It has been 40 years since the Altamont Rock Festival took place in the hills east of Livermore, California, but the rock spirit descended here once again last weekend as Guitar Player Live! invaded this city of 78,000 on September 11-13. The performances started Friday night and continued on through Sunday, with dozens of bands playing on four stages in the downtown area, and numerous manufacturers—including DigiTech, Mesa/Boogie, Taylor, and the event’s co-sponsor, Voyage-Aire Guitars showing their wares to the throngs of music fans who showed up for the fun. Sadly the Rolling Stones couldn’t make it this time, but Friday night’s concert at the spankin’ new Bankhead Theater featured ripping performances by Michael Lee Firkins, Chris Duarte, and Richie Kotzen. Jason Becker (Cacophony, David Lee Roth) also appeared on stage to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from GP. Though paralyzed by ALS (a.k.a. Lou Gehrig’s Disease), Jason delivered a moving speech to the packed house that was read by his father Gary 

On Saturday night, the Guitar Superstar concert drew a standing-room-only crowd back to the Bankhead to watch ten top-notch guitarists step in front of the powerhouse Thud Factor band and play their asses off in hopes of wowing judges Steve Lukather, Jennifer Batten, Earl Slick, Elliot Easton, and Greg Hampton. When the dust settled, it was Steve Senes who took the Guitar Superstar title, with Krisz Simonfalvi and Brian Davidson receiving first and second place runners-up awards. All said, Guitar Player Live 2009 was an amazing event that brought music and people together in best way possible. We look forward to doing it again next year, so stay tuned in the coming months for details on Guitar Superstar 2010. If you love guitar, it’s something you won’t want to miss!

Stay tuned to guitarplayer.com/live for exclusive photos and video of the event, and check out the upcoming “13th issue” of Guitar Player magazine for a full report. —Art Thompson

Guitar Player's Guitar Superstar 2009

Guitar Player's fifth annual Guitar Superstar competition was the centerpiece of Guitar Player LIVE!, a 3-day celebration of guitars, music, and gear presented by the Livermore Valley Performing Arts Center in Livermore, California, September 11-13, 2009.

Ten finalists were selected from among hundreds of entrants—who posted their best performances at sonicbids.com—to perform onstage in front of a live audience and a panel of world-famous guitar stars that included Elliot Easton (The Cars), Jennifer Batten (guitarist for Michael Jackson, Jeff Beck), Steve Lukather (Toto), and Greg Hampton, (producer of Alice Cooper, Ronnie Wood, Lita Ford). Host of this year's event was Brendon Small, (co-creator of Adult's Swim's Metalocalypse animated series). The celebrity judges evaluated each original performance, and rated each contestant on technique, creativity, charisma, and overall vibe.

Vicki Genfan, the Guitar Superstar 2008 champion, performed at the competition before handing over her crown to this year’s winner Steve Senes.

The ten finalists, who represent a wide range of guitar styles ranging from rock to country, were: Dave Benzinger, Brodie Cumming, Brian Davidson, Hercules Castro, Danny Jones, Steve Langemo, Steve Senes, Krisz Simonfalvi, Doug Towle, and Jeff Zampillo.

All ten contestants received an all-expenses paid trip to the San Francisco Bay Area. The winner, First Runner-Up and Second Runner-Up of the event will receive custom trophies and complete gear packages. The champion will receive a feature article in Guitar Player magazine and prizes from event sponsors—including Mesa/Boogie, Harmon, Line 6, Peavey, Sennheiser, GHS Strings, DR Strings, and U.S. Music.

Ten finalists battled for the international title of “Guitar Superstar” at Guitar Player’s Guitar Superstar 2009 competition Saturday, September 12 at the Bankhead Theater in Livermore, California. Steve Senes of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, captivated the crowd and the judges with his fierce technique to emerge victorious in Guitar Player’s Guitar Superstar competition. Click here for more...

Watch Guitar Player's Guitar Superstar Competition right now!

SHRAPNEL RECORDS NIGHT!

Kicking off Friday night with the Shrapnel Records concert at the Bankhead Theater in Livermore, attendees were treated to amazing performances by Michael Lee Firkins, Chris Duarte, and Ritchie Kotzen, plus a very special award ceremony.

Firkins opened the show with a fiery version of “Manic Depression,” expertly backed up by Stu Hamm on bass. When Firkins went into his own material, however, that’s when the crowd really saw what this guy is about. He has a fluid, unique style that combines rock, shred, blues, bluegrass, and country. Firkins’ whammy bar technique is mind-blowing, bending and glissing into chords and double-stops in a way that almost makes it seem like he’s playing slide. He did, in fact, play slide at the end of the show for a killer rendition of “Come Together” and “Voodoo Child,” possessing a bold command of the style that had subtle echoes of Duane Allman and Jeff Beck.

After Firkins’ set, GP’s Mike Molenda, Art Thompson, and Matt Blackett presented the first annual Jason Becker Award for Courage, Creativity, and Inspiration. The award fittingly went to Mr. Becker himself. Becker is an impossibly talented guitarist who found himself on the covers of guitar mags as a teenager, and then got the most coveted gig in rock a few years later when he followed in the footsteps of Eddie Van Halen and Steve Vai to play with David Lee Roth. Shortly thereafter, Becker was diagnosed with ALS and saw his dazzling technical ability slip away. Undaunted, Becker continued to compose music and inspire people, and has done so for his entire career, including the nearly two decades he has lived with ALS. After tributes from Shrapnel boss Mike Varney, and former bandmate Marty Friedman, Becker’s father Gary read the acceptance speech written by Jason himself. The speech was an unbelievably eloquent, humble, and moving statement that brought many in the crowd and backstage to tears. This award will go on in perpetuity and be presented to players who embody the qualities in the award’s name, but it’s tough to imagine that there could ever be a more deserving recipient than Mr. Jason Becker.

The man with the toughest job Friday night was probably Chris Duarte, who had to follow Jason Becker. But Duarte did it with gusto, combining mean Stratty licks with bluesy vocals. He’s also able to blend in jazzy chromaticism and uptown chord work much like a horn section. His lead work is fearless and his attitude relentless, much appreciated by the guitar-crazy crowd.

Former Mr. Big guitarist Ritchie Kotzen headlined the show and proved himself to be a very well-rounded musician and songwriter. He seduced the crowd with his vocals, which bring to mind Prince and Chris Whitley at times. Kotzen’s strongest voice is on guitar, and his DiMarzio loaded Tele sounded great and was capable of a lot more tones than meet the eye, thanks to his dynamic volume knob manipulations. This guy can shred and somehow sound funky and melodic at the same time.

All in all, an unforgettable night, and this was just the first day! Stay tuned for reports on days two and three, as well as photos, video, and more. — Matt Blackett

Guitar Player Live 2009 was Made Possible by the Following Sponsors...

Voyage Air Guitars
101 E. Vineyard Avenue, Ste 209
Livermore, CA 94551
800.371-6478
info@voyageairguitar.com
www.voyageairguitar.com

Voyage-Air Guitar specializes in building only the highest quality acoustic and electric stringed instruments. We take pride in our skilled production and service staff, well educated and experienced sales people, and of course our product line: The world’s first and only full-size acoustic and electric instruments that fold-in¬ half! Our belief is that every player should be able to take their guitar wherever their music takes them. We also believe that traveling with a guitar shouldn’t be an obstacle or require someone to down grade their instrument just to be able to carry it with them. Our guitars are performance level instruments designed with the built-in versatility every player deserves. The Voyage-Air Guitar is truly The Future of Guitar Travel

Everyone who works at Voyage-Air Guitar indeed plays or loves the guitar. We all have a fascination with the world of music and enjoy all of the new relationships that we develop on a daily basis. Our jobs bring us closer together with new artists, other guitar instrument builders and an incredible array of industry colleagues. Again, all of those relationships remind us why we love this business.

The response to our guitars has been truly amazing! Our company started as a cool idea in a small guitar shop in northern California and has grown to a fully functioning manufacturing and distribution company. With guitars selling all over the United States and international sales spreading into Europe, Australia and Ireland we’re on the move and definitely a company to watch in the coming months. We look forward to working with all of you to help provide these great instruments to as many players as possible.

D'Addario & Planet Waves

Gallien Krueger

2234 Industrial Drive
Stockton, CA 95206
209-234-7300
info@gallien.com
www.gallien.com

Over the past 40 years, Gallien-Krueger has become a legendary brand name in bass amplification and the world-wide leader in the production of solid state bass amps. Bob Gallien has dedicated his ingenuity to solving the amplification problems experienced by professional bass players. Along the way, this Stanford-schooled engineer created a product line that generates some of the most sought after sounds within the bass community and conceived a list of renowned innovations which are today recognized as standards in the music industry. Found on stages and in recording studios throughout the globe, Gallien's creations are utilized by a genre-spanning artist roster of rock, jazz, fusion, and session bassists such as Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Velvet Revolver's Duff McKagan, Justin Chancellor of Tool, Ron Carter, Dave Holland, Charlie Haden, Norm Stockton, Jonni Lightfoot, Jimmy Earl and Leland Sklar.

GBase

595 Smith Street
PO Box 290
Farmingdale, NY 11735
631.439.3338 - Sales
631.439.3332 - Customer Support

Created in 1995, Gbase.com was one of the first gear-dedicated web sites. Since then, Gbase.com has become the ultimate benchmark for used and vintage equipment. We match buyers with sellers in an effective but unique manner. Visitors from around the world have purchased guitars, drums, amps, effects pedals, basses, and more from our global dealer network. And now, with the addition of "My Gbase.com", you'll find Gbase.com even easier to use. Find the gear you want, quickly and easily, along with contests, interviews, guitar events, promotions, and much more!

Line 6

26580 Agoura Road
Calabasas, CA 91302
818.575.3600
www.line6.com

Line 6 is a leading manufacturer of guitars, amplifiers, effects, effects processors and recording interfaces. Line 6 is world renowned for its studio- and stage-standard gear featuring its patented amp and effect modeling and digital wireless technologies. Its award-winning products are used by musicians worldwide and have been featured on countless platinum and Grammy-award-winning titles.

Randall Amplifiers

444 East Courtland Street
Mundelein, IL 60060
1.800 US SOUND (877.6863)
randallinfo@usmusiccorp.com
www.randallamplifiers.com

For almost 40 years tone enthusiasts everywhere have depended on their Randall amplifiers and cabinets to work just as hard as they do. With its innovative lines of products including the MTS Series, Valve Dynamic Series and G3 Series, Randall continues to set the standard for complete flexibility, tube hybrid tone, and performance. With signature artists such as Kirk Hammett, Nuno Bettencourt, George Lynch, Dan Donegan, Gus G, Mike Amott and Christian Olde Wolbers, Randall is now being played by more great bands, artists and everyday guitarists than ever before in its history. Whether you’re an existing or new Randall user we’re confident that we have a tone for you. And remember… It’s Your Gain!

Paul Reed Smith Guitars

380 Log Canoe Circle
Stevensville, MD 21666
410.643.9970
www.prsguitars.com

Paul Reed Smith Guitars is a leading manufacturer of high-quality instruments in Stevensville, Maryland and has been providing some of the worldís most renowned guitarists with instruments since 1985. More than 190 highly skilled craftspeople produce more than 70 guitars each day for worldwide distribution. PRS Acoustics and PRS Amps were introduced as new product lines in 2009 with support from renowned artists Ricky Skaggs and Derek Trucks. Carlos Santana, Linkin Park, Chris Henderson of 3 Doors Down and Mark Tremonti of Creed are also among the artists currently playing PRS guitars.

Mesa Boogie

1317 Ross Street
Petaluma, CA 94954
707.778.6565
www.mesaboogie.com

Mesa/Boogie is the original custom shop amplifier company whose passion over the past 39 years has been designing and building the worlds finest handcrafted amplifier cabinets for guitars and basses. Every Mesa product is meticulously hand-built to order by master craftsman in California.

Washburn

444 East Courtland Street
Mundelein, IL 60060
1.800 US SOUND (877.6863)
washburninfo@usmusiccorp.com
www.washburn.com

Washburn Guitars is a Chicago original with its roots embedded in over a century’s worth of music. With a history of 125 years of guitar making, Washburn has united innovation and technology to create instruments for all musicians, from beginners to multi-platinum recording artists. It has been witness to music revolution after music revolution, dating back from the origins of blues to the inception of rock ‘n roll and most recently, the alternative movement. Washburn continues to be a consistent leader in combining design, innovation, and technology to deliver the rich, bold sounds for a vast musical landscape!

Sennheiser Electronic Corporation

1 Enterprise Drive
Old Lyme, CT 06371
Phone: (860) 434-9190
www.sennheiserusa.com

Sennheiser is a world-leading manufacturer of microphones, headphones and wireless transmission systems. Established in 1945 in Wedemark, Germany, Sennheiser is now a global brand represented in 60 countries around the world with U.S. headquarters in Old Lyme, Connecticut. Sennheiser's pioneering excellence in technology has rewarded the company with numerous awards and accolades including an Emmy, a Grammy, and the Scientific and Engineering Award of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. For more information, please visit www.sennheiserusa.com.

Moog

2004 Riverside Dr
Ste E
Asheville, NC 28804
828.251.0090
www.moogmusic.com

What would the world of modern music be like without the inventions of Bob Moog? One answer would be: very boring. Bob Moog’s namesake instruments and effects processors have affected popular music in ways he might not have expected back in 1954 when he began building Theremins with his father. But 50 years later, Bob’s musical instruments have catapulted so many styles of music into the future, and his contributions to both players and technicians grow even more profound in retrospect.

Moog Music and its customers carry on the legacy of Bob Moog. Moog designs and manufactures electronic musical instruments, including Little Phatty and Minimoog Voyage synthesizers, Moogerfooger effects modules, Etherwave Theremins and The Moog Guitar. Moog Music designs and manufactures its products in Asheville, N.C.

Moog's newest product is the next step in the evolution of The Moog Guitar: The Model E1.
The Model E1 is the production model of The Moog Guitar. It uses the same innovative electronics and pick-ups as the original Paul Vo Collector Edition, with some exciting new changes. It’s available in three new finishes; Butterscotch, Candy Red and Black, and now sports chrome hardware, a solid alder body and a choice of fixed or tremolo bridges.

Taylor Guitars

1980 Gillespie Way
El Cajon, CA 92020
619.258.1207
www.taylorguitars.com

Established in 1974, Taylor Guitars has evolved from a small venture between co-founders Bob Taylor and Kurt Listug into one of the world’s premier manufacturers of high-end acoustic and electric guitars. Through its pioneering use of modern technology, including computer mills, lasers and other proprietary tools, Taylor has greatly refined the art of guitar-making for the modern era, blending cutting-edge production techniques with a master craftsman’s attention to detail. As a result of the company’s innovative approach, Taylor guitars stand out as some of the most impeccably crafted, easy-to-play, and musically inspiring guitars in the world.

Based in El Cajon, California, Taylor Guitars employs nearly 350 people and currently produces roughly 300 guitars per day in its state-of-the-art factory complex. Many of today’s most popular musicians play Taylors, including Dave Matthews, Taylor Swift, Prince, Mick Jagger, Jason Mraz, Alan Jackson, Sarah McLachlan, and the Goo Goo Dolls.