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You can tell an artist has become an icon when their name is used as a byword for an entire genre or style of music. You think of sensitive singer songwriter confessionals? Elliott Smith comes to mind. Poetic descriptions of loneliness and alienation set? Morrissey is your guy. The fastest guitar playing in popular music? In terms of sheer technical skill, no-one epitomises it more than Yngwie Malmsteen.
The Swedish sensation is the very model of the guitar virtuoso and everything that comes with it. All the way down to the sheer ostentatiousness of everything he does on and off stage, not to mention the inflated ego that’s associated with that kind of musician as well. The kind that would be insufferable if he couldn’t back it up and needless to say, he backs it up with the kind of guitar playing that either leaves you either desperate to replicate it or swearing off ever playing the guitar for life.
For every guitarist who owes their career to Malmsteen, there are at least 40 whose own careers were cut short by hearing him play. It gets even more infuriating when ones considers that he’s almost entirely self-taught, and the only lessons he ever got were formal lessons in music theory and composition. However, the surreal thing is that for a player known almost exclusively for playing and composing highly technical pieces, influenced by classical composers like Bach and Vivaldi, the first player who made him want to play as a child wasn’t strictly speaking playing the guitar. In fact, he was destroying it.
It was a Jimi Hendrix TV special that the young Malmsteen watched when he was seven years old that made him interested in the instrument. Specifically the site of him smashing and burning his guitar on stage. Very soon afterwards he acquired a guitar of his own and started studying the instrument himself. By the time he was 10 he’d already formed his first band, and he hadn’t even discovered his most formative early influence yet. It wasn’t until his early teens that he discovered the solo work of Deep Purple’s Ritchie Blackmore, whose blend of heavy metal riffage along with classical training, structure and influences would go on to shape Malmsteen’s solo career.
Malmsteen would continue to play and compose throughout his teens with an unyielding passion, and by the age of 18, a demo tape of his found its way to Mike Varney of Shrapnel Records. Varney was so impressed that he invited Malmsteen over to the States to play in an assortment of metal bands like Steeler and Alcatrazz. However, Malmsteen was also putting together his first solo record, and when that was released it went top 20 in his native Sweden, charted on the Billboard 200 and was eventually nominated for a Grammy. Malmsteen’s solo work understandably became his main focus.
Since then, Malmsteen has almost singlehandedly made Shrapnel Records the home for the modern guitar hero and influenced a generation of guitarists including Jason Becker, Paul Gilbert and Marty Friedman to incorporate neo-classical techniques into their playing. By the time he was 25, he was already such a respected name that he was one of the first two artists to have a signature Stratocaster sold by Fender Guitars. The other artist? Eric Clapton himself. High company to keep I’m sure you’ll agree, and he’s kept up that level of prestige, collaborating with everyone from Saxon to Zakk Wylde to the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. He’s still going strong to this day and with the live performances he’s still putting in, he shows no signs of slowing down any time soon. Highly recommended.
Live reviews
Swedish guitar virtuoso, Yngwie Malmsteen, is arguably one of the most accomplished guitarists. His combination of heavy metal music with deeply engrained classical influence makes for an incredibly unique style.
I clearly remember the first time I saw Yngwie Malmsteen live. At the time I had just started taking guitar lessons at a local music store and every guitarist that taught lessons at the store lauded Yngwie’s technique as one of the best. I was super excited to see Yngwie live at the Roxy Theater in Atlanta, and his performance certainly lived up to the hype. I remember that right before the show started the lights darkened as Yngwie took the stage, and as soon as the lights went up, Yngwie started shredding away on his classical influenced guitar riffs with impeccable dexterity. He prowled around the stage with his hair looking like a lion’s mane, playing the most complicated guitar scales imaginable.
His backing band also consists of well-accomplished players that lay down a nice musical platform for Yngwie to showcase his guitar skills. Although Yngwie’s music mainly focuses on his instrumental guitar playing, there are also instances in his songs that include singing. At Yngwie Malmsteen’s show the stage is usually covered with a thick layer of fog and the audience is enthusiastically entranced in his performance, air-guitaring to every song. Yngwie is fierce when he is on stage, throwing his guitar up in the air and catching it right before it hits the ground. He has been known to smash his guitar during performances as well.
Yngwie is praised by critics for his skills and has been asked to perform on Joe Satriani’s prestigious tour, G3. When at an Yngwie Malmsteen concert you can expect to be swept off your feet with his unique brand of neo-classical heavy metal music.
wjmcc
All one can say is:
A-Ma-ZING!
I waited for "timing to be right" for 3 whole decades...& Yngwie had a show (his first stop in 2022) at The HarrisbugXL (merely 45 minutes away) on April 29th 2022.
I took my 11y/o son for his "1st-Ever Concert Experience" & one of my "good friend/student of guitar" along to see how a true guitar maestro "does it".
He did NOT disappoint!
Even one of the 2 opening acts before Yngwie took the stage (Kurt Deimer) was a strong show set!
The other band (Alpha Venturi) deserves honorable mention because their potential is quite good as well.
Not to mention that Kurt & also the boys from Alpha Venturi were great guys as well!
(But that's an encounter to be told for another time)
Regarding maestro Yngwie J. Malmsteen, though...LOOK OUT! You're about to experience THE guitar legend (also I'll happily mention that Yngwie gave my son alot of attention from the stage...& even "kicked a pick" to my son...what a show!)
tommy-ryan-5
As a guitarist myself the allure to see YJM is obvious. I’ve been a fan since 1983 but I had never seen him live until this show. YJM delivered in spades playing selections from his new album “World on Fire” along with standards from yesteryear. His singing has improved greatly. YJM handled vocal duties as did his keyboard player. I was amazed at how well YJM’s voice sounded as I have not been impressed by his vocal performances on G3. With his voice being in shape he was physically in great shape as well. He looked 25 years old. It’s great to see him physically look so much healthier. Back to his guitar playing....what can you say ? He is the quintessential shredder and he is still in top form. Harmonic minor scales galore YJM is the master. If you get a chance to see him on this tour you won’t be disappointed.
doug-stossel
Fantastic, fantastic. A musical genius but also a great showman. Confident and knows what he is doing. He is not simply a shredder! He is a virtuoso who knows classical music...you must in order to place like this. His influences are nt your standard Clapton, Page, bla bla, but Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Paganini, and that is what he incorporates into his lead playing. I love the guy because he is a perfectionsist to the max. PS; Been playing guitar for 24 years. Love classical music and classic rock ie. Deep Purple. I list Hendrix, Blackmore, Van Halen and Malmsteen as the greatest innovators of the electric guitar.
renedelavarre
Show was awesome, but I don't expect anything less from Yngwie. The guy is a legend. Still the rockstar that he always has been, still has that "it" factor that separates him from the rest of us. His playing ability hasn't changed, still technically perfect and can do it jumping around. Always a great showman to entertain the crowd as he mesmerizes everyone. Kind of like a magician, where you think, "how does he do that". Even if he's not quite you cup of tea, he is definitely worth checking out. He will definitely show all the little boys how the big boys do it.
travisschlegel
Average show. Unfortunately he's not good as he was several years ago but that's ok. What wasn't ok was audio levels (his guitar was way too much loud while the rest of the crew, which was in a corner, was barely audible) among other things. The venue crew also confiscated my cam and a security member was bothering us everytime we were trying to make a video with our cellphones.
It was a good show after all but ruined by this "recording is not allowed" crap.
mfds
Yngwie is always a hot favorite, Houston was lucky to have hosted the last concert on the tour. The setlist was a perfect blend of his tunes, old and new. All the crowd favorite numbers were delivered, and some of the new stuff he was playing for the first time just left me in awe. What a genius is Yngwie Malmsteen, he has inspired an entire generation of shred guitar playing and he still continues to do so - I wouldnt have missed this for the world.
muneer-majid
The show was fantastic. Loud (as usual). The venue was okay. Slanted floor, tables (for rent!?), and some technical goofs. Yngwie was apparently familiar with the technical problems as he seemed to just laugh them off. Sunlord was very good. There’s some unbridled talent there, and I will be watching for them to continue to progress. Overall a great time. My second time seeing Yngwie, and hopefully not the last.
drakefox
Was great, i couldn't believe I was there. Absolutely amazing. There esa a great sound and a beautiful place. It begun in time and all the band was great. I won't miss again a malmsteen show.
juan-alvarez-15
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