Vocally, ex-YNGWIE MALMSTEEN singer Mark Boals teams up superbly well with female vocalist Liz Vandall, with the two complementing each other with beautiful synchronicity. To make absolutely sure the crowd was won over, the set was rounded off by two 70′s SCORPIONS classics ‘We’ll Burn The Sky’ and ‘Pictured Life’. Although not everyone will be rushing off to check out the ULI JON ROTH back catalogue, there was more than a polite applause for a set that had kept the SCORPIONS well entertained as they waited for their heroes arrival.

For those people reading this who associate SCORPIONS with their 90′s mega-hit ‘Wind of Change’ - you have seriously got the wrong impression of this band. SCORPIONS are a heavy metal band, and they are heavier and louder than ever when they play live – this really is where SCORPIONS come into their own. The crunching riff of new album opener ‘Hour 1′ launched things into action, before fierce renditions of ‘Coming Home’ and headbanger ‘Bad Boys Running Wild’ showed immediately that SCORPIONS have lost none of their awesome live power. As he always has done, the now 60 year old Rudolph Schenker ruled the stage like a crazed mad man, throwing all kinds of shapes as he crashed through riff after riff. Matthias Jabs was also in sparkling form as he took centre stage during ‘The Zoo’ with his usual talk-box antics. Rudolph’s younger brother, legendary ex-UFO axe man Michael Schenker was also in town tonight, and it was pleasing to see him back on form as he joined another of his formed band’s for ‘Coast to Coast’, ‘Holiday’, ‘Lovedrive’ and ‘Another Piece of Meat’. For SCORPIONS fans, this was like a wet dream.

The SCORPIONS love to have plenty of fun on stage, and this was personified when the whole band got up to join powerhouse drummer James Kottak, with his ‘Kottak Attack’ drum solo. Nobody does rock humour like the Germans. As ‘Big City Nights’ concluded the main set, the huge video screens at the back of the stage urged the crowd to ‘SCREAM!’ to get the band back out for an encore and, of course, the Wolverhampton faithful duly obliged… and boy were they rewarded! First Ulrich Roth returned for ‘He’s a Woman, She’s a Man’ - before the Schenker brothers teamed up again, this time performing the UFO classic ‘Doctor, Doctor’ - truly a special moment. With no ‘Wind of Change’ in sight, ‘Rock You Like a Hurricane’ finished off what was an absolutely tremendous show. One thing is for sure, tonight was ultimate proof that there’s plenty of venom left in the sting of the SCORPIONS.

SCORPIONS Setlist: Hour 1 / Coming Home / Bad Boys Running Wild / The Zoo / No Pain No Game / Coast to Coast / Holiday / Lovedrive / Another Piece of Meat / Loving You Sunday Morning / 321 / Dynamite / Blackout / Big City Nights / Still Loving You / No One Like You / He’s A Woman, She’s A Man / Doctor, Doctor / Rock You Like a Hurricane

'Big City Nights', 'The Zoo', 'Bad Boys Running Wild', 'No One Like You'… the classic arena anthems just kept coming, with the monstrously vocal crowd lapping it up like a desert dog that's just found water. Newie's included the ferocious '321' and impressive set opener 'Hour 1', although given this is the Humanity tour and the track of the tour's very name didn't feature, this was the low point of the night.

With the greatest of respect, SCORPIONS have great songs but the factor that has probably gained them a new wave of fans is not only the Desmond Child penned 'Humanity', but the guest appearance of ex Scorps guitarists Michael Schenker and Uli Jon Roth. Both virtouso guitar legends in their own right, Roth is the relaxed, hippie type rocker whose adolescent playing bellies his calm persona, while the sleek, rip roaring Schenker, almost surprised by the sheer reception he gets – just does what he does best. Supreme playing and with smile on face, there's no mad axeman antics and no need to be beware of scorpions tonight…and a cover of UFO's 'Doctor, Doctor' acts as the ultimate Schenker homage.    

    
Of course, this is the sign of any great band. Anyone can make an acoustic album or write a killer ballad (maybe even a couple in this case) but coming back with a big time producer/songwriter and bringing in legendary special guests is just the ticket for a box office killing. Indeed, with the added layers of Schneker and Roth respectively, the German rockers show off their reflective side beautifully,
the likes of 'Fly To The Rainbow' & 'Still Loving You' in particular done compelling justice.

Of course, A bit like an overwhipped fairy cake, SCORPIONS stage presence is to be taken, in good old fashioned German tradition, lightly. Whether its the whole band nicking their drummers kit and playing
along on an insanely energetic drum solo or a the enormous computer backdrop displaying the encore message of DO YOU WANT MORE? its all jolly good fun. In spite of the 7,000 drumsticks (or so it seemed) they threw into the crowd, my butterfingers never managed to get one – nearly as criminal a crime as not pocketing a plectrum at a YNGWIE MALMSTEEN gig… 

SCORPIONS Setlist: Hour 1 / Coming Home / Bad Boys Running Wild / The Zoo / No Pain No Game / Coast to Coast / Holiday / Lovedrive / Another Piece of Meat / In Trance / Fly To The Rainbow / Loving You Sunday Morning / 321 / Dynamite / Blackout / Big City Nights / Still Loving You / No One Like You / Doctor, Doctor / Rock You Like a Hurricane

           
      
Ratings:

SCORPIONS: 4.7/5.0

ULI JON ROTH: 4.3/5.0

Review by Andy Law

Photography by Alexander Shaw

ULI JON ROTH

SCORPIONS