Footage of an amazing performance by Guthrie Govan, Stuart Hamm and Atma Anur at the recent ‘Jason Becker’s not Dead Yet’ concert in the Netherlands, has been posted online. You can check it out below.
The concert was held in honor of guitarist Jason Becker, who first gained popularity when he and fellow shred master Marty Friedman joined forces to create Cacophony. Becker’s talent was so impressive that when Steve Vai left David Lee Roth’s band, the young guitarist was brought in as his replacement. Becker featured on the ’91 release ‘A Little Ain’t Enough,’ however; shortly before the proceeding tour, Becker was diagnosed with ALS—aka Lou Gehrig’s disease. He was just 20 years old. He was given three to five years to live. Although the disease eventually left him both paralyzed and unable to speak, Becker has beaten the odds, and now, more than 20 years later, he is still alive, and with the aid of computers, collaborators, and a system of communication using eye movements, is still writing music.
Govan headlined the six-hour guitar extravaganza, which also featured several legendary musicians, including former Joe Satriani and Steve Vai bassist Stuart Hamm, and drummer Atma Anur, who has also played alongside Satriani, as well as Doug Doppler.
The footage of the trio is shot from a single camera view, from an audience position, but a professional camera crew was also present to record the event in full, so watch out for the official video, to be released soon.
All proceeds from the evening went towards medical supplies for Becker, as well as a trust fund to provide for his future security.
A documentary about Becker’s extraordinary saga titled, ‘Perpetual Burn: The Story of Jason Becker,’ is currently in production. You can check out the trailer below.