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| Orianthi @ Yoshi's (Photo: Sean Reiter) |
Orianthi demonstrated her guitar mastery Thursday night as the shapeshifter guitarist-singer took a packed Yoshi’s audience on a tour through her many musical genres with her six-string and microphone. Hitting the stage with “Light It Up” off 2022’s Rock Candy, the Aussie immediately injected the storied jazz room with big rock show energy.
Orianthi’s new single “First Time Blues” saw her welcome saxophonist Jeff Ryan to the stage for a breakneck speed version of the song. The recorded track features a crushing solo from Joe Bonamassa on a song that straddles both rock and blues, but Orianthi can more than handle taking the guitar load herself. Seeing her and Ryan trading notes at the highest register while bassist Justin Andres and drummer Elias Mallin set an F1 pace added an even deeper dimension to a song that must be checked out by anyone who enjoys guitar.
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| Orianthi @ Yoshi's (Photo: Sean Reiter) |
The concert was a fantastic demonstration of Orianthi’s continued growth as a performer and guitarist. Her guitarist father encouraged her to switch to playing acoustic guitar at six years old (she had already been playing piano at age three). By the time she was 15, she had performed on stage with Steve Vai and by 18 she was jamming with Bay Area legend Carlos Santana. Santana’s notice and her love of PRS guitars led to her becoming a PRS artist and making the move to the United States. Her 2009 Grammy performance with Carrie Underwood landed her an audience with Michael Jackson and she was hired as then lead guitarist for the ill-fated “This is It” concert tour. Shortly after MJ’s untimely passing, her first label album Believe was released to critical acclaim and success. In addition to her PRS endorsement deal, she will very soon have a signature model Orange Amp released.
“Where Did Your Heart Go” - also from Rock Candy – was delivered with delicate flamenco-like solos and a passionate chorus. “I think we’ve covered all the genres already except country - and jazz,” Orianthi told the crowd midway through the show. “I’d like to do a cover by my fellow Aussie Keith Urban.” She and bassist Justin Andres harmonized terrifically on “Love Somebody” as she brought the deeper country out of the song – taking it to quiet and tender moments that Urban’s poppier version never found - with her voice confidently adding a healthy dash of sweetness.
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| Orianthi @ Yoshi's (Photo: Sean Reiter) |
Her acoustic set saw a terrific take on Eric Clapton’s “Before You Accuse Me” with Orianthi’s intricate blues-playing looking incredibly smooth and effortless. Indeed, one of the elements of Orianthi’s playing is that her fingers fly sans any of the macho faces and poses. She takes the energy saved and puts it into her playing and joy.
She unleashed her heaviest side with the title track off 2013’s Heaven in This Hell – an album she made with famed producer Dave Stewart. Her heavy playing had an edge to it and she leaned into a Wah-laden solo that might have made Slash blush with envy.
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| Orianthi @ Yoshi's (Photo: Sean Reiter) |
Covering BB King’s “Never Make Your Move Too Soon,” she again brought Ryan out on sax and brought him front and center for a big sax solo, as she joined the rhythm section out of the spotlight. Toward the end of the song, she joined him for a terrific call and response exchange as the rhythm section put a on a disco-like beat nicely behind the two of them.
“When I was sixteen I got to open for ZZ Top and Billy Gibbons is a dear friend of mine,” she told the audience before doing a fun, funk-filled cover of “Sharp Dressed Man” that saw her pause smiling for the audience to finish the final chorus. She wrapped the main set with 2010’s “According to You” that live evoked a combination of Joan Jett and Green Day, along with a brief double tapping solo that added a dash of Eddie Van Halen.
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| Orianthi & Justin Andres @ Yoshi's (Photo: Sean Reiter) |
For the encore, Orianthi unleashed a cover of Jimi Hendrix “Voodoo Child” that was more banger than psychedelic and featured her traversing the stage multiple times as she delivered a tour de force solo that had the audience roaring. If you missed her this trip up to the Bay Area, you can experience her live performance at home on her Live from Hollywood album and video while awaiting her next visit.
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