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We  were beyond saddened to learn a couple of years back that Germany’s finest Rock  & Roll export, the Scorpions, had decided to begin unwinding their career  as a live touring band, yet they alluded to the fact that there might be more  music released over the years. Already, we have something new to celebrate. On  the heels of their LIVE 2011 release and 2010 studio album, “Sting in the  Tail”, the band has decided to strip things down again. Not since their  2001 release, “Acoustica”, has the band taken such elaborate steps to  offer more with less. Assuming, of course, one views acoustic as somehow less  or inferior. Even a cursory look at the new DVD/CD “Scorpions: MTV  Unplugged in Athens” will dispel any notions of anything construed as  less; the stage is teeming with performers, a coterie of female background  singers, an accordion player, harmonica, piano/keyboards, beautiful, exotic looking  instruments, a string section and in the middle of it all Klaus Meine resolute  and confident in the eye of the storm, his domain. Matthias Jabs is on fire  from the get go, his picking style of guitar playing really lending itself to  an acoustic performance, Rudolph Schenker plays a wide range of guitars,  sneaking in a bit of electric, and even offers some sitar and a lead vocal too.  The Polish prince, Pawel Maciwoda, stoically lays down fluid bass lines  propelling the delicate yet powerful band throughout the evening and American James  Kottack is so tasteful and in the moment on his drum kit that he’s sometimes  forgotten. From note one, Scorpions lay down a nasty groove that persists  throughout the evening. The completely rearranged “Sting in the Tail”  begins the set and sets a tone. This show, all two hours of it, is something  special. Visit at       The-Scorpions.com

Klaus  once said to me the European audiences seem to enjoy the slightly softer side  of the band where the Americans wanna rock more. Likely, “Humanity” was  more in line with Europe in its scope, “Sting in the Tail”, perhaps  more USA. There’s very little to not enjoy in this sparkling set from Athens. It’s  an ornate and beautiful show, powerful in performance, symphonic in scope. Their  songs take on a new dimension, they resonate differently, they’ve been given  new life and we cannot imagine any band performing at this level calling it  quits anytime soon. Scorpions give us the hits we want, offer five new songs  and have structured their set so it all flows beautifully as well. A terrific  new song, “Dancing with the Moonlight” is followed by “In  Trance” (for longtime fans) featuring a duet with Klaus and Cathe  intertwining her made-for-rock voice with his. Arrangements are so clever at  one point Meine teases the audience to identify the song the band is playing  under him. They can’t….until the chorus of “Blackout” removes any  doubt. Something special for sure.

Join us for Klaus and  Matthias from the Scorpions on the next Rockine!

-bc