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Went to see ze Skorpionz und MSG last night at Hammersmith, decent show overall, with some highs and definitely some lows...
MSG, very sadly, was just too painful to watch. Michael stumbled on stage and played quite terribly: some solos were kind of OK, a bit like running on autopilot for him, but there were many embarrassing moments, like when he sounded like he was just trying to learn the intro to Doctor Doctor, or when he got both the notes and tones wrong (the intro riff to Armed and Ready with the wah on??).
A pity, really, because to be honest I was more looking forward to see MSG than Scorpions...
...who, on the other hand, were in fine form. Klaus is a German machine, he gets all the high notes, he's always perfectly in tune, he kept that wonderful thick German accent and he still works the crowd as goofily as 25 years ago, very professional and very endearing.
Rudy and Mathias were also great and energetic; for some reason Mathias has always been underrated compared to Uli or Michael's obvious superior talent, but you've got to give credit to the guy's longevity and professionalism: he's got his own style, very fluid, his vibrato is always in tune (ask Kirk Hammett, that moron still can't wiggle a high note in tune after 20 years of trying!), his tone is enjoyable and his phrasing still tastier than 90% of the new crop of shred wannabes a la Trivium.
They do indulge in goofy mannerisms like using different guitars for each song, but overall the performance was good.
Uli Jon Roth came on stage and played many '70s classics, Pictured Life, In Trance, Fly To The Rainbow etc., to be fair he did outplay Mathias, but his spot kind of interrupted the momentum, too much soloing etc., whereas before and after, the songs sounded tighter and, well, more metal.
The bass player was recruited while he was trying a Squier bass at Guitar Center on a saturday afternoon, he played Hendrix and Enter Sandman during his solo spot, so may he rest in peace reminiscing the good ol' days in the Jay Turner internet forum.
The drummer was the most annoying human being in the multiverse, during his solo with the usual stop'n'go cliche routine, everytime he stopped, the audience would yell f$~k off! with perfect timing... In fairness, he can keep the beat though.
All in all, I'd say their best moments were a very good Holiday, still cheesy but not as ghey as Wind of Change or Still Loving You, and especially the Zoo, with its proto-Panteresque chug, and Dynamite, that was a sonic blast!
MSG, very sadly, was just too painful to watch. Michael stumbled on stage and played quite terribly: some solos were kind of OK, a bit like running on autopilot for him, but there were many embarrassing moments, like when he sounded like he was just trying to learn the intro to Doctor Doctor, or when he got both the notes and tones wrong (the intro riff to Armed and Ready with the wah on??).
A pity, really, because to be honest I was more looking forward to see MSG than Scorpions...
...who, on the other hand, were in fine form. Klaus is a German machine, he gets all the high notes, he's always perfectly in tune, he kept that wonderful thick German accent and he still works the crowd as goofily as 25 years ago, very professional and very endearing.
Rudy and Mathias were also great and energetic; for some reason Mathias has always been underrated compared to Uli or Michael's obvious superior talent, but you've got to give credit to the guy's longevity and professionalism: he's got his own style, very fluid, his vibrato is always in tune (ask Kirk Hammett, that moron still can't wiggle a high note in tune after 20 years of trying!), his tone is enjoyable and his phrasing still tastier than 90% of the new crop of shred wannabes a la Trivium.
They do indulge in goofy mannerisms like using different guitars for each song, but overall the performance was good.
Uli Jon Roth came on stage and played many '70s classics, Pictured Life, In Trance, Fly To The Rainbow etc., to be fair he did outplay Mathias, but his spot kind of interrupted the momentum, too much soloing etc., whereas before and after, the songs sounded tighter and, well, more metal.
The bass player was recruited while he was trying a Squier bass at Guitar Center on a saturday afternoon, he played Hendrix and Enter Sandman during his solo spot, so may he rest in peace reminiscing the good ol' days in the Jay Turner internet forum.
The drummer was the most annoying human being in the multiverse, during his solo with the usual stop'n'go cliche routine, everytime he stopped, the audience would yell f$~k off! with perfect timing... In fairness, he can keep the beat though.
All in all, I'd say their best moments were a very good Holiday, still cheesy but not as ghey as Wind of Change or Still Loving You, and especially the Zoo, with its proto-Panteresque chug, and Dynamite, that was a sonic blast!
..Was that when he was playing to a tape or something..or with a band. A friend saw him open for Michael..but he was playing by himself to recorded music, and he did say it was weird and boring..
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