Mike Orlando Performs at Guitar Player's Guitar Superstar 2008

MIKE ORLANDO unloads his brand of Staten Island guitar whupass on -- not to mention shares his great "guitar faces" with -- a capacity crowd at the 2008 Guitar Player Magazine Guitar Superstar competition. ("You know, Mike, they DO make decaf," joked judge Joe Satriani after Orlando's performance.)

Hosted by Andy Summers, the event was held September 13, 2008, at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco, California. The backing band is Thud Factor, featuring bassist Jonathan Herrera, keyboardist Eric Levy, drummer John Mader, and guitarist Jude Gold.

The Grand Prize winner -- Guitar Superstar 2008 -- was Vicki Genfan,

Judges included Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Elliot Easton, Brendon Small, and George Lynch.

Finalists were rated on technique, creativity, charisma, and overall vibe. Prizes included a feature article in Guitar Player, and a bevy of wonderful prizes from event sponsors such as Mesa/Boogie, Moog Music, Epiphone, ZZYZX Snapjack Cables, Bugera Amps, Audio-Technica, Auralex, CAD Microphones, Carr Amps, Collings Guitars, Cruz Tools, Dunlop Manufacturing, Essential Sound Products, Fulltone, Keeley Electronics, King Amplification, Magix, Mono Cases, N-Tune Peterson, ProTone Pedals, Reeves Amplification, Reverend Guitars, Shreddies, Villex Electronics, and Westheimer/Cort.

THE 2008 FINALISTS:

Eric Barnett
Sonoma, CA

Eric Brewer
Erie, PA

Mark Christian
Los Angeles, CA

Vicki Genfan
Fairview, NJ
2008 WINNER!

Makana
Honolulu, HI
SECOND RUNNER-UP

Daddo Oreskovich
Chicago, IL
FIRST RUNNER-UP

Michael Orlando
Staten Island, NY

Dan Peters
Morton Grove, IL

Ben Robinson
Jacksonville, FL

The Guy
Norwalk, CT

Category:

Music

Tags:

• guitar
• player
• magazine
• shred
• solo
• lead
• mike
• orlando
• superstar
• 2008
• competition
• mesa
• boogie
• splawn
• thud
• factor
• music
• jude
• gold
• jon
• herrera
• eric
• levy
• john
• mader
• hero

[mykopy]

Cocaine is a hell of a drug!

[pennekre]

This guy's johnson must have some serious wank-rash.

[telecaster0807]

guitar masturbation at its finest !

[THORNWOMAN]

No feeling. Just not a great guitarist. Any kid that plays scales & sweeps all day can do this. Now dont get me wrong, it takes discipline to practice that much to get this ability. Its just boring as hell to listen to non stop.

[ahvaimusicom]

@Daedalus233 ha you must be on crack, go back to your backstreet boys records.

[winston67]

ok.. he kinda gets on my nerves.

[honestjbone]

i think hes very talented that shit he does is not easy at all...i'd like to see the haters do what he does, but no they wont...they'll hid in the back and talk shit all night long

[Daedalus233]

Bad. Very bad.

[zxlkho1]

This is hilarious.

Hilariously terrible.

[Rickholyrock]

What a gas ! Now that's what you call letting it out !

[juswannawatchthings]

...i like this :L

[JPulido421]

Great player. Hard to look at him play, his nervous manic demeanor makes him look like he's had 20 cups of coffee. Non the less I like his playing.