Uli Jon Roth
- 2000 (Asia): Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Eric Johnson (Rentak Rhythm of Asia Festival, Kuala Lumpur)
- 2001–2002 (North America/Mexico): Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, John Petrucci
- 2003 (North America): Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Yngwie Malmsteen
- 2004 (Europe/South America): Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Robert Fripp
- 2005 (Japan): Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, John Petrucci
- 2006 (South America): Joe Satriani, John Petrucci, Eric Johnson
- 2006 (Australia): Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, John Petrucci
- 2007 (North America): Joe Satriani, John Petrucci, Paul Gilbert
- 2012 (Australia/New Zealand): Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Steve Lukather
- 2012 (Europe): Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Steve Morse
- 2016 (Europe): Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Guthrie Govan (with the Aristocrats)
- 2018 (USA): Joe Satriani, John Petrucci, Phil Collen
- 2018 (Europe): Joe Satriani, John Petrucci, Uli Jon Roth
- 2024 (USA): Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Eric Johnson (reunion of the original 1996 lineup)
Discography
- G3: Live in Concert (1997) — recorded during the 1996 tour
- G3: Live in Denver (2004)
- G3: Rockin' in the Free World (2004)
- G3: Live in Tokyo (2005) — recorded at the Tokyo Forum, Japan
- G3 Reunion Live (2025) — recorded during the 2024 reunion tour at the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles
Format
Each G3 show typically follows a structure where each featured guitarist performs a solo set with their own backing band, followed by a combined G3 jam session at the end of the evening where all three guitarists perform together, often playing covers of classic rock and blues songs such as "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)," "Little Wing," "Going Down," "Rockin' in the Free World," and "Crossroads."
Significance
G3 is recognized as a landmark concert series in instrumental rock guitar, notable for bringing together virtuoso guitarists from different generations and stylistic backgrounds in a collaborative rather than competitive format. The most frequent participants (excluding Satriani) have been Steve Vai (thirteen tours), John Petrucci (eight tours), Eric Johnson (four tours), Robert Fripp (two tours), Steve Morse (two tours), and Uli Jon Roth (two tours).
