STEVE MILLER BAND 12 STRING ATTACK, PASA ROBLES, CA. 8/14/16

Here is The Steve Miller Band performing at the Vina Robles Ampitheatre in Paso Robles, CA. on August 14, 2016.  Miller has got his Gibson double neck SG guitar in tow and I am not sure if that is a Carvin 12 string model played to the right.  A beautiful sound and sight to behold!

CHEAP TRICK LIVE IN CALIFORNIA 2015

I have beat this drum before.  Cheap Trick is fantastic power pop band who have created many great songs over the years and were just inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (finally!).  Still, after 40 years of existence, a ferocious live act.  Their connection to experimental musical instruments include, of course, bassist Tom Peterson's on stage preference for the 12 string bass guitar.  A guitar design he created.  No denying the power and volume of that bass!  And then there is Rick Nielsen and his five neck guitar.  Pretty unique axe.  How much does that thing actually weigh?  Here they are performing in San Jose, California in 2015.  Cheap Trick, keep bringing the noise!

YOUROCK MIDI CONTROLLER GUITAR

Here is a Yourock guitar acting as a midi controller for the Akai Miniak synthesizer.  The note tracking is very accurate and the ability to play polyphonic chords is awesome!  The Yourock guitar can be had for $250.00 on Amazon.  Controlling midi equipped devices is the Yourock's strength.  It also has its own built in instrument sounds but they are limited and rudimentary.  I do like the 12 string guitar simulation though!  A very cool product.

Cheap Trick's Crazy Guitars!

I saw cheap Trick perform at the Mountain Winery venue in Saratoga, CA.  As usual, the band paraded about a number of unusual guitars.  Tom Peterson steadily banged away at his invention, the 12 string bass.  What a devastating tone this thing delivers:  a thick, metallic drone that can pierce through Cheap Trick's instrumental wall of sound or anchor the bottom end of the rhthym section.  Rick Nielsen, the lead guitarist for the group, trotted out this yellow box shaped axe and his monstrosity, the 5 necked guitar.  Lead singer Robin Zander dons an assortment of guitars as well but seems to favor the 12 string guitar format.  It is best to hear Cheap Trick in a small venue at maximum volume levels.