Legendary Guitarist Steve Vai to Perform with All-Star Billy Sheehan on April 4

Tickets to go on sale at 10 a.m. on Jan. 14

By David Wedekindt

Release Date: January 7, 2005 This content is archived.

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BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The Center for the Arts at the University at Buffalo will present Steve Vai at 8 p.m. on April 4 in the Mainstage theater in the Center for the Arts on the UB North (Amherst) Campus.

Vai is best known for his self-composed, performed and produced guitar instrumental music, but he also has played on the recordings of several other rock acts. Vai made his name playing "stunt guitar" with the legendary rock performer, composer, music producer and publishing mogul Frank Zappa. In the early 1980s he replaced Yngwie Malmsteen as lead guitarist in the band Alcatrazz. Then he joined former Van Halen front man David Lee Roth's group to record the albums "Eat 'em and Smile" and "Skyscraper." Vai also recorded with British rock legends Whitesnake.

Vai continues to tour regularly, both with his own group and with his one-time teacher and fellow Grammy award-winning guitar instrumentalist Joe Satriani (on the G3 series of tours).

Vai's "Real Illusions Tour" features an all-star band including: Billy Sheehan, Tony MacAlpine, Jeremy Colson and Dave Weiner. Bassist and Buffalo native, Sheehan, rose to cult status in the 1980s with his Buffalo based band Talas, and was recruited by David Lee Roth when Roth left Van Halen in 1985. He recorded two platinum selling albums with the former Van Halen front man before setting out on his own to form Mr. Big in 1989. The band achieved a Billboard No. 1 single in the U.S. and 14 other countries with "To Be With You" from their second Atlantic Records album release "Lean Into It." Sheehan has performed over 4,000 live gigs on nearly every continent.

Guitarist Eric Sardinas will be the opening act for the concert.

Tickets are $29, and $25 for UB students. Tickets are available from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday in the Center for the Arts Box Office and all Ticketmaster locations, including Kaufmann's. To charge tickets, call 852-5000; in Canada, call 1-416-870-8000. For group sales, call at 645-6771. For more information call 645-ARTS. The Center for the Arts is a Ticketfast location.