I love this venue and have seen numerous shows here.
Al DiMeola was in town with a 5 piece (keys, bass, drums, percussion and of course guitar). After seeing how long the lines can be, I got to this show early and was able to get a front row seat.
From this vantage point, I was able to see what is undoubtedly one of the fastest left hands in the business. Unfortunately for me, I had just recently seen McCoy Tyner (which set a standard for improvisation) and I have probably listened to too much of Al's era material in my younger days (Tour de Force stuff with Jan Hammer).
Bottom Line: It was one of those shows where I was dazzled by the technique but underwhelmed by the music. The band was tight, but it was a pale imitation of the band with the Hammer, Gadd and Jackson line-up. The new songs and compositions just didn't do it for me.
