Warwick man’s Vai experience

ADRIAN Ciuplea regards himself as a “privileged” man after playing alongside guitar virtuoso Steve Vai at two sold out European shows.

The Warwick endorser was given the opportunity to play shows in Bucharest (Romania) and Rimini (Italy) after being selected from Romania’s most elite bass players for Vai’s current string of special orchestral shows.

In this interview Adrian tells us all about his experience.

Adrian Ciuplea and Steve Vai

How did the gigs go?

The gigs were great, I have had a wonderful experience. Everything went fine except when Steve’s guitar cable came off the pedalboard during “For the Love of God” song on the Bucharest show.

The sound was great considering the fact that mixing orchestra and a band is usually quite a challenge.

The gear I used on those events were two of my Warwick basses - the Streamer Stage I and Thumb BO - and my Hellborg preamp.

What size were the audiences you played for?

The events took place in large sports arenas. The Bucharest venue can hold up to 6000 people, and the one in Rimini, Italy, up to 7000 people. Both performances were sold out!

What were your personal highlights from playing the shows?

I had a lot of fun with “The Crying Machine” song. This one was not in the original set, but Steve wanted to try it with the band on the soundcheck of the first show. He told us “we’ll try this song tomorrow during soundcheck, and if it sounds good we’ll add it to the set as an encore!”

Well, the next day we received the green light for “The Crying Machine” and I was very happy about it because I could take a break from the “orchestral style playing.”

From my point of view, the electric bass had a kind of double role in this project. There were songs when I played as if I was part of the orchestra, looking at the conductor all the time, following the tempo changes and musical interpretations, and there were other songs when a modern bass playing approach was needed, like funky slap stuff.

Adrian playing his Warwick Streamer

What is it like to play alongside Steve Vai?

 During the shows there were moments when I was hypnotized by Steve’s guitar. Two times I was on the verge of missing my bass lines because I was listening to him so much and no longer focusing on my playing.

The musical suggestions he offered were always precise and well explained, usually in the form of jokes. It was impossible to miss the point. The first time we played “The Crying Machine”, all Steve said was “Ok guys!  One, two, three, four…,” then we launched into it.

I really enjoyed his direct and spontaneous approach. Moreover, during solos, Steve randomly chose the musicians he wanted to improvise. Imagine being finger pointed to play a solo during a concert in front of 6000 people or more! It’s really the kind of test that reveals what you’re made of.

It has been a privilege for me to support Steve Vai, and the whole experience was transcendental.

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