Epic Records has announced a June 26 release for Sound Theories Vol. 1 & 2, a double-live CD capturing legendary guitarist Steve Vai’s electrifying collaboration with the Netherlands Metropole Orchestra. The two-disc set spotlights rare material culled from five European performances, a studio session and a soundcheck rehearsal recording, all of which took place between mid-2004 and 2005.

Volume 1 features Vai playing guitar with the Orchestra, which has earned worldwide acclaim backing artists ranging from Tony Bennett and Natalie Cole to Nancy Wilson and the Yellowjackets. Together they bring new life to both existing and never-before-heard Steve Vai songs, including “For the Love of God,” “Liberty,” “The Murder” and “Attitude Song,” among others.

Volume 2 features the Orchestra performing compositions penned by Vai, including “Shadows and Sparks” and “Bledsoe Bluvd.”

Says Vai, “I wanted to be a composer ever since I was a young boy. Though the guitar fell into my lap and my fingers were glued to the instrument, I studied composition and musical notation long before I even started playing the guitar. Through high school, college and beyond, I kept up my studies but the prospect of getting your music performed by an orchestra when you’re only considered to be an over-the-top electric rock guitar shredder seemed virtually impossible. To be able to hear your music performed is the greatest gift a composer could hope for. This was a dream project for me.”

The full track listing for both discs is as follows:

Disc One
Sound Theories Vol 1: “The Aching Hunger”
1. Kill the Guy with the Ball
2. The God Eaters
3. The Murder Prologue
4. The Murder
5. Gentle Ways
6. Answers
7. I’m Becoming
8. Salamanders in the Sun
9. Liberty
10. The Attitude Song
11. For the Love of God

Disc Two
Sound Theories Vol 2: “Shadows and Sparks”
1. Shadows and…
2. Sparks
3. Frangelica Pt 1
4. Frangelica Pt. 2
5. Helios and Vesta
6. Bledsoe Bluvd.

A yet-to-be-titled companion DVD featuring highlights from the performances will be released on August 21. In addition, Vai is hitting the road this fall for a tour that launches September 7th at the Marquee Theater in Phoenix, AZ.

9/7 Phoenix, AZ (Marquee Theater)

9/8 Las Vegas, NV (House of Blues)

9/9 Anaheim, CA (The Grove)

9/10 San Diego, CA (Viejas Dreamcatcher Theatre)

9/11 Los Angeles, CA (The Wiltern)

9/12 San Francisco, CA (The Fillmore)

9/14 Portland, OR (Roseland Theater)

9/15 Seattle, WA (Moore Theater)

9/16 Vancouver, BC (Commodore)

9/19 Minneapolis, MN (State Theatre)

9/20 Milwaukee, WI (Pabst Theatre)

9/21 Chicago, IL (House of Blues)

9/22 Royal Oak, MI (Royal Oak Music Theatre)

9/23 Toronto, ON (Massey Hall)

9/24 Buffalo, NY (Univ. at Buffalo Ctr for Arts)

9/25 New York, NY (Hammerstein)

9/27 Philadelphia, PA (Keswick Theatre)

9/28 Sayreville, NJ (Starland)

9/29 Atlantic City, NJ (Borgata)

9/30 Baltimore, MD (Birchmere)

10/2 Albany, NY (The Egg Theatre)

10/3 Hartford, CT (Webster Theatre)

10/4 Boston, MA (Berklee Perf. Arts Ctr)

10/5 Providence, RI (Lupo’s)

10/6 Westbury, NY (North Fork Theatre)

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