Following their highly successful debut band tour across Europe this past June and July — which saw numerous sold-out shows and glowing praise from fans and press alike — legendary guitar icons Joe Satriani and Steve Vai are bringing their electrifying SATCHVAI Band to the United States for the first time. The “Surfing with the Hydra” 2026 tour will launch on April 1 in Seattle, WA and continue on throughout April and May before winding up in Vienna, VA at Wolf Trap on May 30. Animals as Leaders will support on all dates. Tickets will be on-sale Friday December 12 with artist presale (PW: SATCHVAI2026) on Wednesday, December 10 at 10am local. Local pre-sales follow on Thursday, December 11.
This new chapter follows a monumental summer that took the newly formed band through major cities including London, Manchester, Paris, Copenhagen, Zurich, and more as well as festivals including Hellfest, Umbria Jazz Festival, and Guitares en Scene Fest, thrilling audiences with the unmatched interplay and energy that only Satriani and Vai can deliver. Now, with a brand-new video and single, “Dancing,” arriving March 2, 2026 via earMUSIC, the guitar greats are ready to bring that same firepower to stages across America.
“The SATCHVAI Band rides again! After a fantastic European tour last summer Steve, Kenny, Marco, Pete and I will bring the Surfing With The Hydra Tour to the US. We can’t wait to play you the new material from our forthcoming Satch/Vai album along with your favorite songs from our shared catalog. And that’s not all, we’re bringing along the incomparable Animals As Leaders. You do not want to miss this show with this lineup!” – Joe Satriani
Steve Vai concurs, "The SATCHVAI Band summer Euro tour of 2025 far exceeded anything I could have imagined. 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 step out of my teenage brain and stroll onto the stage. And somehow, it was even more rewarding, satisfying, and downright fulfilling than I ever thought possible.
Our trusty band—Marco Mendoza holding down the bass with his usual thunder, Pete Thorn weaving in the magic on guitar, and Kenny Aronoff powering the whole thing from behind the kit, we created a musical flying carpet that carried us through the tour.
And to all the fans who came out and supported the show: massive thanks. Your energy and enthusiasm made the room pulse, and inspired us all beyond beyond. We are looking forward to steamroll this train into your city on our 2026 spring North America tour.”
The band’s forthcoming single “Dancing” marks the latest chapter in SATCHVAI Band’s creative evolution. It follows the duo’s first two releases — the sweeping, cinematic instrumental “The Sea of Emotion, Pt. 1” and the high-octane rocker “I Wanna Play My Guitar,” featuring powerhouse vocals from Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple, Black Country Communion). Together, these tracks have showcased both the emotional depth and unbridled energy that define the SATCHVAI Band sound — a seamless fusion of melody, virtuosity, and the kind of musical chemistry only five decades of friendship can produce.
The SATCHVAI Band marks the first time in their nearly 50-year friendship and musical partnership that Satriani and Vai have formally joined forces as a band. Their collaboration debuted in March 2024 with a duo tour and the release of “The Sea of Emotion, Pt. 1,” a stunning six-minute opus showcasing their extraordinary synergy. A second track, released ahead of the European tour, further fueled anticipation for what has become one of the year’s most celebrated live events.
Rounding out the lineup, powerhouse drummer Kenny Aronoff, renowned bassist Marco Mendoza, and virtuoso guitarist Pete Thorn complete the stellar quintet that is the SATCHVAI Band — a live ensemble built for explosive musicianship and unbridled guitar mastery.
Animals As Leaders, Tosin Abasi said of the tour, “We are beyond honored to be joining Joe Satriani and Steve Vai on tour! Our band, in many ways, would not be what it was if not for the impact of these two icons. Getting a chance to hit the US with them is a bucket list experience for us. Can’t want to see you all soon!”
Pre-sale tickets for “The Surfing with the Hydra 2026 U.S. Tour” kick off with an Artist Presale (PW: SATCHVAI2026) on Wednesday, December 10 at 10am local. Local presales follow on Thursday, December 11. The public on-sale begins Friday, December 12 at 10am local. All ticket details available at SATCHVAIBAND.COM
- April 1 – Seattle, WA – Paramount Theatre
- April 2 – Portland, OR – Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
- April 4 – Oakland, CA – Fox Theater
- April 5 – Reno, NV – Grand Sierra Resort and Casino
- April 7 – Long Beach, CA – Long Beach Terrace Theater
- April 8 – San Diego, CA – Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre
- April 10 – Mesa, AZ – Mesa Amphitheatre
- April 11 – Las Vegas, NV – The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas
- April 14 – Denver, CO – Mission Ballroom
- April 16 – Houston, TX – 713 Music Hall
- April 17 – Dallas, TX – Music Hall at Fair Park
- April 18 – Austin, TX – ACL Live at the Moody Theater
- April 20 – Mobile, AL – Saenger Theatre
- April 22 – Pompano Beach, FL – Pompano Beach Amphitheater
- April 24 – Clearwater, FL – Baycare Sound
- April 25 – St. Augustine, FL – St. Augustine Amphitheatre
- April 26 – Orlando, FL – Hard Rock Live
- April 27 – Atlanta, GA – Atlanta Symphony Hall
- April 29 – Charlotte, NC – Ovens Auditorium
- April 30 – Durham, NC – DPAC
- May 2 – Minneapolis, MN – State Theatre
- May 3 – Chicago, IL – Chicago Theatre
- May 5 – Milwaukee, WI – The Riverside Theater
- May 7 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium
- May 8 – Cincinnati, OH – PNC Pavillion at Riverbend Music Center
- May 9 – Indianapolis, IN – Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park
- May 10 – St. Louis, MO – The Factory #
- May 12 – Buffalo, NY – Kleinhans Music Hall
- May 13 – Toronto, Ont – Meridian Hall #
- May 15 – Northfield, OH – MGM Northfield Park
- May 16 – Rochester Hills, MI – Meadow Brook Amphitheatre
- May 17 – Syracuse, NY – Landmark Theatre
- May 20 – Boston, MA – Leader Bank Pavilion
- May 21 – Albany, NY – Palace Theatre
- May 22 – Waterbury, CT – Palace Theater
- May 23 – Virginia Beach, VA – The Dome
- May 27 – Reading, PA – Santander Performing Arts Center
- May 28 – New York, NY – Beacon Theatre
- May 29 – Atlantic City, NJ – Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa
- May 30 – Vienna, VA – Wolf Trap *
#On-sale TBA 2026
*Pre-sale and on sale for Wolf Trap show will be in February 2026.
