Michael Schenker is one of the three best guitarists living today. There, I said it. He’s certainly rock guitar royalty, having made a name for himself with his brother Rudolph in the Scorpions, a legendary career with UFO, and more solo albums than any guitarist on Shrapnel Records could ever dream of. I had the privilege of seeing Michael Schenker play as part of his 50th Anniversary: My Life With UFO Tour at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts in San Antonio, Texas last Friday night. What made this specific and narrow focus on his UFO years was it made it like going to a giant, loud, and well-lit listening party for my favorite live album.
By the way, UFO’s Strangers in the Night is the best live album of all time! There, I said that, too. Now, I may sound biased, but there’s something special about the guitar playing of Michael Schenker and it’s showcased in every song on that amazing double-disc Strangers in the Night live album. I wasn’t sure if they’d stick to the script of that album, but had a good feeling that I’d enjoy everything they played.
I have been a fan of Schenker’s guitar playing ever since I heard this infamous live album, which came out in 1979. His fingers have that special touch. He plays with feeling. This is something that cannot be taught and guitar players would kill to have:
1) A tone that is instantly recognizable, and;
2) To have feeling in your fingers. To express emotion with the way your fingers touch and bend the strings.
This guy has it all. Now, I will be honest. I haven’t been a fan of every Michael Schenker solo album through the years. I have been following his solo career after he left UFO. The first two MSG albums I loved (1980, ’81). The One Night in Budokan double live album (’82) is amazing. The third studio album, however, Assault Attack was an assault on my senses. A lot of my metal head friends think I’m crazy, but I hated Graham Bonnet’s vocals on that album. He’s a fine metal vocalist in his own right, but I was so disappointed that it kind of gave me post traumatic stress disorder about every future vocalist Schenker might ever have. Granted, the McAuley Schenker group was a good lineup. Robin McAuley had a really good voice and there were some good songs that came out of that era, but something happened and for some reason, I kind of avoided seeing Michael Schenker live as a solo artist all these years. I think I was kind of afraid I’d be disappointed with the vocalist trying to sing songs that I love and was so familiar with. I was a fool for musical purity or something.
Tonight’s tour was an exception that showed my fears as completely unnecessary. With the focus on his life with UFO, it was the perfect tour to venture into these waters. While the singer on this tour (R.D. Liapakis) did not try to copy or mimic the vocals of the great Phil Mogg of UFO (how many vocalists could?) – he carried the songs with excellence. The voice is a unique instrument, just like Schenker’s fingers, and Liapakis’ pipes were more than capable for the job.
R.D. Liapakis performed these songs like they were his own. He delivered in the same key as the songs were originally sung in and they sounded good and solid. No complaints there. Liapakis brought lots of power and swagger, even getting tender in sweet songs like “Love to Love,” and his timing was perfect.
The band was tight and played all the songs impeccably. It wasn’t a Strangers in the Night tribute band. It was the irreplacable Michael Schenker with an good supporting cast.
Rhythm guitarist Steve Mann was flawless, even doing double duty on keyboards. Besides offering the original sound background and piano fills, it sounded like an organ during “Love to Love,” which is melodic, metal perfection. Like red wine with steak, his keys are a great pairing with Michael’s expressive guitar. Take, for example, the opening notes to “Doctor, Doctor” before Schenker takes over and possesses the song.
Drummer Bodo Schopf and bassist Barend Courbois rounded out this all-star band as the capable and in-the-pocket rhythm section.
The band played each tune from this epic masterpiece, save for “Out in the Street” and adding “Can You Roll Her” and “Reasons Love” (both from the No Heavy Petting album). It was amazing and wonderful. As a slight footnote, the band technically played three songs not on Strangers… if you remember how “Hot ‘n Ready” was not on the original U.S. release way back when (but has since been added on most versions available today). I’m a UFO audiofile and I didn’t even recognize the other two songs at first: “Can You Roll Her” and “Reasons Love.”
One thing the crowd in San Antonio will no doubt always remember was how the PA went out during “Lights Out.” As ironic as that moment was, the crowd cheerfully substituted the sing-along chorus of “lights out” to “power’s out!” It was funny to see the band keep chugging along, as the stage mix and those rapid-fire drums were still giving them sound. Eventually the quick scrambling crew got it fired back up and the band finished it out with power. The concert audience was riled up and mad for a moment, but it was just a slight hiccup in a fantastic show that was magical from start to finish.
There was one moment in the first song, where a photographer wearing a Heaven’s Metal polo shirt was kicked off the stage. That looked embarrassing for whoever that Heaven’s Metal staff writer was. I wonder who?
During the lengthy “Rock Bottom,” the band earned the title for “hardest working band in rock and roll,” as they held down a churning rhythm while Michael went off and off and off. They saved this masterpiece song for near the end of the set for its sheer showcasing ability. While it’s a real song, with verses, choruses, and the lot, it’s almost like one giant guitar solo. Call it a soundbed or the best excuse ever for an extended guitar solo.
After what has to be an exhausting exercise in playing “Rock Bottom,” Michael approached the microphone and asked if the audience wanted to hear “one more.” Then he smiled, “How ’bout two more?” The band tore into “Shoot Shoot” and I had to go through my mental track listing to see what they’d end up with. “Too Hot to Handle” was a perfect finale. Ironically enough, on the original album those two were also the last songs of the set, but in reverse order.
What an amazing show.
Armored Saint opened up the concert with a good 50-minute set of power metal propelled by the twin guitar attack of Jeff Duncan and Phil Sandoval. They were having fun, bringing the force of that early power metal that Judas Priest inspired us all with those many decades ago. At one point they brought up Jason McMasters of Dangerous Toys for a duet with John Bush of sorts for the tune, “Can U Deliver.”
As is evident by the photo below, Gonzo Sandoval (brother of Phil) was having a blast powering the band through its tight set.
Sheer melodic metal perfection.
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