Vai, Yngwie, Zakk, Nuno and Tosin Play Deep Purple's "Highway Star"

News
By published

Vai, Yngwie, Zakk, Nuno and Tosin play a classic.

A couple years ago, the Generation Axe tour—featuring Steve Vai, Yngwie Malmsteen, Zakk Wylde, Nuno Bettencourt and Tosin Abasi—kicked off in Seattle.

The tour—which put five former Guitar World cover stars at the same venue at the same time—made its way to Vancouver, BC's Queen Elizabeth Theatre following its first, Seattle stop.

Below, you can check out a highlight from that show; it's a spirited performance of Deep Purple's "Highway Star" by all five guitarists, each of whom plays a solo.

Damian Fanelli
Damian Fanelli
Editor-in-Chief, Guitar World

Damian is Editor-in-Chief of Guitar World magazine. In past lives, he was GW’s managing editor and online managing editor. He's written liner notes for major-label releases, including Stevie Ray Vaughan's 'The Complete Epic Recordings Collection' (Sony Legacy) and has interviewed everyone from Yngwie Malmsteen to Kevin Bacon (with a few memorable Eric Clapton chats thrown into the mix). Damian, a former member of Brooklyn's The Gas House Gorillas, was the sole guitarist in Mister Neutron, a trio that toured the U.S. and released three albums. He now plays in two NYC-area bands.

More about music releases
Captain Beefheart performs onstage with The Magic Band at The Concertgebouw, Amsterdam on April 8, 1972

“He would beat the crap out of the guitar. The result can best be described as Jackson Pollock trying to play like John Lee Hooker”: Aggressively bizarre, Captain Beefheart's Trout Mask Replica remains one of the craziest guitar-driven albums ever made
Photo of Eddie VAN HALEN and Steve LUKATHER and Eddie VAN HALEN; L-R. Steve Lukather, Eddie Van Halen

“There is no-one who can do this process with me as well as he can”: Alex Van Halen says a new Van Halen album is in the works – and he’s recruited Steve Lukather to help him complete it
Dick Dale, wielding a Fender Stratocaster, performs onstage

“I said, ‘Mr. Fender, I’m Dick Dale. I’m a surfer and I have no money. Can you help me?’ He looked at me and said, ‘Here, try this guitar’”: How Dick Dale made the Stratocaster the ultimate surf-rock weapon
See more latest
Most Popular
Lindsay Ell performs at the Lasso Montreal festival at Parc Jean-Drapeau on August 19, 2023 in Montreal, Quebec
“I didn’t even know what we would play. He would just be like, ‘Honey, we’re in G.’ And I’d be like, ‘Okay, here we go’”: Lindsay Ell looks back on cutting her teeth as a teenager playing blues with Buddy Guy – and being mentored by Randy Bachman
Kiss 1984
“I’ve always missed being in Kiss”: Kiss announce unmasked Vegas show with former guitarist Bruce Kulick, as Gene Simmons postpones 17 solo dates
Left-Jason Sinay performs onstage during The Jubilee - A Celebration of Jerry Garcia presented by The Bluegrass Situation at The Theatre at Ace Hotel on March 30, 2018 in Los Angeles, California; Right-Neil Young performs at the Autism Speaks Light Up The Blues 6 Concert at The Greek Theatre on April 22, 2023 in Los Angeles, California
“I looked out into the audience and saw Neil Young sitting in the middle – I froze”: How Mike Campbell sideman Jason Sinay ended up playing with his hero after spotting him in the crowd
Nita Strauss and Alice Cooper
“It licked me!” Nita Strauss gets licked in the face by Alice Cooper's snake while playing – but doesn't drop a note
Dave Mustaine
“Why didn't nu-metal bands do any solos? They couldn't do solos. Thank God that genre went away”: Dave Mustaine says nu-metal guitarists aversion to solos was down to a lack of lead talent – not stylistic choice
Dean Vengeance Select
“It is clear that lawsuits like this in the guitar industry are just not worth the time and expense”: Dean owner issues response to court loss over Gibson trademark verdict
Paul Wagstaff is wearing a hat and leather jacket, and sitting on a jukebox
“He was a one-off… We will never see his like again”: Paul ‘Wags’ Wagstaff, guitarist for Happy Mondays, Black Grape and Paris Angels, has died aged 60
Warren Haynes stands with his signature Gibson Les Paul
“We’re all looking for new inspiration. Some of us have been playing humbuckers for a long, long time”: Are we witnessing a P-90 renaissance? Warren Haynes has his say
Left-Hans Zimmer performs on stage accompanied by The Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra during The Sound of 007 in concert at The Royal Albert Hall on October 04, 2022 in London, England; Right-Paul McCartney performs on the Pyramid stage during day four of Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 25, 2022 in Glastonbury, England
“I had a phone call from Paul McCartney, and he wanted me to come in and work with him…” How a Beatle helped Hans Zimmer conquer his stage fright with some priceless advice
A Gibson Flying V and a Dean Schenker Brothers V
“The jury’s decision reinforces the validity and strength of Gibson’s intellectual property rights”: Gibson emerges victorious in copyright infringement retrial battle with Dean