Tour Reviews

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UNLEASH THE FURY USA TOUR 2006

December 16: Club Pakkahuone, Tampere, FINLAND

From Kevin Perkins:
Travelled from London to see Yngwie , Saw him arrive at the venue , signed some things for me a the rest of the  guys who were hanging around for him. Heard some of the soundcheck too, Queen - " another one bites the dust"...  Billie Jean also !!!! Amazing !!!!!!! Show started round 7 pm, the two bands were great , then , Yngwie came on  round 10 pm , and then for the next 2 hours , was able to experience one if not the best  show ive seen of Yngwie !!! pure ROCK !!. Yngwie and co , put 500% into the show !!!!!!!!!!!
Just amazing !!!!

From Jonne Nurminen:

Hello!

Here are some more photos for the site. I know it's tough to get a Finnish audience going, but Yngwie set everyone on fire - What a kickass gig! Never seen anything like it. All the best to the band and a big thank you to everyone. It's the best Christmas ever.

December 15: Club Teatria, Oulu, FINLAND
From Mano Kotsifakis:

Great show.
I am a Viking, Dreaming and Memories where played and they are very rare  songs that Yngwie normally does not play.
I even got a towel from Dougie thrown at me. Supercool show and hope to see Yngwie again in the future.

Tack ska du ha Yngwie.

From Tapio Keränen:
Hi!
Concert in Oulu 15.12.2006 ( Club Teatria ) was fantastis and Yngwie...he was
BRILLIANT !!!!

December 14: House of Culture, Helsinki, FINLAND

From Jouni Ranta-Puska:
Hello!
I was able to get some pics closer to the stage. We were right at the second row. Yngwie really rocked and that was the best gig I've ever been to!!

From Douglas Nesbit:

i got up at two in the morning to begin my journey from scotland to finland on the thursday. I arrived at the house of culture at about one o'clock so i spent the whole day hanging round the entrance hoping to see Yngwie, only to later learn that he arrived at seven that morning! It was a long wait, but soon enough the doors opened and i went right to the front. Yngwie opened with rising force and it was just immense. I've been a huge fan for years but this was my first time seeing him live. I could not believe how good he sounded, i don't believe he hit one note he didn't mean to, his sound was just immense. The show was like nothing I've ever seen or heard in my life, just brilliant. The band played for over two hours throwing in some lod classics and newer ones too. I can't pick a highlight, every song was just amazing. Yngwie really is the greatest guitarist ever, without a doubt! he was so energetic on stage as well, throwing about 10 picks into the crowd per song! I went to the show in oulu as well, and again, it was just incredible, not much more
i can say really, the two best show's I've ever seen in my life! I can't wait to see the Rising Force again! Having met all the band the previous night and really hit it off with Dougie I got the song Dreaming(Tell Me) didicated to me! Thanks Dougie! I managed to leave with my scratch plate signed by the whole band and i got photo't with Derek, Dougie, and the God that is Yngwie J. Malmsteen! Check 'em out!!!!

From Mika Koso:
Here are two pictures that I was able to take from the Helsinki concert (with cell-phone), hope they will be okay. Unfortunately the security was too tight to take more then this and was my first time to see Malmsteen performing live! Great concert! Malmsteen really unleashed the fury here!

November 19, PERTH, AUSTRALIA

From Sean McCormack:
Thanks for making my dreams come true. After being a great fan of yours for over twenty years I finally got to see you play live in Perth on November 19.

What made the evening so special is that my wife Cheryl, daughter Laura (15) and Son Caolan (13) who area also devoted fans were also there to witness music played at its finest.

From the opening crescendo of wild lead guitar leading into Rising Force through to all our favourite classics we were mesmerised the whole evening. So much so that my daughter who plays guitar and son who plays the drums are avidly learning your songs. Thank you for bringing quality music to our part of the globe.

Best wishes from down under.

From Lisa Smith:
Dear Yngwie, I just wanted to say how fantastic it was to see your concert in Perth - thank you so much for coming, most artists tend to miss us out. I was totally captivated by your show, it was totally awesome! Last weekend I saw U2 in Sydney, however, I was much more impressed by your show and the charisma you have on stage.Please come and see us again very soon :-)

Kind Regards, Lisa Smith (Fan of 19 years)

From Tom Knowles:
Let me just say I had been looking forward to this concert for months.  YNGWIE DID NOT DISSAPOINT. I never thought he would play such classic,  opening with the amazing Rising Force. Cracking the whip was another song  Yngwie just owned the crowd with, even my 45 year old mother enjoyed it - she  rocked away all night at the railing with me. When he finished he came back  on and played Black Star which was again simply amazing. Overall Yngwie  absolutely rocked, throwing picks to the crowd (I managed to score four of  them), showing huge energy and charisma and playing a wide variety of songs.  YNGWIE YOU ROCK - BEST NIGHT OF MY LIFE

November 17: ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA

From Cihan Köseoglu:
The concert at Thebarton theatre,was great,even more than great,I tried to see how his fingers were moving,I was in the front of the crowd and I enjoyed every second of the concert,and I'm sure I'll not forget it...Trilogy,black star,far beyond the sun...all of them were great .. Especially black star...How amazing...I love that song and I'm listening to it when I'm writing this review to you :) ..all of his solos were amazing that night.. When I watched him and heard his solos especially that night, I said to myself,"Oh..my god!!"...Thebarton theatre was the best place for him to give a concert because of the wooden floor etc... the drummer Patrik was also great.. Anyway,Yngwie Malmsteen was great that night,and I will not forget that I went to a Malmsteen concert!...His solos,his passion to the guitar,I just respect him,and respect him ! .... His performance was great...I obey Yngwie,the guitar god !

From John Delany:
Playing to a capacity crowd at Thebarton Theatre, Yngwie's first performance here was flawless and his on-stage persona larger than life. I was really surprised at the number of older tracks played, such as I Will See The Light Tonight, I Am A Viking, Far Beyond The Sun, Black Star and Trilogy. My personal favourite - his rendition of Red House... I loved his aggressive blues improvisation. I would liken his blues playing to Stevie Ray Vaughan meets Paul Gilbert. Very cool. Yngwie's vocals were enjoyable too, I have not heard him sing that well before. His solo moments were special, giving the audience a chance to hear Yngwie absolutely tearing up the fretboard. It was a little disappointing that Derek Sherinian was not given a more prominent solo moment, as was the drummer (who was brilliant by the way) but aside from this, there are no complaints. Normally the acoustics at Thebarton Theatre are undesirable, as
there are many live surfaces, including a wooden floor, however Malmsteen's band were kept at a reasonable volume and and mixed well for such a venue. All in all, it was great to just worship the guitar for an evening with a phenomenal player at the helm!

From Daniel Thorpe:
This was the first time I’d ever seen Yngwie live in concert, and had been looking forward to it for months. It certainly didn’t disappoint! The performance was spectacular, the musicianship flawless and the volume LOUD!!! Held at the Thebarton Theatre, it was the perfect sized venue, large enough for a good crowd, but small enough to remain intimate. Although it wasn’t quite sold out, the fans were enthusiastic and certainly showed their appreciation by making a lot of noise. The tour was in support of his ‘Unleash The Fury’ album, and he certainly did that… But onto the actual concert…

The night began in total darkness, broken only by the trademark sound of the scalloped Fender being strangled through a Marshall stack. Then the lights flashed on with the band appearing out of the mist of dry ice to play a furious version of ‘Rising Force’. There was no letting up as they tore through the opening section of the show, which included ‘Demon Driver’, ‘Cracking The Whip’ and other new and classic Yngwie songs. He then played ‘Adagio’ and this led straight into one of my favourite Yngwie songs ‘Far Beyond The Sun’. I’ll tell you what, when he played the opening chords of that song, the crowd just erupted, myself included! Yngwie may be getting older, but he certainly hasn’t lost any of his speed, handling his earlier songs with ease. An excellent Acoustic solo followed, and being a classical guitarist myself, I certainly appreciated seeing him shred on an acoustic guitar. Another awesome instrumental in ‘Baroque ‘N Roll’ followed by powerful renditions of ‘I Am A Viking’ and ‘Locked And Loaded’. This was followed by ‘Trilogy Suite’ and a
cool version of blues song ‘Red House’. He then played one of my favourite songs from the night ‘Fugue’ from his concerto suite, played with a backing track of the orchestra. A brief drum solo was followed by a few more songs to finish off the main set. The encore consisted of another acoustic solo, which led into ‘Black Star’ and the ‘I’ll See The Light Tonight’ finished off what was an amazing night of guitar driven virtuosity!

Yngwie’s band was excellent throughout the whole night. I was very excited to see Derek Sherinian on keyboards, as I am a massive Planet X and Dream Theater fan, and he complemented Yngwie perfectly, matching his solo’s brilliantly. Patrick Johansson was powerful on the drums all night with his barrage of double bass pedal, and contributed an impressive drum solo, and Mic Cervino was solid in rounding out the rhythm section on bass. Doogie White was surprisingly good on the vocals, and although he appeared to lose his voice towards the end of the night, the band covered well, and none of the intensity was lost. As usual, Yngwie was amazing on the guitar, spewing forth fiery, neo-classical runs at the speed of light, without letting up the entire night. Two and a half hours of unrestrained, shredded bliss, made the night one which will be remembered for a long time to come.

From Damian Grimm:
I will sum it up. My girlfriend had never heard of Malmsteen before I  decided to get a ticket for the concert. She decided to come to the concert  with me the same day, and when I asked her what she thought before the first  encore she replied,"Brilliant".

And it was. Yngwie and the band were in great form and made for a great  night. Come back again.

From Craig Grant:
Adelaide's Thebarton Theatre in Adelaide, South Australia has stood since 1926 but after Yngwie's wall of Marshall amps hit town it was nearly rubble.The show started with the Malmsteen signature of playing off stage and out of sight. As the dry ice
cloud grows Yngwie appears at the centre stage and the crowd went berserk. There was probably 1600 in Thebarton and everyone hit their feet when the band hit the stage. From the first second it was mayhem and Yngwie played like a demon. Every move,
every note and every swagger was loved by this crowd and the band rocked for two hours. Its totally apparent that this band plays often because they are super tight and Malmsteen is own his league.

The highlights for me, amongst many, was the Gates of Babylon and Red House. In fact this version of Red House was better that Hendrix at Isle of Wight Festival 1970. I know, massive call but this was magical and Yngwie tore the house down. Not only
that but he managed to do this while playing with teeth, behind head, one handed and so on. In a market filled with pretence and copy, Yngwie is the real deal. Not only that but in Dougie White has a great front man and the band keep pace with Yngwie. I honestly couldn't think how any band could put in any more effort than what this band did. It was complete and it was unforgettable.

In a lifetime of listening to music and seeing bands this is the first time I can remember standing in the middle of an auditorium grinning for the whole gig because it was superb. As I looked around me everyone was the same, totally enjoying the experience watching the best do their thing. I would recommend that you get out there and see this band asap.

From James M.:
After four years listening to Yngwie's albums over and over again, I was awaiting the Rising Force concert in Adelaide with barely contained excitement. When the band finally stepped on stage some forty minutes late and the first chord rang out, I thought I was about to be swept along by an overpowering wave of musical genius. I was wrong. With more distortion than an Escher drawing and a kick drum as loud as jet plane, Yngwie's trademark virtuoso playing was hardly discernible amongst the noise. What's more, the vocals were totally drowned out and it wasn't until the keyboard player was introduced that I realised he'd been playing all along. So appalling was the sound balance that I did not recognise a single song all evening! That the audience was quiet as a tomb through most of the performance - barring the excited front rows - suggests I am not the only one to have been disappointed by what should have been a treasured musical memory.

November 16:  MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA

From Matt Tate.
I've seen Yngwie 3 times now and he puts on a great show. His on-stage presence is undeniable, few can play like him but
there's only one Malmsteen in this world that commands your attention. There were a few lighting problems in the opening songs and boy he let the guys know it in the true Yngwie diplomatic way [fix it or die]. Once that was out the way, he gave the fans 110% till the end. Set list was diverse with Alcatrazz, Yngwie old /new, blues, and fugue. COME BACK SOON, WE LOVE YA MATE!

Derek, smile buddie, you're a fun guy!

November 15: SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

From Kimon:
It was 9 pm, lights dimmed, smoked filled room, chanting of Yngwie Malmsteen name could be heard vividly!! and that was the description at the start, you could imagine the rest of the night. It was the second time i have seen the god , first time being back in '99 for the Alchemy tour. it was a 7 year gap, but this time was even better than I expected. I was at the front 5th row back on the right hand side.

I've been following Yngwie for around 15 years now and he never ceases to amaze me, he definitely gets better with age. From the moment he started with Rising Force to when he finished with I'll See the Light Tonight!! one piece that stood out was from
his Concerto Suite album, farken awesome, slightly improvised with the metal touch!! Cracking the Whip definitely whipped butt, and some old classics such as 'You Don't Remember, I'll Never Forget' and of course 'I Am a Viking' wild solo!! I hope you come back very soon and show your amazing dexterity again!! You have a huge fan base here in Australia and are always welcome!

From Michelle Robertson:
This was an awesome show. I have never seen Malmsteen before, or been to  such a big concert before for that matter. I had GA Tix, so I waited outside  from 4 pm. It was so worth it. Finally got in at about 7:40 pm, raced up to  the stage. Was lucky enough to be about 3rd back, centre right. Great position !!!!

Awesome show right through. I did not want it to end. I thought the vocals were hard to hear, but I think it was cos of being up the front. I even caught a pick during the encore, i think it was the song after black star.  wow!!!

I thought the set list was awesome. I am not sure of all the songs he
played, but I have compiled a list of all I can remmber (not in order):

Rising Force
Demon Driver
Black Star
Locked and Loaded
Far Beyond the Sun
You Dont Remember (I'll Never Forget)
Dreaming
Evil Eye
Cracking the Whip
Gates of Babylon
Fugue

Thanks Yngwie for a brilliant show, see you on the tour for next album!!!

From Anthony Emery:
I was hooked upon first hearing Icarus Dream Suite in 1985. Yngwie has been 'the man' for a long, long time. Other guitarists (a handful maybe) may play as fast, but YJM maintains a class above any of his peers.

Why? Because his playing is not solely guitar playing. It's as if he reincarnated a Stradivarius as a beautifully Marshalled Stratocaster and plays accordingly. He isn't just playing fast guitar, he is playing stunning music. The depths of his passion for music are obvious and we all know he reveres the masters.

Starting with Rising Force his guitar playing was flawless all night. A master at work, and doing it SO easily!!!

Highlights for me were of course the staggering Far Beyond the Sun and the magnificent rendition of Gates of Babylon, probably one of my 10 favourite songs in history! Quite frankly, I was going off!! Huge props also for playing Dreaming, Demon Driver (what a solo!!!!) And the acoustic guitar solo was amazing also.

Everyone I went with loved the whole band (loved Doogie - ex Rainbow singer!!) and the whole show and we still dig Yngwie's patented guitar twirling tricks!!!

It seems an odd thing to say, but Yngwie might just be the most underrated guitarist in history.

From Nicole Mangone:
I was taken to see Yngwie Malmsteen by my husband who was inspired to learn to play guitar by this man. I must admit I did not know much about him or his music however I was truly amazed by his talent and his ability to engage the audience. My husband always said that Yngwie makes the guitar talk...now I know what he means. Thankyou for a wonderful night and for making my husbands 40th Birthday one he will never forget!

Darren Tindal:
I have been digging Yngwie since the Steeler/alacatrazz days & to see him return in such ferocious & stunning form last night to Sydney was just mind bending, he's is getting better with age (sorry Yngwie, but I am your age as well). The current lineup is just amazing, there were young & old fans in attendance, What a night, what a sound, what a hangover.

If any one gets a chance to see the man, do so!! My highlight of the night was The gates of Babylon & Hiroshima Mon amour (old school)!

November 14: BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA

From Allen Liddle
I've seen a lot of concerts in my time, but all pale into insignificance after seeing Yngwie Malmsteen and Rising Force in Brisbane 14th November 2006 on the "Unleash The Fury" tour.

I've seen big acts with shows that use really enormous sound, lighting, and special effects and yet despite all that Yngwie and Rising Force with relatively modest production by comparison absolutely blew every other live show I have ever seen in my life, - out of the water. The professionalism, showmanship, intensity, passion, and emotion with which the show was delivered is simply unequalled in rock shows today. The powerhouse of classic and newer Yngwie/Rising Force material was played against quieter songs like Dreaming and Yngwie's performances on acoustic guitar to provide a variation of mood and theme throughout the performance.

Another example of this could be seen when a haunting and beautiful performance of Adagio was followed immediately with an exciting rendition of Far Beyond The Sun. The other truly impressive aspect of the show was the fact that the show went almost
for 3 hours, and a very INTENSE 3 hours at that.

Being a guitarist myself I was naturally more focused on Yngwie, who's playing and abilities are to me,- exhilarating, mesmerizing, and simply a absolute joy to behold. And the sound and tone of his guitar is simply the hottest and best guitar sound I've ever heard, - it absolutely smokes!!

I was very impressed with the entire band and particularly so with the singing of Doogie White, - what a fantastic voice!! It is truly a privilege indeed to witness a band comprised of virtuoso musicians, something that in this day and age that is sadly a rarity. After seeing this performance I feel that no other act will be capable of "measuring up". If Yngwie Malmsteen and Rising Force ever tour Australia again, I for one will be booking a ticket for myself in every city where the show is to appear and I will catch every show that I can while they are here in Oz,- yes the show really IS THAT GOOD.

A Big Thank You to Yngwie, Dougie, Mick, Patrick, and Derek for providing a awesome and unforgettable experience that will always be with me.

From Grant Viney:
Just wanted to let you know that it was an awesome show on Tuesday night. The true master at work. It was a real pleasure to see Yngwie live for the first time. Thank you so much for a fantastic night of guitar shred. All the best to you for the rest of the tour, hope to see you back in Australia soon.

From Jonathon Edwards:

The arena entertainment centre in Brisbane was the first Australian show on Tuesday 14th November 2006. What a ride for the fans old and new. The set began by Yngwie playing a scale which the crowd responded to with a cheer. Again the same thing happened and again the crowd cheered louder. Keyboard started with the familiar sound of rising force and the lights dimmed. It was completely dark and as soon as that magic rising force guitar riff was played the band and the legend were lit up before us.

Acoustic guitar solos simply awesome and as always electric guitar solo awesome. Patrik Johannson simply a brilliant drummer, he played so hard that he had to be exhausted. The band was together and tight, and my father was a first timer and simply was amazed at how good the musicians were. Yngwie did not disappoint he played for about two and a half hours and the solo jam between Yngwie and Derek Sherinian was awesome Derek can hold his own with Yngwie. What an excellent opener to the Australian leg of tour.

November 11: TAIPEI

From David Antoniuk:

The Taipei Family Theater was the scene of the November 11 date of Malmsteen global tour, 2006.  While the hall wasn't exactly filled to the rafters, the crowd was full of guitar enthusiasts, mostly guys dressed in black shirts and pants, many, obviously who were obviously guitar players, too…

Malmsteen's show gives the audience a chance to witness a truly well-polished routine, to say the least.  There was a memorable moment just after the very beginning of the show when making the early intros, the lead singer, in a distinctly Scottish brogue, quoted Yuri Gagarin, the first man ever to be launched into outer space; when asked whether he spotted the 'face of god' during orbit, Yuri was said to reply that, no, he hadn't seen God, but he had seen the Great Wall of China, and that was the only manmade thing actually visible from space.  "Well," the singer-MC went on to add, "tonight we have brought along the Great Wall of Marshalls…"  Behind him and the players ranged a tall group of at least six double size amplifier-speakers, and on both sides of the stage-front, a double row of huge speakers at least 12 feet tall.  That made the difference, and the sonic quality was absolutely superb.

Indeed, the finesse of the Malmsteen show lay in the precisely crafted soundstream, which was tuned to just the right level of intense loudness to enthrall everyone in the hall.  The first thing that the audience heard was the sound of a guitar, played offstage in the blackness, an eerie fog of CO2 gas rising over the dark stage… And that first sound of the guitar was clear and focused, with no noise but pure music.  The guitars and drums and synthesizer were precisely balanced and the only thing the audience may have missed were some of the vocals, except for the one exceptional blues number sung by Malmsteen himself more than half way through the non-stop 2 hour concert.  The only other memorable vocal, that I can recollect, was something about, "if you play with the devil, the devil will take you away…"

But this concert was not intended to be about vocals.  It was about guitar playing.  That's all the audience wanted to see and hear, after all. Malmsteen plays and plays and plays, and at such a lightning pace, with an absolutely flawless technique, that it is not only amazing, it is a wonder that he isn't even more famous than he is, which really isn't too famous, after all…  Never have you heard anyone launch into such an array of modes, styles, techniques and musical samplings – all played on a vintage Stratocaster, which required frequent retuning.  Whenever he'd finished playing through a couple of songs, Malmsteen would toss the instrument over his head or directly at his stage hand Steve, who would catch it and rush off to get another freshly tuned guitar… During the course of each song, he'd rip through a strip of guitar picks and toss them off into the audience after a minute or two…

But when he played, it was a virtuosic display of a wide variety of styles and particular musical skills: glissando leaps, jetting cadenzas, precipices of falling scale, arpeggios punctuated by sudden stops and acciaccatura, and more than one moment of pizzicato plucking right after tidal movements of layered waves of resonant sonic chords that seemed to course like the sea, crashing across the rocks…  He sampled a wide repertoire of tunes, both modern and classical.  He zipped through some happier Mozart pieces and later, a Bach toccata and fugue.  He even briefly touched on a Jimi Hendrix Stars and Stripes rendition, but didn't drop quite so many bombs as the original, longer version.  Much of his musical virtuosity is based on his rapid playing skill, his ability to scale chords, but most of all, his exceptional talent for playing individual notes in melodies that are tightly structured and perfectly executed.  I don't think he made a single error the whole night.

To watch Malmsteen is to watch a natural phenomenon of unprecedented, almost subterranean sources.  He would have been friendly with somebody like Mahler, but might end up having a fist fight if you rubbed him the wrong way, for whatever obscure reason, some mental impatience with the intransigence of the world that so many poets, painters and musicians have had to endure over the ages…  Malmsteen is not only music and fantastic range, but sheer emotion: during the course of his performance, the musician's face went through several transformations, as he concentrated, intensely, as he played with uninterrupted endurance, and as he seemed to travel from joy to despair and back to happiness again.  While you can often see an artist at work, we seldom have the chance to see such a truly talented artist as the natural wonder, Malmsteen!

Everyone in the audience was awed and inspired.  Our ears rang for a good hour afterwards.  Let's hope the happy, satisfied audience can inspire Malmsteen to achieve his own inner peace, and his "fury" might be quenched at last!  Good luck…

Nov. 9:  SINGAPORE

From Adrian Koh:

Yngwie rocks Singapore, for the second time! The last time was in Dec 2002 when he had the island under ATTACK!! This time round , the Viking ‘Unleashes His Fury’ at the Fort Canning Park, the ‘mini Woodstock’ of Singapore. There was a heavy downpour earlier in the evening but the crowd was blessed with clear skies & cool weather through out the concert. The lights went off at 8.35 pm with Yngwie playing some licks & Voodoo Child intro to pump up the crowd. Rising Force was the first song played & for the first time, Derek Sherinian on keyboards who wasn’t with the band on the last tour.

The Viking as usual delivers powerful chops with his axe, dazzling the crowd with his flawless fretwork. The band were keen to perform their best as they had enjoyed playing here four years ago. The crowd were less responsive this time round as at least half were listening or seeing Yngwie for the very first time; some even come in their office attire!

They were glued to Maestro’s fingers & wondering how on earth did he do that ?!! The die hard fans were just head-banging or fists punching into the air. My cousin June & I had an enjoyable time head-banging away!

There were some technical faults during the show & at the finale but that did not hinder Yngwie & the band from performing their best, showing such professionalism! The entire concert lasted about 2 hours & as a sign of gratitude, Yngwie & the band bowed several times & even held their bowed heads for a full minute! To show their appreciation for the crowd. (There were bands who performed here who did not even go beyond the 80 minutes mark !) Yngwie never short-change his fans!

I don’t see a god or devil but a Man who is Passionate about his music & dreams; that’s why Yngwie stood out among the very best guitarists in the world. As Joe Satriani once said: “Thank God for Yngwie”… I agreed . Yngwie is the reason why I took up electric guitar playing in the first place & Still is the reason why I pick it up again after nearly giving up playing a couple of years back. As long as Yngwie is playing & making albums, don’t see any reason why I should quit playing! I started listening to Yngwie in 1988 through a friend’s recommendation of the Odyssey album & Yngwie been my # 1 guitar hero for the past 18 years ! If there is the King of Pop, King of Rock N Roll, King of the Blues, then Yngwie is still the reigning & undisputed KING OF SHRED!!!

SET LIST

1.Rising Force

2. Demon Driver

3. Bradinere

4. Crack The Whip

5. Crown Of Thorns

6. Exile

7. Classical Interlude

8. Far Beyond The Sun ( ends with Star Spangled Banner)

9. Guardian Angel

10. Dreaming

11. Gates Of Babylon

12. Baroque N Roll

13. I’m a Viking

14. Rise Up

15. Guitar Solo ( Trilogy Suite, Redhouse, Fugue…)

16. Drum Solo

17. You  Don’t Remember, I never forget….( medley of Bedroom Eyes)

18. Never Die

Finale

19. Acoustic guitar solo

20. Black Star

21. Cherokee Warrior

22. I See The Light Tonight

Nov. 6:  Hong Kong

From Michael Chan:
Dear Mr Malmsteen, What a great show in Hong Kong! And what a chance that I can have the luck & honor to have my photo taken with the Guitar King in the plane when you flew to Thailand from Hong Kong. It was very wonderful experience that I had that close contact with you before I went to your Hong Kong concert. It was very nice that Mr Malmsteen agreed to take the photo with me & even sign his signature in my passport! Thank you & I must say that your show in Hong Kong was the greatest preformace for all time!

Long Live & PLAY LOUD

From Stefan Pertz:
Thanks for a phantastic concert last night. However, it was a shame to see such talent play in such a lousy location. The band did a tremendous job, but the venue did them no justice at all! Personally I found the echoing very annoying, which is the result of the architecture, HITECH just being an empty concrete cubicle. Other than that. Keep on rocking, see you next time!

From: NG Wai Tat, Antony

I have been a super fan of Yngwie for years but this is the first time I have seen him playing live, so I'm really excited about it, and I have to say that this show was so great that I enjoyed a lot!

The show starts with the song Rising Force, which is a great choice for opening in my opinion. The whole concert is about 2 hours and Yngwie filled it with numerous great songs. Beside the classic choices - Adagio, Far Beyond the Sun, Black Star, Trilogy Suite, You Don't Remember, I'll See the Light Tonight..., there are new songs from the recent albums - Rise up,, Exile, Locked and Loaded, Cracking the Whip, Crown of Thorns, Cherokee Warrior. But the most impressive songs to me are Demon Driver, I'm a Viking, and Dreaming, which are songs that I rarely see him playing live in the videos, they are all my favorites so I'm so happy to see Yngwie play them live!

Also Yngwie played Fugue from the Concerto Suite, and some tribute songs like Red House, Gates of Babylon, and Badinerie. Another surprise to me for this show is the songs are so well connected by special arrangement, and this gives me a whole new experience even I'm so familiar with Yngwie's songs.

I'm so happy to see that Yngwie is so cheerful and energetic during the show, and he is very slim as well. Hope to see Yngwie and Rising Force next great show in Hong Kong soon!

Nov. 4:  2006 Bangkok, Thailand

From Ken Moran:

Yngwie coming to Bangkok was a Godsend! I remember sitting around with some friends saying if he comes to Bangkok I have an open oder for tix. We didn't think it would happen. We were incredibly elated when we found out he was coming. I have been a fan from the begining and this was a big bright light in the middle of a long hunger for real music. The Thunderdome was like seeing him in a club. It was up close and personal. I clawed my way up to the front right in front of his mic. and was so close I could hear him yell and groan. I could go on about the setlist and how great he is and he is truly great but I really got a look at Yngwie the person playing his music with force, feeling and passion. You can listen to his recordings for years but to see him for real is the best thing ever. He made contact with us the die hards in the pit. He gave to us and we gave back to him. His band was great also. Johanson had cannons for legs and there was plenty of thunder lightning and smoke to go around. It was the greatest concert. Thank you so much for coming to Bangkok Yngwie. Hey Johanson I know who got your drumstick! Ha ha! I was able to say thank you to him and his drummer at the stage door at the end of the show and that was a big thrill for me and a stroy for my friends.
Please come back again!!! YNGWIE!!!

From Arvind Kannan:

Me and my wife travelled ALL THE WAY from Bangalore, India to watch the  maestro in action. Bangkok-Thunderdome, the venue gave me the perfect opportunity to see Yngwie  up close. They played for about 2 hours- Yngwie's showmanship was outstanding, with  intense focus and energy he ripped through songs like Rising Force, You Dont  Remember, Demon Driver, Trilogy Suite guitar solo, Gates of Babylon, Black  Star and I'll See the Light Tonight.

I've been an Yngwie fan for over 15 years and a fan club member early on, i  can't express what i felt!!. It's a lot of emotion and a dream come true. The  stage setting was good but the mixing could have been better. The pyro and  light effects were great!!. I was disappointed I could not meet him in  person. I wish i could have met him coming from so far.

The crowd rushed from their seats to the stage as soon as Rising Force  started-- the band was tight, Yngwie's guitar sound was over powering  Doogie's vocals and Yngwie just stole the show!!. Please tell Yngwie i was there!!!. I was just amazed at looking at him and  believing I was there in front to see him play live!!!..I love you  Yngwie!!!.

From Paul De Blieck:

Yes, I did attend the concert, very good, about 2 hours. Unfortunately it was not allowed to take photographs inside the concert hall.
Yngwie is God!

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U.S. Tour Completed

May 29, House of Blues, Orlando, FL

From James Desruisseaux:

Tour review? Well, let's see..... how much better can better get? That is how I must start this review.

I have heard about the HOB but never actually went to a show or dined there so this was a two fold trip .The House of Blues facility was great. The food was awesome, a bit pricey, but didn't leave an ounce of space for another bite or dessert. Dining there affords the priority line which served to get us a good seat on stools by the left side of the stage to give my daughter a good view of Yngwie, Patrick and the rest of the band.

Before I continue I have to take the time to thank Patrick Johansson for welcoming my daughter and myself to her first rock concert @ 7years old and being such a real person along with the rest of the RISING FORCE of Yngwie J. Malmsteen, Doogie White, Derek Sherinian, and Mick Cervino.

The opening band, Orange Sky was great. They were different from anything I had ever heard, and provided a great segue with flair into the rocking head liners of the Maestro and company.

I can't provide the set list or order of songs like I would have liked to, but really is immaterial.

The show seemed to flow endlessly with the band mixing songs seamlessly. I was so in awe at how well Yngwie looked and played never seeming to miss a lick, (not that he ever did before) but there was something different this time I just can't describe. His stage presence of perfection was visible as you watched, almost checking the progressions before actually playing them, yet flowing so smoothly and uninterrupted. The pick kicks and tosses around the neck guitar slinging visuals were there for all to admire as Yngwie played to the crowd complete with his hair fluffing and patriotic salutes to the army of fans in the audience.

Doogie sounded much better at this venue compared to the St.Petersburg show six months prior which I am sure was attributed to the venues acoustics. With pipes like his only the previous scenario or illness could explain anything else.

It was also good to hear keyboards in the mix with Derek and Yngwie dueling at times providing another level of joy to the show.

Patrick's playing and solos were awesome. I think he has an internal metronome w/cruise control. Patrick's awesome ability and talent on the double bass drilling the crowd along with the Maestro's Marshall's to pound the point home.

Mick, as always, played awesome and provided rhythm to an already well packaged and oiled machine!

After the show we waited at the bus to say our goodbyes to Yngwie, Doogie, Derek, Mick and the special man of the night Patrick. We saw Yngwie boarding the bus, chatted with Doogie for a second, had Derek sign our poster, and said our goodbyes to Patrick with my daughter rewarding his hospitality and kindness with a glo in the dark necklace.

The bus then left, headed home to complete what one would consider to be a long, awesome UTF Tour!

Patrick, Yngwie, Derek, Doogie and Mick....You guys Rock! Not only did you guys provide an awesome concert, you provided me and my daughter a night that we will never forget. I'm SURE, and I mean SURE, that your showmanship, kindness, and professionalism which you have displayed to me at every show is what makes you guys the Best in the Business!

To anyone that has not seen the RISING FORCE of Yngwie J Malmsteen, Do yourself a favor and GO! I along with many others who have seen and felt the RISING FORCE will guarantee you WILL NOT be disappointed.

Thanks again guys.

From Chris Landry:
I brought the family up from Miami for the holiday weekend in anticipation of the show at Downtown Disney. The House Of Blues is a great venue because of the close proximity of the viewing areas and it allows for an outstanding sonic presentation when delivered and mixed by the band/crew, as well a very comfortable climate aka cold a.c.!!! It is strange though to have all hell break loose inside yet walk outside and be back in tourist central.

Rob and I caught the last two songs Orange Sky played and I must say they were in a groove and enjoying themselves.The sound
was loud yet clean as we were positioned directly behind and to the right of the mixing board. Orange sky finished playing their set and gave thanks and praise to Yngwie for this opportunity to shine and share thier music with what seemed to be a very mixed age group of patrons.I later met up with the vocalist at the bar and we talked about the tour and Yngwie's new CD and I complemented him on their own performance. He was very friendly and complimentary and extremely happy about their relationship with Yngwie and the oppurtunity they had been given.He and I were in total agreement that Yngwie was on top of his game.

After a short intermission, Yngwie started to run through some improvised passages and wake up the crowd. I have seen much larger crowds at the H.O.B. before and the upper deck remained closed. The official count was 952 people inside for the show in a building that will hold 2200. The fact is that Yngwie came out on fire and carried this energy and passion throughout as if the place was to capacity and beyond. I can't say enough about how energetic,professional, and inspirational the performance was considering the larger crowds he has played for.Special thanks to Yngwie and Rising Force for giving everyone their money's worth! Cameras were placed for recording but at one point Doogie mentioned waivers being needed and that it wasn't going to happen.The band's
performance was top notch-very cohesive and tight.The songs from U.T.F. were awesome to hear live.

Doogie White's vocals were right on and faithful to the recordigs.Yngwie and Doogie split vocal duties on "Crack of The Whip" and even more impressive was "Crown of Thorns" which featured some nice harmony between Derek and
Yngwie on the walking melody played underneath the chorus.On "Exhile" the pace was slightly faster than on the CD but played flawlessly and came across really well live.It was a shame they did not do "Revolution" , "Locked and Loaded" , "Winds of War" , or "Let The Good Times Roll" . Older seldom heard tunes like "Demon Driver" and "Dreaming [Tell Me]" were great to hear as well as "Never Die" and "I am a Viking" .Patrik was totally out of his mind on drums,ripping the skins off his bass drums. I was curious to see how Doogie would approach such a wide range of vocal styles and pitches on older material but he certainly pulled it off. Yngwie played
"Far Beyond The Sun" and the Trilogy suite to perfection with minimal improvising. His playing is definately back to the level of his earlier albums and tours!!!!!!!!

This was the best I have heard Yngwie play in quite awhile. I saw shows in 84,86,88,89,mid 90's, and 01 and his technique is cleaner by far and his song writing mature and structured around more of a band concept .I am very happy for Yngwie because of the obvious effort recording and touring for U.T.F. and that the changes he has made in his lifestyle seem to have paid off.Following up U.T.F. is
going to be an incredible challange,but if this tour was a sign of things to come, Yngwie and company will deliver in a big way.Looking forward to the U.T.F. live DVD-thanks again to a "Rising Force" -congrats and keep it up!!!!!!!!!!!!

From Justin Soeder:
Orange Sky was pretty awesome, very gracious and happy to be playing in America and with Yngwie. After they took the stage around 8:00pm, they played for only about 35 minutes, played some cool tunes with a nice Bob Marley jam and then the long wait began for Yngwie to start rockin'. After lots of waiting music, finally we heard the sounds of the backstage arpeggios, harmonic minor riffs and blues licks all wrapped up with a little Voodoo Chile. Out runs Yngwie around 9:10pm to a blistering Rising Force.

First of all, the Maestro played incredible. I've seen Yngwie 6 times and his playing just never fails to amaze. I am totally taken aback by how fluid his playing is and how his technical skills are literally impeccible. His solos with the delay and octaves were sharp, crisp and classically beautiful. He had quite a bit of energy and you'd think this being his last show on the tour he'd be exhausted, but no. He played song after song after song. Yngwie played for almost 2.5 hours. Amazing!

I also have to say, Patrick Johansson and Mick Cervino are awesome. This unit of guys in Yngwie's band really clicks and plays superb together. Keep up the great work! I'd say Yngwie has found a drummer that can totally keep up with him! Those guys are great.

The cons...

The sound was just way too loud. Everyone around me was complaining that everything just sounded way too garbled because of the volume. There was no reason to have any vocals whatsoever because you really couldn't hear anything that was being sung. That's a shame too because Doogie's vocals are great -- when you can hear them! Yngwie's roadie must have had his head totally up his ass because Yngwie kept having to tune & retune his strats during every song. A few times, he even went over there and talked to his
tech about something, probably about removing his head from his backside. The acoustic set sounded nice, but nowhere near as crisp and clean sounding as the G3 tour. Yngwie played on his black Ovation Viper instead of the white one, and to me, the sound is totally different. Much more muffled and subdued than the nice crisp clear sound of the white Ovation he used on the G3 tour. Please bring that guitar back and let's hear the acoustical genius of the Maestro as it should be heard!

Hopefully next time around we'll see these sound bugs worked out! Thanks for ending the tour in Orlando! House of Blues rocks and so does Yngwie.

May 28, Culture Room, Ft. Lauderdale, FL

From Jay Martin:
I went to the FORT LAUDERDALE FLORIDA show on 05/28/2006. This show was added at the last minute right before his final show of the tour in ORLANDO FLORIDA, 05/30/2006. Being a late add-on, he and the band could have treated this show as a warm-up to the tour closer the next night. Instead, the small club's show had the professionalism and virtuosity of any coliseum or stadium show. And, as in several revues listed here, I wish I had seen this amazing guitarist years before. He and the band had been touring steadily for a year or more. There was no wear and tear though, they are used to it and probably could keep going for another year. Yngwie is truly loved by his audience and I was part of that audience.

May 26, House of Blues, New Orleans, LA

From Greg Duhe:
Yngwie Malmsteen, the world-renowned guitar virtuoso, gave a masterful performance at the House of Blues. Yngwie’s reputation precedes him because he’s regarded as a guitar genius and legend around the world. Yngwie began the concert in his usual fashion by playing backstage out of sight to tease the audience. The excitement reached a crescendo when he finally appeared onstage and burst into a ferocious guitar riff. An evening with Yngwie is much more than a typical concert, it is a musical journey through a multitude of music genres: pop, rock, metal, classical, R&B, and incomparable improvisation. Yngwie did not simply play guitar, there was an
emotional, spiritual, and mental fusion between man and instrument. The blending of genres was seamless. He also demonstrated his talent with acoustic guitar and the transition from electric to acoustic performance was flawless. Yngwie lived up to his legendary status with this amazing concert.

Yngwie is supported by a group of talented musicians. Bass player Mick Cervino, brother-in-law to Yngwie, has played music for over twenty-five years. Mick brought a great deal of experience to the Unleash the Fury tour. Mick played with Ritchie Blackmore and performed center stage with at rock festivals with Iron Maiden, Dream Theatre, Dio, Slayer, Hammerfall, and Motley Crue. Mick also plays in a band called Violent Storm and released a new album called Storm Warning. Do not be fooled by Mick’s quiet demeanor on stage and classical music training as he put on bass clinic while balancing the musical performance with Yngwie’s ferocious guitar attack.

Drummer Patrick Johansson played an impeccable drum set. Patrick mastered the art of drumming and he demonstrated his experience with an impressive performance. He also plays in two other bands Without Grief and Kinlin. He even played for WASP. Patrick’s first love was heavy metal even when he began playing drums at the tender age of six.

Lead singer Dougie White is a phenomenal singer. Dougie began singing professionally in 1984. A natural singing talent, Dougie taught himself to sing heavy metal by listening to British metal bands and copying their sound. Dougie was raised on 1970s British heavy metal and lists Dio and Rainbow as his favorite performers. He was never impressed with the 1980s L.A. hair metal and chose to stay close to metal’s British roots in his performances. Dougie also sings for Cornerstone whose first release in 2000 won praise from music critics. Cornerstone continues to release commercially successful albums.

Orange Sky opened the concert. Orange Sky hails from Trinidad and at first glance the dreadlock-wearing musicians looked like a reggae band. However, upon opening the concert with a barrage of heavy guitar riffs it was obvious Orange Sky is a serious rock band. Not wanting to outperform other bands or challenge other musicians, Orange Sky’s goal is to play great rock n roll and enjoy their musical experience in the United States on Yngwie’s Unleash the Fury tour. They definitely achieved their goal of playing great music because the fans were pleasantly surprised at the quality of Orange Sky’s songwriting, stage presence, and musical ability.

From Alexander Castillo:
OK, I don't see a review for the show at the HOB in NOLA, so I figured I'd  post one. Well, we got there in the middle of Orange Sky's set. From what I  saw, those guys rock!!!!! I met them after the show--they were  super-friendly. So at about 9:30ish, you hear Yngwie's trademark licks  blastin' from the Marshalls--a few moments later, out comes the Maesto. I've  seen Yngwie 2 times before and he never ceases to amaze.

The set list included:
(in no particular order)

Rising Force
Demon Driver
Gates of Babylon
I am a Viking
I'll See the Light Tonight
Dreaming??
You Don't Remember (w/ a segment of Deep Purple's "Burn" in the middle)
Red House (Hendrix)
Baroque and Roll
Black Star
Far Beyond the Sun
Fugue (from the concerto)
Prelude to April
Trilogy Suite
Exile
Crown of Thorns
Paraphrase
Cherokee Warrior
Crack the Whip (I think)

And some other stuff that I'm just not remembering.

At the end of the show Yngwie made a point of making sure his audience  understood how grateful he was for our support. And in turn, I am extremely  grateful to him for the inspiration!!!!! I hope to one day be as techincally  proficient as him!!!!!!!

The only negatives were that the sound was too loud and sometimes sounded  like mush--but slightly covering my ears actually improved the clarity of  the solos--so I recommend that you take ear plugs just in case (for the sake  of clarity--I mean, the purpose of going to see Yngwie is to see and hear  every single note that is played eh?). And Doogie and Derek were mixed down
quite a bit I could hear them but not as clearly as I should have. Ideally,  the Master volume should'a been turned down some while raising the vocals  and the keys. But that's not Yngwie's fault--after all, when you're onstage,  you really have no clue as to how it sounds out in the crowd--I know this  from personal experience.

So hats off to Yngwie and hope to see you again on future tours!!!!!!!   Godspeed, Play Loud, and God Bless

May 24, White Rabbit, San Antonio, TX

From Jay Nanda:
I have 14 of Yngwie's CDs/cassettes, plus the "Live in Leningrad"concert on video, but had never seen the maestro live -- until this
night. It was a great pleasure seeing the magician playing exquisitely, and I enjoyed singing my head off to every single song. Kudos to opening act Orange Sky as well -- yes, you guys did make some new friends in San Antonio! I'm still trying to figure out why Orange Sky's sound was much clearer (instruments and vocals), whereas Yngwie's set was filled with distortion -- no doubt causing some fans to leave a couple songs from the end. (Not me, though!). It was also odd seeing Dougie White retire to the corner of the stage during the instrumentals and solos by Yngwie, often with arms folded, but Dougie and everyone else in the band still rocked hard when they were called upon.Good mixture of songs also, though I would have loved to have heard at least one offering from great albums such as "Fire and Ice," "Facing theAnimal" and "Alchemy." But all in all, Yngwie showed why he's untouchable in the annals of great guitar playing, making for a very memorable 'first Yngwie concert' indeed!

The set list:

1. Rising Force
2. Demon Driver
3. Crack The Whip
4. Crown of Thorns
5. Exile
6. Solo, into Far Beyond the Sun
7. Dreaming (Tell me)
8. Gates of Babylon
9. Baroque and Roll
10. I am a Viking
11. Rise Up
12. Trilogy Suite/Krakatau/Red House
13. You Don't Remember, I'll Never Forget
Encores:
14. Black Star
15. Cherokee Warrior
16. I'll See the Light Tonight

Nanda-man
San Antonio, Tx.
35 years old

May 20, Pop's Nightclub, Sauget, IL

From Caroline Jackson:
This was the best show I've ever seen!! Saw Yngwie at a restaurant and he was cool enough to sign my guitar! Wish I would have known about the backstage pass earlier, maybe next time. Thanks Yngwie!!!!

From Ray:
Absolutely the most incredible guitar playing I have ever seen! I'm really sorry now that I've never seen him live until now, but it seems like anytime he's been around Chicago, it's not well publicized. The man absolutely defines "shredding" guitar! And what was really cool, was that he took the time to make sure he autographed something for everyone that hung around after the show.. which wasn't over till nearly midnight. I had always wondered if he would actually put his autograph on my Malmsteen Signature Strat if I had the opportunity to ask... well, he did! Thanks Yngwie! Keep playing LOUD!

From John Seemuth:
What a show! Drove 5 hours with a buddy of mine from Coralville, Iowa to Pop's in Sauget, Illinois to see the Maestro in action. Of course, as always, Yngwie kicked ass. This was my 7th time seeing him and he never disappoints. He absolutely ripped on that strat tonight! Band was tight, Yngwie looks like he's still having a ball up there. Awesome song selection! After the show, my bud and I decided- instead of waiting for 1-2 hours by the bus and having our cream strats taken on and signed by Yngwie, let's pony up some dough and meet the man in person! They had a deal at the merch booth: $250 for a meet n greet v.i.p. pass to meet the MAN. Fuck it, it's only money- how often do you get to hang out with a living legend like Yngwie for 15 minutes? Which is pretty much what happened! Just me, my buddy, Yngwie and his sister-in-law (who was extremely nice and accomodating as is her husband, Mick Cervino) in a backstage room! We walked in and I was taken aback by how larger-than-life Yngwie is! 6'3'' wearing his trademark leathers and jewelry and sunglasses. Very imposing, but super-cool and friendly! He checked out my friend's 1980's Strat- very worn and looking alot like "the Duck", which I loved hearing Yngwie talk about. Fender custom shop is making a limited # of 200 exact replicas of Yngwie's famed strat? Sweet! Then he signed everything we had and I was kicking myself for not bringing a camera! Yngwie is a great guy and a true guitar hero in every sense of the term. I highly recommend the v.i.p. meet n greet deal- $250 will come and go but visiting with a living legend does not happen very often.

From Howard Tate:
I've been a fan of the Maestro since I first found out about him in the mid 80s. More than one friend told me I'd love Yngwie because of my interest in hard, dramatic rock and classical music. They were right. Yngwie is my favorite musician, period. I'm almost 52; in case anyone finds that interesting.

May 20 at a place called Pops in Sauget, Illinois; I roll into the lot and wonder where the rest of the place is. Pops is like a large bar. They can cram 1500 in there for shows, even more if they move the pool tables. The place was about half full. I couldn't believe it. Yngwie packs stadiums in some parts of the world but in Sauget, just across the river from St. Louis, only about 700 people show up.

There was a long lull between the opening act and the main event but when Yngwie hit the stage all hell broke loose. The band rocked like their lives depended on it; for a small, half-filled house! They did not hold back anything, just because they were playing to a small audience. I was impressed and humbled by their professionalism.

I have never enjoyed a concert more and I have had season tickets to the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, heard 70s Genesis in Kiel Opera House and was at the legendary 89 Who concert in Busch Stadium.

Everyone in Rising Force is great and I'm so glad Yngwie finally found a drummer who can keep up with him. But the most incredible thing is how Yngwie makes his impossible playing look like child's play. He goofs and mugs and kicks and twirls his guitar and just has a ball while he's shredding arpeggios almost too fast to listen to. What planet is this guy from?

And let's not overlook the fact that Yngwie wrote and arranged all that beautiful music. He is the real maestro of our time and it is so sad to me that so few people in the US realize it.

I am going to try to see another concert in this tour. I can hardly believe how good it was. The Maestro just keeps getting better.

Howard Tate - editor, The Sangamon Star

From Nancy V.:
I am convinced that Yngwie is a reincarnation of Nicolo Paganini. Truly  amazing. The riffs on Baroque themes were outstanding (I'm sure the  provenance of Yngwie's compositions is lost on most of his audience) and  his technique is absolutely unparalleled. He has no peer in guitar and I  can think of maybe 2 other musicians on the planet who have pushed the  envelope of what is possible and have achieved such a flawless,  effortless mastery of their instrument to the point where it is not the  person playing the instrument, rather a melding of the soul of the music  with the soul of the musician. Actually seeing him perform transforms  his music to a whole new experience. His genius gets lost in the mediocrity of his backup band, who make no mistake are very good and would even be considered excellent, were they not juxtaposed with Yngwie Malmsteen. My only complaint about the performance was that I could not
even hear the music or appreciate the intricacies of his playing, the sound level was beyond painful it was so loud. We had to leave, all we could hear was distortion and feedback.

May 19, Jillian's, Louisville, KY

From Sandy:

What a great show!  I took my daughter, who is 11 years old to her very 1st concert to see Yngwie.  We were in the front on Yngwie's side of the stage.  The show started late, which was a little disappointing.  But, once Yngwie started to play, we forgot all about how long we have been standing to keep our place up front.  It was well worth it.  The whole band sounded great!  We each got a guitar pick.  My favorite part of the show, is when Yngwie played some of his music with the taped orchestra playing in the back ground.  This is my favorite music he has done.  The dvd is awesome!. This new Rising Force band was awesome too.  We left a few minutes early to buy a concert shirt and necklace, and went outside to see if we could get a picture with Yngwie, he jetted quickly inside the bus, and only signed items from fans from inside. I took one picture with the singer and my daughter.  A person behind me asks what it takes to shake Yngwie's hand, someone from the bus states,"it's not going to happen".  I was disappointed to hear that.  We left after getting a autograph on our concert ticket and cd insert.  My daughter really enjoyed the concert.  I only wish Yngwie was more sociable.

From Ned:
The guitar master was incredible, Yngwie had so much intensity and power it  was unreal. I first saw him in Virginia in the early 80's and have been  waiting to see him again, this was the third time for me. What is there to say.  Trilogy Suite Opus 4, Black Star, You don't remember, Demon Driver, Cherokee  Warrior, I'll see the Light, I am a Viking, Star Spangled Banner, Gates of Babylon, Burn (Deep Purple), Red House, and so on. I have never seen such intensity before, shredding 5 out of 6 strings on one of his solos, leaving just the E string intact, which I am amazed was still there. This was another recorded concert, I hope that this one makes it to
CD. The whole band was into the concert from the start, I guess the reason was the opening band did not show up and Rising Force had to do it all, which they did undeniably. Thank You for another excellent concert, I'll never forget..  Ned

From Shane Kimble:
Ok, here is my review in Louisville and it was amazing. It kicked ass out of Joe Satriani and his last concert I saw. He played songs from Unleash the Fury and Rising force and Black Star. He swung his guitar around his neck quite a bit and kicked his legs out and he had the encore thing. Yngwie is God if there is a God.

The songs I remember are:
1. Faster then the Speed of Light
2. Cracking the Whip
3. Crown of Thorns
4. Baroque and Roll
5. Far Beyond the Sun
6. Paraphrase
7. Acoustic Guitar Solo
8. Black Star
9. Adagio
10. Demon Driver
11. Red House (Hendrix Cover)
12. I'll See the Light Tonight
13. I am a Viking
but not in this order.

Here are my reviews of the band on a scale 1-5

Drummer 6/5
Yngwie 5/5

Singer 5/5
Keyboard 3/5 (Why weren't you playing?)
Bass 5/5

Thanks for coming to Louisville KY, Yngwie. It was great that the crowd wasn't too big and I liked screaming. I wore the Yngwie cap again but didn't get to meet him. Overall the concert was great and he didn't make us wait too long. There was a line of people who wanted his autograph and I decided not to wait. Well hope to see Yngwie again.

May 18, Newport Music Hall, Columbus, OH

From Todd A.:
Greetings from Rainy Ohio....As far as professional photographs.. It didnt happen.. The promoter wouldnt even let me take a sharpie into the show, so not photos .. Thats a big dissapointment..
The keyboard player was a real *** too.. Ex Dream Theatre muscian. Yngwie signed autographs after the show on the bus, but he never came out and said hello. I waited 20 years for this?
The show was fantastic, he even did "Black Star" flip side song.. I cant remember the name of it, but im certain know one else knew it since it was so obscure.. Also, did Deep Purple medley of " Burn" and " I dont remember from Triology... He didnt play, The Queen is in love, but thats okay.. Not the original singer anyway...
Overwall, it was a good show but it would have been more cool if he was more freindly... We can always dream !
Peace.

May 16, Royal Oak Music Theatre, Royal Oak, MI

From Ken Clark:
Yngwie was looking better than previous years, however, it was hard to tell about his playing cause it was difficult too hear over the LOUD DISTORTED BASS!! This was evident from the first notes of the opening act Orange Sky. As soon as the drums and
bass kicked in it was time to pull out the ear plugs. Someone at the sound board must have getting off on the vibrations of the bass or they were deaf. Usually Yngwie plays Harpo's in Detroit, everytime he's there it sounds fine. Otherwise, the show was good, the band was tight, and the lighting & effects were better than I've ever seen at a Malmsteen show. Many new songs including Cherokee Warrior, Cracking The Whip, and The Winds Of War were awesome! I could have done without the old warhorses You Don't Remember, or Black Star. But I still like Far Beyond The Sun, Trilogy, and I'll See The Light. The big bummer was the terrible sound which was
  like going to a baseball game with a blindfold on your face. You're only going to enjoy part of the show, the part where Yngwie plays solo without band drowning him out cause the sound guy had his head in his ass!

From Screamin' Al:
For all that were there, I need only say two words: "Holy crap!!"  As best I can remember, this was Yngwie's first trip back to the ROMT in Michigan in 19 years. In recent years it's been very nicely renovated, and it's just the perfect setting for Yngwie to be playing: a large stage only as high as waist or chest-level, with just a light steel-barricade you could lean over, to catch every bit of the great sound; and a nice high ceiling...No lie, and no fluff, this is the best I've ever heard Yngwie, maybe something to do with the venue size and
acoustics, (or the fact that I was only about 10 feet from the stage!) The band's sound and playing was absolutely explosive! I'm lost on the details, but there was a furious improvisation during a long solo, maybe during "Demon Driver," where all the band was tight, and Yngwie's playing just took on an amazing life of it's own, it was unreal and mesmerising! The light show also was thee best I'd ever seen at one of his shows, creative, exciting and complementive to the music: the strobes even harkened back to the video for "I'll See the Light Tonight." There was tons of fog sent into the air straight up above into the light rigs and there was so much of it
that at various times during the show that fog would swirl in the air, and looking up at the light rig, with the incredible music, it was like witnessing THE CREATION, or floating within a nebula; there were also lights that were red and yellow which looked holographic, just damned incredible, the whole experience! ...And, we love the band, they fu#*ing rocked!

From Shawn Kaminski:
Well, I wish I could give the Yngwie concert a positive review, but I can't because of one simple reason: It was way too f*cking LOUD. It was like one big muddled wall of noise. I own every f*cking Yngwie recording, love his playing, and know all of his songs but there were some songs that I couldn't even figure out because it was a big f*cking distorted mess. What the h*ll is wrong with the people making the sound/volume decisions?

The last time I saw Yngwie was in a small club setting and the sound levels were good. However, this time it was a bigger theatre-type venue. Anyway, I couldn't take the noise anymore and my buddy and I left early and went to his place and drank beer.

From Jay S.:
What a show and a great performer and guitar player. Yngwie "rocked that place so hard they should check the walls for cracks." I really saw something fall from the ceiling like a paint chip or something !! Anyways I paid $20.00 to see him great deal. It was worth every penny and lots more and Yngwie was throwing picks in to the crowd and I got two somehow . Thank you for a wonderful evening Yngwie and the rest of the band, you guys rock.

May 15, Opera House Concert Venue, Toronto, Canada

From Sam Ardat:
I started listening to yngwie when i was in my late twenties. Now I'm fourty years old and still I felt I was welcomed among the fans who attended the concert in Toronto. I took a day off from work just to be there and see yngwie malmsteen. I appreciated him playing some music from the concerto and Unleash the fury. I'm looking forward to see him again in toronto were people from all different backgrounds came to see the maestro.

From David Moffatt:
Mr. Malmsteen, I left you gig here in Toronto "numb" I can only state " silence is dealier than words" WOWWW !!! I have been a devoted fan of yours since your debut release and you ROCK buddy !!! I will gladly see you again as you are a major inspiration in my playing. I also went and picked up a Marshall 100 watt head and cab, as this is the gear you only use. Let the good times roll MASTER !!!!!!!! Thanks alot for a great show in Toronto May 15th 2006 ... Devoted, David Moffatt

From Nickle gt:
I and my two other buddies took off work for the whole day to see Yngwie, we really wanted to meet the band and hopefully get a pic with Yngwie, we got to the Opera House around 2:00pm, as we were walking towards the bus,  who do we se but Mic Cervino, we approached him for an autograph, I must say that he was a very humble man and spoke very softly, he signed all of our tickets and
headed back in for soundcheck. We all hung around for a while and then out of  nowhere Patrik Johansson begins to approach us, we asked the amazing drummer for an autograph and picture, after he put something on the tour bus he came right out and signed our tickets and took 2 pics with us, After I and my buddy went to get something to eat, while my other friend stayed to meet other band
members, when we came back my friend informed me that he just took a pic with Dougie White!!! After waiting for a while Dougie came outside again and gladly snapped a  photo with us and signed our tickets

I must say the whole band were class act guys, we appreciated the photos, fast forward to the show, It was amazing!!!!
Yngwie was in very high spirits and the band played with all guns blazing, fantastic stuff, Yngwie was shooting guitar picks left and right, switching stratocasters like a mad man, after the show we met up with band again, all of them had a little chat with us, Yngwie's manager took our stuff on the bus to get signed by Yngwie, over all it was a amazing day, Props to the band for being such classy guys, although we didnt get a pic with Yngwie, the day was still fantastic!!

From CJ Ferguson:
Excellent show in Toronto. Yngwie was on fire. A few technical problems during the show involving the guitar cutting out but otherwise
nearly 2 hours of scorching guitar mastery. The highlight for me was the encore with Black Star, Cherokee Warrior and I'll See The Light Tonight. They recorded this show also and had a guy with a video camera taking footage. No tour shirts left for sale was the only
disappointment of the night.

From Zell:
This was my First Rock concert. It was held at the Opera House, it was absolutely amazing. As I stood on the balcony in awe it hit me how amazing he was. If u have only heard him play, you are missing out, you have to see this. The man is a beast when he plays, hes SO FAST and he's having a great time so it rubs off on the audience. I am fairly new to Yngwie but I picked up most of the songs and cross checked the ones I didn't know at home. You hear Voodoo Child in the background and then the band jumps into Rising Force and Yngwie runs and jumps onto the stage and tears it up. It only got better from there. Demon Driver, You Don't Remember I'll Never Forget, Rise Up, Gates of Babylon, Red House, intro to Black Star, Cherokee Warrior, Far Beyond the Sun. Just an INSANE  concert, had a great time and it's a shame Yngwie isn't more popular here in North America. Next time I have to get an autograph though.

From Eric Y.:
My friend and I took in the show last night at the Opera House, Toronto. It  was an awesome show and Yngwie was beyond amazing. The show was a fine mix  of new material and old favorites. The whole band was tight and ripped through the material flawlessly. Well worth the four hour drive each way and the tired day today. The crowd was wide mix of ages and all had a good time. I've been a fan since the early 80's so, if you are thinking of checking this tour out, go for it. Not many people start and refine a new genre but Yngwie is the master. Thanks for the good show.

From Matt Keefer:
Toronto was fantastic! Yngwie was in excellent form, and despite a few glitches with his guitar cutting out, the show was a success! This is my third time seeing him live, and this was definitely the best. He seemed to be having a lot of fun on stage, and kept the energy level pegged at 11 for the two and a half hours that he played. Also exciting is that Toronto will be the next live album!

May 14, Le Medley, Montreal, Canada

From Federico:
Hell, I want to thanks Yngwie and the rest of the guys for the show they bring to us last Sunday. I'm from Uruguay, I found the Rising Force LP when I was 14 years old, and now at 36 I meet him at Montreal. I grew up with Yngwie and his music. It has been really important to me saw Yngwie and hear those songs live. I give thanks to him to give every show the importance it deserves, I know he plays every day, but I'm convinced he gives all he can in each show. Thanks to him (I don't know if Yngwie reads this stuff.) But thanks again to give me a great moment in life.

From Justin Moniz:
My God, that show Yngwie played was AMAZING, this was my first time seeing him, but I was blown away, especially when he came out on stage,. Since I first started playing guitar I've loved Yngwie Malmsteen's work, I love neo-classical. He played most of my favorite songs: Dreaming (Tell Me), You Don't Remember, I'll Never Forget, Baroque and Roll. Man it was amazing, when he came out for the encore was even better. The acoustic that he played was unbelievable, I couldn't see his fingers clearly because they were so fast. That was the best show I've ever seen, and I've seen quite a few concerts, just none from him. Great show Yngwie!!!

From Tavi B.:
I saw Malmsteen last night in Montreal. My dream came true. I was born in Romania and my first contact with his music was on a "Trilogy" Chinese tape, back in 1991, after the fall of communism. It was just amazing to see him playing live "You don't remember, I'll never forget", since I never dreamed, being in Romania, to see him live. What a man! He is definitely some kind of god just playing on earth.  You rock Yngwie.

May 13, Imperial, Quebec City, Canada

From Daves Couture:
I was one of the fans that waited for Yngwie Malmsteen for about 20 years. This time, he was here and in a great mood. All the reviews were positive about this tour and the show in Quebec was the same. A great set, a great sound and musicians that seems to be very happy to be here. I saw all videos and DVD of the Maestro. The show was all that, in true reality. Yngwie Malmsteen played with the crowd et he really seemed to enjoy his time in Quebec. Fans were able to meet him at the bus before the show and we appreciated that. Thanks for this first time in Quebec and we hope that Yngwie will come back here. YNGWIE WHO???

From Crush:
I saw Malmsteen yesterday at l’imperial Québec city Canada; this was my first time to see him live, What a fireball that guy, he is the Mozart of our generation, nothing less than an exceptionally gifted. The set list was great and he played a deep purple cover (BURN). What a night…

May 12, Northern Lights, Clifton Park, NY

From Brian Seymour:
AFTER 20 YEARS GOT A CHANCE TO SEE YNGWIE AGAIN AT NORTHERN LIGHTS. AWESOME SHOW!! I HAVE FOLLOWED HIM SINCE HIS FIRST CD RISING FORCE AND HE STILL BLOWS MY MIND. THE FIRST TIME I SAW HIM I WAS 16 AND HE WAS ON THE TRILOGY TOUR OPENING FOR TRIUMPH AT THE SYRACUSE WAR MEMORIAL.. I MUST HAVE BEEN BLESSED THAT NIGHT BECAUSE JUST BY CHANCE I RAN INTO WALLY VOSS (BASS PLAYER) AND HE WAS SO KIND AS TO INVITE ME AND MY FRIENDS BACKSTAGE AFTER THE SHOW. WOW, WHAT A TIME, WE GOT TO HANG OUT IN THE HOSPITALITY ROOM WITH ALL THE GUYS FROM THE BAND AND PARTY!! AFTER A WHILE YNGWIE CAME TO JOIN AND WAS VERY KIND TO US. HE SIGNED ALL OUR TICKETS AND LETS US TAKE SOME PICTURES WITH HIM. AND HE TOOK THE TIME TO ANSWER A TON QUESTIONS AS MY FRIENDS AND I WERE ALL GUITAR PLAYERS. WHAT A TREAT TO BE ABLE TO CHAT AND PICK UP SOME TRICKS FROM THE MASTER. AFTER THAT WE HOPPED IN THE CAR WITH JEFF SCOTT SOTO AND HEADED TO THE HOTEL WHERE WE HUNG OUT WITH THE GUYS AND HAD A GREAT TIME. THANKS AGIAN YNGWIE !! IF YOU HAVE NEVER SEEN HIM LIVE GO SEE HIM HE IS NOTHING SHORT OF INCREDABLE. AND IF YOU PLAY GUITAR HE'LL INSPIRE YOUR PLAYINGFOREVER. THANKS AGAIN FOR THE GREAT SHOW AND MEMORIES OF A LIFETIME!

From Clark Howell:
It is more fun to see Yngwie twice in the same week! This was simply the greatest Yngwie magic I have ever witnessed... he really got into a "zone" tonight. The crowd was pumped up, and the stage at Northern Lights is very cozy- you could tell the band enjoys playing there. Dougie was in much better spirits, and he gave a knockout performance for the ages, but you don't have to believe me, because it was recorded for a future Yngwie Live album. I saw the ribbon microphones facing the audience, and the overhead mics for the drumkit in Hartford, too, but Dougie finally confirmed it tonight with an announcement, and then he asked the crowd to go as crazy as possible for the next 20 seconds. Fun!

Two song changes tonight were "Rise Up" in place of "Razor Eater", and "Burn" in place of "Demon's Eye". The crushing 1-2 punch of Johansson and Cervino fueled the fury, and really this was magical times 500, Yngwie squeezing everything way over the top and into the stratosphere. Biggest difference from previous tours is that these guys are professional team players, and wherever Yngwie goes musically, they are right there to answer. Malmsteen slipped the theme from the "Halloween" movies in to his extended solo, replete with evil grin and devil horned fingers. Wicked!

Nigel, Nicholas, Adam, and Obasi of Orange Sky all signed my "Upstairs" CD, great guys, their set went down a storm. Today was such a beautiful day. Thanks again, Yngwie and all!

May 11, Mr. Small's Theatre, Pittsburgh, PA

From Melanie:
Yngwie put on one hell of a show in the 'burgh! Awesome venue and set list.  I was hoping to hear Black Star and he definitely stunned me with it. We  loved his energy! He looked like he had the greatest time and therefore, so did  we. I also LOVED his leather pants!! You rock, Yngwie!! Hope you visit the  Pittsburgh area again. Rock On! Melanie

From DJ Mad Maxx:
I was witness to the best Yngwie Show I've seen yet. There was a  certain magic this time round. Yngwie looked like he was having a real  good time and really enjoyed playing for us. The set list and the  sound was great. It was also nice to hear some older songs that have  been out of the touring rotation for some time. Both opening acts were  awesome. ... My only dissapointment was not getting to meet him. I  have an '88 Yngwie Strat but the original owner sanded off his  signature.. I would have loved to have Yngwie put it back on. Maybe  next time. PLAY LOUD!

From Daniel:
This was my first time to see Yngwie Malmsteen live in concert. I have some of his cds, but never witnessed it live until tonight. Holy moly, is that man on fire. I was absolutely stunned and amazed by his performance and playing ability. He makes it look so easy! Yngwie and crew played a good set of songs, and everyone (good mixed crowd of young and older) seemed to be really into the show. Yngwie himself appeared to be really having a good time and enjoying it as well which I believe helps make the show even that much better. I left the show just going "wow" in my head. I feel bad for not having seen him live earlier, I was definitely
missing out. The opening acts (local) Icarus Witch and Orange Sky were top notch as well. I really thought Orange Sky had a cool sound going, and very good playing as well. Anyone who is going to future shows will be greatly pleased with the performances as I was.

May 10, Crocodile Rock, Allentown, PA

From Keith Walck:

I saw Yngwie in Allentown on May 10 and it was an incredible show. The  opening band, Orange Sky is fantastic, and I think Yngwie shows real  integrity by having a relatively unknown, but very talented group open up  for him.

I first saw Yngwie opening up for AC/DC in 1981. He was jaw-dropping then,  and he's even better now. I was in the second row, and it was like being at  a guitar clinic. I feel sorry for the other members of his band, because  they don't get the attention they would if they were in a band without  Yngwie. There are few guitarists today who command your attention like he  does. (You have to pay attention, or you'll get hit with one of the many  picks he throws to the crowd. I caught two, and had another two snatched  from my grasp.)

His playing was perfect, even though he seemed upset a few times with his  gear. (A tuning issue and a volume issue with his acoustic. A wall of  Marshall stacks prevents any volume issues with the electric guitars.)

He kept his guitar tech busy with constant guitar changes and pick refills.  He was a fun part of the show. During sound check, someone yelled  "W.A.S.P.", and he gave the crowd the universal metal devil horn salute.

If you get a chance to see "The Maestro", don't miss it. Get there early so  you can witness a master of the instrument up close and personal, and tell  his guitar tech I said "Hi".

From Jason Hewitt:
I have been a huge Yngwie fan since 1984 and have seen him live from huge arenas to small intimate clubs. On May 10th I saw him at the Croc Rock in Allentown PA; the show was the best I have ever seen. Yngwie seemed so energized and full of excitement to play it was incredible. His playing was the best I have seen from the Maestro in years. It was interesting to see the range of ages coming to see him, from the very young teenagers to old people with grey hair. Everyone was there to see the master do his thing and he gave his all and then some. Thanks, Yngwie for another great show and the inspiration to start playing again.

May 9, Webster Theatre, Hartford, CT

From Joseph Grogan:
This was the second time I've seen Yngwie Malmsteen: I got a chance to catch him last November at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA. What a difference this show was! Overall, the band was tighter, Doogie's voice was dead on, and Yngwie just blew the roof off of the place. He was easily hitting shredding speeds that I have never heard him hit before, and the acrobatic showmanship did not let up for a second. The setlist was identical to the other shows- the band has really become an element with their performance. Unbelievable! Yngwie F*cking Malmsteen!

From Clark Howell:

Checking in from the Webster Theater in Hartford, CT, and a classic Malmsteen night of fun and fury. Got to the club as the doors opened, so I could make it straight to the front, on Yngwie’s side of the stage. People in Connecticut are so polite, they actually saved my place while I went and checked out the merchandise table (and accidentally went into the ladies room, but that’s another story). Great T-shirts this time around, especially the new one with the original 1984 Rising Force album cover, and “Unleash The Fury” on the back, plus an updated UTF tour shirt with all the 2006 dates and venues listed. Also bought an autographed copy of the new CD (I gave my store-bought one to a friend a few days ago to learn the tunes).

Waited out two local acts, then Orange Sky slammed onstage. They are as good as everyone has been saying, I will definitely get their CD. Beatles quality harmonies and songwriting, with killer metal delivery and fiery lead guitar, I think these guys deserve to go all the way.

Finally, Yngwie! Some interesting notes about the equipment- the stage setup was almost identical to the 2005 tour, with the exception of the bass cabinets (GK instead of the usual Ampeg), and the keyboard placement (farther back, and with the keys angled to let the audience see Derek Sherinian’s hands on the ivory). I think the new bass cabinets made a world of difference, because for once the bass fit perfectly into the stage mix. No knock on the old Ampegs, but I always thought the bass sound on earlier tours was too pronounced and distorted in the midrange, clashing with the sound of the guitar. Not this time- Mick Cervino’s runs were clear and crisp, leaving tons of sonic room for Yngwie to fill with his commanding tone.

Set list has already been posted, so I’ll just mention the exceptions. As Yngwie hit the stage, he immediately noticed the lights at the front were washing out the lights in the back, and he gestured emphatically several times for the tech to cut the front lights. Once achieved, the stage looked great, and the band ripped through several up tempo favorites, including Cracking the Whip, with Yngwie singing the choruses. The band is so much more polished this time around, and it enables Yngwie to really let his guitar sing. By the fifth song (the Badinerie), it was obvious this was going to be a very special performance, because the ’68 maple-necked Strat (same one as on the back of UTF) was sustaining beautifully, and Yngwie was able to soar through any passage with the confidence that the
feedback would be musical and controlled. As such, he pushed himself to a level of perfection that is a rare and wonderful thing to behold. All his solos were focused and energetic, ashe played in and around the melodies of each song freely. I’ve seen Yngwie many
times, and when the sound isn’t right, he has to cut notes short, or simulate sustain with his right hand, or sometimes he just slams an open E power chord and spins the guitar around until the passage goes away. But tonight he was able to play all the melodies exactly how he wanted them to be played, and we really got a treat. On Demon’s Eye, he stuck to an exact, note-for-note complete rendition of the Blackmore solo. On Far Beyond the Sun and Black Star, he danced beautifully in and out of the legendary melodies, playing the classics with a fiery passion.

The ’68 Strat was so incredibly perfect tonight, that when Yngwie had to switch to the 1970 model, there was a noticeable drop in brightness, and his Cheshire cat grin suddenly became a scowl. He wrestled valiantly through Baroque and Roll, all the while casting the evil eye at the guitar tech, urging him to retune the ’68 and switch back as soon as possible. For some reason, the first time he tried to switch back (for Dreaming- Tell Me), the ’68 wasn’t tuned correctly, and Yngwie was noticeably angry. I’ve seen him adjust the tuning on the fly several times before, but tonight he decided he wouldn’t play it until the tech adjusted it on the strobe, and Yngwie made do with the “wrong” Strat for one more song. Never fear, Dreaming was still a masterpiece, with Dougie really nailing it.

Cool moment- during the Trilogy Suite intro, Yngwie (back with the ’68) pulled out all the stops, shouting “Come on, mother f**ker” in between riffs, and then suddenly yanking off the band-aid that had been protecting a cut on his hand. Band-aid gone, he charged into some seriously furious fretboard wizardry, and then a fantastic version of “Red House.”

Instead of Locked and Loaded, we were treated to Razor Eater, and there was plenty of action from the magnificent “Inspiration” album- “Demon’s Eye” and “Gates of Babylon.” Highlight of the night for me was “Cherokee Warrior” in the encore slot
(between Black Star and I’ll See the Light Tonight). It’s my favorite song, and I was so totally stunned to see how awesome it sounded with just Yngwie singing, and no background vocals at all. His voice is so much stronger and full of delicious tone than ever before. Honestly, Yngwie, you can take over the vocals completely next album, you’ve come that far!

I brought two friends, and they had the time of their lives. We all got at least two guitar picks apiece, and everybody bought a different T-shirt. Thanks Anne, and thanks Yngwie, I’ll see you in Albany on Friday night!

From Mike:

Holy shit, was it awsome. This is my 6th time seeing Yngwie and it never gets old because he's always improvising the counterparts and the original main line. His style will never run dry. Anyways he opened up with the usual Rising Force. The runner up was Demon Driver to which I fucking went insane and when Cracking the Whip came on a fight happened right in front of me so they got kicked out so yay, I'm a couple feet closer!!! Remember to bring your earplugs!! Then Crown of Thorns which the tempo was sped up, I love when he does that, it makes it much more intense. to me. Then the usual lead up to Far Beyond the Sun, then Winds of War which molded into Gates of Babylon. Awesome drum solo. Badinerie. Yngwie seemed to be upset in the beginning with lighting and such but they pulled it together in the end. Fuckin awesome. Kicks and picks to add the hype. An acoustic set that led into Dreaming. then Yngwie's Trilogy Suite guitar solo (and yes with the heavy Krakatau riff!!!!!) Fugue. You Don't Remember, I'll Never Forget. 20 years later still pouring out his heart into everything he does. Cherokee Warrior!!!!! that's a first for me, he didn't play that in 2005 when I seen him, nor Rise Up, but it's ok. Paraphrase next! Another first for me. Very quick tempo Air on G String hastily rushing through it for some reason. When he switched guitars it wasnt tuned to his liking and you could see the reaction on Yngwie's face like what the fuck? and it was pretty funny, he just grabbed another one. Actually "You dont remember", meshed into Demons Eye! I would have loved to hear something from Alchemy or War to End all Wars but oh well. Great show. The usual beautiful heart pouring Black Star encore with I'll See the Light. Always a great show!! fuckin awesome!

May 7, Roper Performing Arts Center, Norfolk, VA

From Steve Lenda:
This show was the third time I had seen Yngwie live and this was by far the best!!! The last time he showed up my son and I got to meet him at a local music store called Mars music. This time though he was on fire and blazed through a tremendous set which spanned his entire career. It's sad that this generation's rock version of Bach, Beethoven, Handel, etc. doesn't receive the exposure he so undoubtedly deserves. Hopefully this incredible tour will bring a wider audience and add to the legion of fans he has worldwide. He truly is the undisputed king and tireless pioneer of neo-classical rock!

From Sean W.:
So, the promoter called me Sunday afternoon to let me know that Yngwie was going to be brought in to our record store. Of course I dropped everything, grabbed all my Yngwie related CD covers and flew up there. I got there about 5 minutes before Yngwie and was just hanging out talking to the 4 NAVY guys who were there buying tickets. They had just gotten back from a tour in the Middle East that morning at 5AM and were excited to see Yngwie. As they were going on and on about how happy they were to see the show, Yngwie walks in and I said, "Hey guys, look who just walked in." They fell silent and looked almost scared. They wouldn't speak to Yngwie except to say, "Hey man, we'll see you at the show tonight." Yngwie shook their hands and went looking through our DVDs selecting a bunch of Deep Purple and DIO era Rainbow stuff.

It was Yngwie and the drummer and I started talking to drummer while helping Yngwie find a few things. The drummer, Patrick Johansson<http://www.patrickjohansson.com/>, played on the 2 recent Yngwie albums as well as toured with WASP in the last year.
We were chatting and Yngwie was just having a good time talking to the owner about Rainbow and Blackmore. He was all smiles. The store owner, Steve, mentioned that he had a '74 Strat in the store and Yngwie instantly said, "I'll buy it. Right now. Give it to me. $4000. Where is it?" Steve said it wasn't for sale as it was his very first guitar. Yngwie said, "Fair enough, I can respect that."

So after buying the DVDs we snapped a few pics with Yngwie and he was in good spirits saying, "This is the first place on the tour where we have been treated so well. Thank you, thank you, thank you." Patrick was so very cool and gracious as well. I pull out all of my CD covers and Yngwie signs them all commenting on each album. "Steeler? Man, what a dreadful album!" He then looked at me and said, "Sean, are you coming to the soundcheck? You should really come by, it'll be cool, yeah?" So of course I went. As I am walking in, the promoter gives me 3 all access passes.

As we arrived at the theatre I called Patrick to tell him that I have the WASP DVD that he wanted and we hung out for a little while backstage. He gave me a copy of one of his other bands called Kinlin<http://kinlinonline.com/>. "Call me and let me know what you think of it." It's really good! He heads back to bus and I head back into the main area of the theatre as the opening band is about to start.

They were called Orange Sky<http://theorangesky.com/>. They are from Trinidad and were OK overall. They were very tight but I didn't really care for their style. Very nice guys though. The whole crowd was sitting down during their performance. As soon as they finished, I just walked up front and stood on the edge of the stage in front of Yngwie's pedals to secure my spot. My 2 cohorts were up there as well. I found it odd that until 5 minutes before showtime, everyone stayed in their seats. Maybe they thought you couldn't stand in front of the stage. Who knows? Didn't matter, I was up there and everyone followed suit.

Right before everyone came up out of their seats, my friend Shelly and her friend rolled in and we talked for a bit. They stayed next to us on the edge of the stage all night. It was very cool.

The lights start to dim and you can hear Yngwie soundchecking for a minute ripping some serious shred. I forgot my earplugs and knew I was in for a loud night.

Then the lights went all the way down and the keyboard intro to Rising Force came on. The show has now started. For the first few songs, Yngwie looked a little stiff in his playing but seemed to loosen up by the 3rd song. He was awesome, of course. He threw out a ton of picks, of course. He somehow cut open the pinky finger of his picking hand but it didn't phase him int he least. He was just incredible. Derek Sherinian<http://www.dereksherinian.com/home.html> was on keyboards, Doogie White was on vocals and Mick Cervino was on bass. It was certainly Yngwie's show. If Doogie wasn't singing, he stood in the back with the rythm section. The only one seemingly having fun other than Yngwie was Patrick. Unlike the last time I saw Yngwie (2001), he really looked like he was having fun.

The show over all was really good. He played several tracks from the new album which is very good and threw in some oldies as well as a few covers. During one of his solos, he crouched down in front of me and prompted me to hold my hands out. People kept trying to grab his Strat but he set it down on my hands and played his solo while I held it. That was pretty cool.

After the show ended, we all hung out in the lobby until it was time to go backstage. There were about 20 of us and the whole band came in except for Derek and Cervino. Yngwie sat and signed everything that everyone had with them but made it a point to come up to us and say how happy he was to have been treated so well and to have met such nice folks. I was still amazed at how humble he seemed. They said that the night before was a disaster in northern Virginia.

I basically hung out with Patrick and Doogie until it was time to go. We all had a great time and it was great to get a few new connections. 

Then we went home.

Setlist:

Rising Force
Demon Driver
Bandiniere
Cracking the Whip
Crown of Thorns
Exile
Adagio
Star Spangled Banner
Far Beyond the Sun
Paraphrase into Dreaming
Gates of Babylon(!!!)
Baroque and Roll
Revolution
Demon's Eye (Deep Purple!!!)
Trilogy Suite
Red House
Fugue (from the Concerto album)
You Don't Remember, I'll Never Forget
(Encore)
Black Star
I'll See the Light Tonight

Never Die and Locked & Loaded were on the list but they skipped them. The other review mentioned Cherokee Warrior, but for whatever reason I don't remember it.

From Steve Schrecengost:
I was at the Roper Center on Sunday May 7 and it was probably the best I have ever seen Yngwie and I have seen him many times since the first time opening for AC/DC in 1985!The set list May 6 is pretty much exactly as the Norfolk show including the Star Spangled Banner with Yngwie ripping with one hand and saluting the crowd with the other.Also, be sure to get there early to catch Orange Sky as I Arrived at 7:20 and they finished at 7:27 - From what I saw of them they rocked way hard and the crowd loved them.It just ruled!!!!

From Andy Hilton:
I've seen Yngwie at least ten times over his career, and I have to say that last night's show was one of his best yet. Yngwie's fit and ready to rock! He lit up the stage with almost two hours of some of his best material, including no less than three extended instrumental interludes. Of course, getting up to the front (at the stage) and being close enough to see every
drip of sweat on maestro's brow made the show that much more of a thrill. To see two hours of non-stop Yngwie in a club/small theater environment is well worth the price of admission.

Dougie, Derek, Patrik and Mick were tight together as a band; just right for supporting one of the greatest guitar talents ever to walk this earth. Yngwie didn't disappoint. We were treated, to old and new material, concerto and blues numbers, acoustic and of course a night full of Marshall six-pack full stack ear splitting shred. Speaking of shred, Yngwie even ripped open a finger on his right hand early in the show, yet kept on playing. The bloody evidence was on his pick guard the entire night.

There were picks sprayed across the pit area, flicked, flipped and drop kicked to all of us who couldn't get enough. Bravo, Yngwie! Come back soon. Keep touring, keep composing and keep sharing your gifts with those of us who are not worthy!  :-)

From Craig:
I just attended Yngwie's concert and I must say to everybody that it was the best ever. He is in great shape physically and his playing is
better than ever. He was extremely great with the audience. He was all over the stage throwing guitars in the air. The show was just
phenomenal. If you can catch him on this tour please do so. It's worth the money!!!! Doogie is his singer however I don't even think that most people even knew that doogie was on stage. Yngwie's playing was all that we were watching. Yngwie was awesome, better than ever!!! I hope I get the chance to see him again.

From Rick Gutierrez:
Yngwie J. Malmsteen does NOT disappoint. I've waited 20 years to see him and it was well worth the wait. His performance (as well as the bands) was flawless and high-energy. The set list consisted of a mix of classic Yngwie tunes, some Hendrix, Deep Purple and songs from "Unleash the Fury." YOU MUST GO SEE THIS SHOW! Hopefully he will add some more dates in my area so I can check it out again. It's not often you get to see a living legend in the flesh. Thanks for the incredible show Yngwie.

May 6, The State Theatre, Falls Church, VA

From Bard Woltman:
Wow.
The last time I saw Yngwie in concert was 1986 at the Spectrum in Philadelphia. Joe Lynn Turner was on vocals and Yngwie was opening for Triumph. That was 20 years ago and the master still has the chops! What an eclectic bunch in the audience on Saturday night. From hard core headbangers to suit and tie guys (myself being the latter) it was quite an event. It was so easy to get about 20 feet from the stage and the view was awesome! It was probably not dissimilar to seeing Paganini in concert in his heyday.

All in all it was a great show!!!

From Pam Picciotta:

My husband and I arrived at the venue around 6:40pm and there was already a line around the side of the building. Venue staff promptly announced that no cameras were allowed in the venue for the show. I was somewhat disappointed since I had e-mailed and called ahead and was told that I would be able to take pictures and that I would not need a press pass. So obviously, no pictures :^(

Fans of all ages from young kids with their parents to grandma’s with white hair showed up to see Yngwie’s performance. Everyone was getting anxious until the doors finally opened around 7:35pm. Once inside we saw that the front of the stage was filling up already so we decided to go down and find a place to stand. We were right in front of Yngwie’s mic stand and thankfully I had a short girl standing in front of me so I had a clear view of the whole stage. After all these years and I still manage to get into the middle of the action.

Orange Sky began their set around 9:20pm and amazed the crowd with their high energy Caribbean metal sound, complete with thunderous drums, blistering guitars mixed with soulful vocals. This combination of reggae and metal makes for a very unique sound and creates a style all their own. Orange Sky was very appreciative for the opportunity to open for Yngwie and praised him often for it. This being the second time I have seen this band, I think they sounded even better than in December. This band is definitely one to watch rise to the top!

After a brief break, the audience started getting restless and the anticipation grew to a fever pitch. The band took the stage and you could hear Yngwie warming up and the crowd went wild. The fog machines kicked in and so did Yngwie. He opened the show as usual with Rising Force. At that moment it made me realize what a legend Yngwie has become and it made me feel honored by the fact that I have watched it all unfold from nearly the very beginning. I still get awe struck by this man’s incredible talent and am continuously amazed by his playing.

Yngwie looked better than I have seen him in fifteen years! Fit and trim and full of energy. Through out his performance he was all over the stage doing more than his normal share of guitar twirls and kicks. Often playing the guitar behind his back and with his teeth, tossing dozens of guitar picks into the crowd and they loved it. Especially the younger kids who have never seen Yngwie before. You could see their jaws dropping to the floor!

Yngwie played flawlessly with so much intensity and emotion. The band was really tight and they really didn’t have any sound problems other than a little feed back which was promptly taken care of.

Doogie was sounding great as always. There was a little copy cat duo with Yngwie playing and Doogie singing, copying him note for note until Yngwie pulled off a 64th note appregio run and Doogie said, “Fuck that!”.

Derik Sherinian was right on the money and even had a small but very impressive keyboard solo during the show. They keys were mixed kind of low throughout the set though. Patrick and Mick were tight as a drum. This was definitely one of the best performances of Yngwie and Rising Force that I have seen in years. The theater was filled to capacity and was probably a sold out show by the looks of things.

After the show I managed to obtain a copy of the actual set list from Yngwie’s guitar tech, with the help of a security guy. It isn’t the one that Yngwie was using, but it is the actual set list for the night, minus some stuff that Yngwie threw in at the last minute. The set list consisted of:

Rising Force
Demon Driver
Hanger 18
Badinere into
Cracking The Whip
Crown of Thorns into
Exile
Adagio into
Far Beyond the Sun
Dreaming including
Paraphrase and
Segue into
Gates of Babylon
Baroque and Roll
Star Spangled Banner (included somewhere in here)
Revolution
Locked & Loaded
You Don’t Remember
Never Die
Red House

Encore included
Black Star
I’ll See the Light Tonight

After the show was over we headed out to the lobby and some of the members of Orange Sky were hanging out at the merchandise table. Obasi, their drummer recognized me from MySpace and gave me a big hug. We talked to him, Nigel and Adam for a few minutes and they all signed my copy of their CD that I had just bought. They are really a great bunch of guys and very humble. Their sound is awesome and they all are incredible musicians. My husband asked them how they got the opening gig for Yngwie and they told us that Yngwie heard their CD and had his management contact their booking agency. They said basically they were hand picked by Yngwie and are very grateful that he has given them such an incredible opportunity.

We went out and waited at the bus until Yngwie came out. There was a crowd of about 50 people and they weren’t letting anyone on the bus. They did however, take only one item per person in to be signed by Yngwie. I finally got my Japanese Import of the Concerto Suite signed.

I am a little disappointed that I didn’t have a chance to see April or to say hello to Yngwie but all in all it was a very memorable night. If you get a chance to catch this show during this tour, you won’t regret it!!

So there you have it, until next time......................

May 5, The Orange Peel, Asheville, NC

From Tammy: