Scorpions - Hammersmith Odeon 18th October 2008

Last year in July we came to the same venue to see the Scorps with Uli Jon Roth and Michael Schenker. Although the Scorps were fab, the set with Uli dragged on a bit and Michael was so pissed he couldn't remember Doctor Doctor or probably his name.

So after seeing very favourable reviews we arrived with renewed hope.

Uli and his band were the support this time. All very Hendrix flavoured and playing an 18 minute song of your new cd wasn't a great idea.The singer Mark Boals had all the stage craft of a plastic cup but the lady singer who joined in on 2 songs was having a great time. Second last song was We'll Burn the Sky which was great and ended with Sails of Charon so ended very well.

I first saw the Scorps in February 1984 and with Klaus Meine(vox)and Rudolf Schenker(geetar) now in their sixties how many more shows will we get?

Tonight they were stunning.The setlist was

• Hour 1
• Coming Home
• Bad Boys Running Wild
• The Zoo
• No Pain No Gain
• Coast to Coast(with Michael Schenker)
• Holiday(with MS)
• Lovedrive(with MS)
• Another Piece Of Meat(with MS)
• Loving You Sunday Morning
• 321
• Dynamite
• Drum solo
• Blackout
• Big City Nights

Encores

• Still Loving You
• No One Like You
• He's A Woman She's A Man(with Uli)
• Doctor Doctor (with MS)
• Rock You Like A Hurricane(with MS)

Highlights were the 4 early songs with Michael. He looked well and played well. The hairs on the back of the neck went up during Coast To Coast. The encores of No One Like You(probably my fav Scorps song)followed by HAWSAM (my fav Uli led song)was something I thought I would never see. Matthias Jabs (apart from the lack of hair) looks just like the old days and his playing was sensational. Their isn't much better in rock n'roll Rudolf riffing away and Matthias soloing over the top.Blackout,Dynamite the list goes on.Klaus was in fine vox and with a great sound and lights.

They lose a point for the drum solo which included all the band playing snare drums but gain an extra one for not playing Winds Of Change!

So yet another fab night. Over the 2 gigs a year apart we saw a fab band who carry on playing great shows 40 years into their career...and with Michael looking so well no regrets this time.

10/10 ME