Steve Vai readies new album, plots North American tour

The New Year will bring with it a new album from Steve Vai, and the guitar virtuoso has laid out plans for a two-month North American tour behind the set.

Titled "Real Illusions: Reflections," Vai's latest solo effort is due in stores on Feb. 22. The axe-slinger follows the release with a March 1 tour kick-off in Phoenix, and tour dates so far stretch through late April. Details are shown below.

Joining Vai on tour will be his former David Lee Roth band mate Billy Sheehan (bass), as well as Tony Macalpine (guitar/keys), Jeremy Colson (drums) and Dave Weiner (guitar).

"We're already working on the show," Vai said in a statement. "It's been a blast playing with Billy again. We've got a lot of surprises in store for the audience."

Vai's show will clock in at more than two hours, and will feature songs from "Real Illusions: Reflections," as well as "classic favorites," according to a press release.

A graduate of Boston's Berklee School of Music, Vai rose to fame in the '80s as part of Frank Zappa's band and, more notably, as Roth's post-Van Halen guitarist. He went on to play with Whitesnake before embarking on a solo career.

Earlier this month, Vai was nominated for a Grammy in the Best Rock Instrumental category for the cut "Whispering a Prayer."