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At left, Steve Vai and Dick Bakker get to know each other in the first day of rehearsal. At right, Steve settles into the role of player/composer with the orchestra.

Surrounded by former Frank Zappa guitarists isn't such a bad place to be, I'm thinking. Mike Keneally was in Holland to promote his upcoming Metropol collaboration album "The Universe Will Provide". He stopped by a rehearsal, and I got this first-of-its-kind Keneally/Beller/Vai picture out of the deal.

For the gearheads out there - this was the rig I used for the shows. An SWR Mo' Bass head, an SWR SM-900 head (used as a slave amp), and two SWR Goliath III 4x10's. Did you know: "SWR" in Dutch is pronounced "ESS-VAY-EHR.

The extra-special Kentucky-fried arrangement of Vai's "Ballerina" employed guitarist Pieter Tiehuis on banjo, of all things. The guy could do anything.

Keneally and I spent a night in the radio studios of NPS recording a duo performance that will hit the Dutch airwaves sometime this fall. Co de Kloet, the NPS man who made it happen, also taped a separate hour-long radio interview with yours truly, featuring several tracks from View. Again, listen for it on NPS this fall in Holland if you can.