Vai US tour

The US tour flew by too quickly for my liking, and I find myself swimming in too many highlights to post. I’ll just share a few especially sparkly moments.

Speaking of sparkle, this tour marked my first trip to Vegas. Seeing the city glitter and glow its way into view during a nighttime bus ride is something I’ll never forget.

This tour also marked my first foray into Canada. After briefly experiencing Vancouver and Toronto, I can officially add them to the list of places I fantasize about running away to.

Even though I traveled to many new cities on this tour, I especially loved coming close to my home town in Alexandria, VA. My sweet mother and father actually came to their first rock concert to see me play! Vai also toured near the hometowns of other band and crew members. Our bus became stocked with homebaked goodies- in addition to the massive quantity of chocolate in our rider.

I’m currently suffering from severe chocolate withdraw. Reflecting on the past tour in photos has helped take the edge off of my pain.


This was the view from my hotel room in Vegas


Brian came out to visit me in San Francisco. I couldn't resist cuddling in the trolley.


The farmer's market in Seattle was incredible.


I got to meet one of my violin heros at the Chicago House of Blues. Here I am with Rachel Barton Pine!


The Mark Wood Experience joined us for our shows in the New York area. Mark is THE rock violin pioneer, and his band and family were some of the lovliest people I have ever met.


I walked around Boston with Dave and his i-phone. Dave loves his i-phone almost as much as Steve loves his i-phone.


We played at Steve's old school.


Ending on a sweet note, this was the chocolate spread in one of our dressing rooms.

On tour with Vai

Oh how lovely it is to be a woman on tour with the Vai band! I get to live on a tour bus full of boys, share a dressing room full of boys, and perform on stage to an audience full of boys. It’s a good thing that I like boys, especially the boys in the Vai band and crew. Being the only girl in the band has taught me some unique life lessons that I would like to share.

1. It IS possible to put on a little black dress in a room full of guys without flashing anything scandalous. My modesty in the high school locker room finally pays off.

2. It takes the perfect pair of heels to rock out on a stage littered with cables and pedal boards. The “prance-test” in the shoe store is embarrassing but crucial.

3. Boys look cute in the morning when they wake up on the bus. I’ve learned how to pretend that I look cute too.

4. I’ve learned that the guys in the band don’t spare me from teasing just because I’m a girl. They call me “stinky” and are always honest with me.

5. I’ve learned how to de-odorize a very stinky pair of performance shoes. (See previous lesson)

6. I learned that I need an i-phone. Steve, Mikey, Dave, Paul… I’m jealous.

7. Starbucks. I can’t resist the siren call of the two-tailed mermaid and her green ring of fury. I’ve also learned that buying Roger (on stage monitors) a medium mocha keeps him from practicing karate moves on me. Mikey’s quad grande lattes keep him from killing people.

8. “Meh” is a perfect word. Meh. Meeeeeeeh!

9. Including chocolate in the dressing room rider is absolutely brilliant and necessary. Jeremy concurs.

10. It is good to be a girl in the Vai band. I have fifteen boys that I’ve come to love and respect like brothers.