Here is what you need to know about Sunday, May 17 at the Landmark Theatre: Joe Satriani and Steve Vai have been friends for nearly five decades. They have toured together, traded stages, and shaped how a generation picks up the guitar. What they had never done — until the SatchVai Band — is actually form a group together.
The Surfing With The Hydra Tour hits 362 S. Salina Street in downtown Syracuse at 7:30 PM. This is the first North American run for the project — they road-tested it in Europe in 2025, played sold-out shows and festival dates, and are now bringing it stateside for 40 dates.
The band is not a two-man showcase. Satriani and Vai are joined by Kenny Aronoff on drums, Marco Mendoza on bass, and Pete Thorn on guitar — a full outfit built to play. Satriani described the mission: “We can’t wait to play you the new material from our forthcoming SatchVai album along with your favorite songs from our shared catalog.” Vai put it differently: “Joe and I struck pure jammin’ gold night after night. Being in the same band with Joe, playing songs we actually wrote together on stage, in real time felt like watching a childhood fantasy.”
Before you go, queue up their single “Dancing” — a cover of a Paolo Conte composition released March 2, 2026 on earMUSIC. Vai called it “melodic but relentless,” which tracks. Instrumental prog-metal band Animals as Leaders opens.
The Landmark Theatre is a 2,908-seat theater at 362 S. Salina Street in downtown Syracuse. Tickets run from $49.50 (general admission) to $149.50 (pit). VIP and Guitar packages are also available. All ages; 21+ to drink. Grab tickets at Ticketmaster.