Scorpions on Rockline tonight January 29th
- January 29th, 2014
- Posted in Interviews
- By Scott
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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