The Generation Axe tour featuring, Tosin Abasi, Nuno Bettencourt, Zakk Wylde, Steve Vai, and Yngwie Malmsteen made a stop at Richmond’s The National on Wednesday night.
The night kicked off with all five guitarists on stage for a jam version of “Hocus Pocus” at the end of the jam Tosin Abasi took over playing three songs from his Animals as Leaders discography. Nuno Bettencourt joined him on stage for his final song, “Physical Education.”
Nuno Bettencourt played a brief set of Extreme songs including an acoustic version of “Midnight Express.” Zakk Wylde joined Nuno on stage for a stellar cover of Citizen Cope’s “Sideways.”
Zakk Wylde’s set consisted of Black Sabbath covers “Into the Void,” “N.I.B.,” and “War Pigs.” Zakk spent as much time playing in the crowd and the balcony of The National as he did on stage. Nuno came back out to join Zakk in the crowd for the Gary Moore cover “Still Got The Blues” with Steve Vai also joining the duo towards the end of the song.
Up next was Steve Vai who performed a five song set that featured the cover of Edgar Winters’ Edgar Winter’s “Frankenstein” with Nuno, Zakk, and Tobin rejoining him on stage.
Yngwie Malsteen was the last up for the night wrapping things up with a seven song set that closed out with “Black Star” with Steve Vai rejoining him on stage.
As an encore all five guitarist returned to the stage to close out the night with an all-star jam of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” and Deep Purple’s “Burn.”
Over all it was an incredible night of nearly three hours of some of the best guitarists showing that they are truly the master at their art.
The Generation Axe tour will wrap up on December 18th at The Wiltern in Los Angeles, CA. Fans can purchase tickets and VIP packages HERE.
Opening Jam:
Hocus Pocus
Tosin Abasi Setlist:
Tempting Time (Animals as Leaders song)
The Woven Web (Animals as Leaders song)
CAFO (Animals as Leaders song)
Physical Education (Animals as Leaders song) (with Nuno Bettencourt)
Nuno Bettencourt Setlist:
Get the Funk Out (Extreme song)
Midnight Express (Extreme song) (acoustic performance)
Extreme Medley
Sideways (Citizen Cope cover) (with Zakk Wylde)
Zakk Wylde Setlist:
Into the Void (Black Sabbath cover)
N.I.B. (Black Sabbath cover)
War Pigs (Black Sabbath cover)
Still Got The Blues (Gary Moore cover) (with Nuno Bettencourt then joined by Steve Vai to close)
Steve Vai Setlist:
There’s a Fire in the House
The Animal
For the Love of God
Frankenstein (The Edgar Winter Group cover) (with Nuno Bettencourt, Zakk Wylde, and Tobin Abasi)
Yngwie J. Malmsteen Setlist:
Into Valhalla / Baroque & Roll
From a Thousand Cuts / Arpeggios from Hell
Far Beyond the Sun
Badinerie (Johann Sebastian Bach cover)
Paganini’s 4th / Adagio
Trilogy Suite Op: 5
Black Star (with Steve Vai)
Closing Jam:
Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen cover)
Burn (Deep Purple cover)
