Generation Axe

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Sunday, May 1, Orpheum Theater, 8 pm

When five of the biggest names in rock guitar, backed by a primo rhythm section, agree to share the stage, it’s a one-of-a-kind tour. Generation Axe features solo, duo and group performances by Steve Vai (whose résumé includes Frank Zappa, Whitesnake and David Lee Roth), Zakk Wylde (Ozzy Osbourne, Black Label Society), Yngwie Malmsteen, Nuno Bettencourt (Extreme) and Tosin Abasi (Animals as Leaders). But this won’t be a night of excessive guitar wankery. Each of these players brings his own style and appeals to a different type of fan, and recent shows have included unexpected performances of Prince’s “Purple Rain” and Boston’s “Foreplay.”