Scorpions - Humanity, Hour 1 Tour Sept. 15, 2007 The Gibson Ampitheater
By Maya Dawn Henderson~ Photos by Valerie Nerres~
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The SCORPIONS raised the roof off the Gibson Ampitheater supporting their Humanity, Hour 1 tour on Sept. 15, 2007. Opening with fast and furious, tribal-like drums, they dazzled the full house with their opener, Bad Boys Running Wild. They still have it ~ that unmistakable SCORPIONS sound; uncompromising, guitar-orientated hard rock with most songs being recognizable from the first note. Everyone there jumped up and stayed up throughout the duration of the show. They launched directly into Love ‘em or Leave ‘em next, a tune that typifies the SCORPIONS style of hard rock combined with catchy melodies.
The stage was left simple with just the drum kit planted in the middle, with a large gong hanging from above. No crazy, elaborate set, just plenty of stage for them bad boys to run wild. I’ve seen this band roll up with literally dozens of trucks just for their lighting alone. They didn’t disappoint at this show. An aurora of a light show kicked in during the rock anthem, The Zoo. During which, front man Klaus threw a bunch of drumsticks randomly out to the crowd. I had never seen this done before, but the fans loved it. Something about going to a SCOPRIONS show just warms my heart, all the adoring fans belting out all the lyrics in unison, Klaus greeting the audience… Lahs Ahn-gel-eeees… you really know how to par-taaay... you really know how to rawwwck!!
Going on 40 years since the foundation of Germany’s most successful hard rock band to date, the SCORPIONS Klaus Meine, Rudolf Schenker and Matthias Jabs can look back together on an amazing career. It was the mid-60’s when Rudolf Schenker started up the SCORPIONS in Hanover, Germany. Rudolf Schenker and Klaus Meine teamed up to form the accomplished Schenker/Meine songwriting duo, thereby laying the foundations for a spectacular success story. In 1972, the SCORPIONS released their remarkable début album, Lonesome Crow. Right from the start, the band was aiming for the very top of the international hard rock business, Klaus Meine writing all his lyrics in English. On their third LP In Trance (1975), they began their working relationship with well-known producer Dieter Dierks. In Trance was the best-selling RCA album in Japan, where SCORPION mania broke out. The same year they toured Europe, sharing top billing with KISS. The SCORPIONS achieved their ambition to be the top German hard rock band with their fourth album, Virgin Killer (1976). It was 1979 when Matthias Jabs joined the band in recording their seventh album, Lovedrive (1979). Animal Magnetism followed in 1980. But in the 80’s, the USA was the biggest market for heavy rock. By their second U.S. tour, the SCORPIONS were top of the bill. This set the pace for many Monster Tours to follow. Love at First Sting also became one of the most successful albums in rock history. It included the SCORPIONS’ most popular numbers; Rock You Like a Hurricane, Bad Boys Running Wild, and Still Loving You. As an international rock band, the SCORPIONS had carved out their own musical identity.
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To American audiences, the SCORPIONS, with their polished, hard-edged ‘melodic rock’ and Klaus Meine’s dramatic vocals and untouchable high notes, came to epitomize the best in rock. Groups like Iron Maiden, Bon Jovi, Metallica, and Def Leppard, that later would become super-mega bands, were support acts on the SCORPIONS’ worldwide tours, learning as they toured, what it meant for a band to hold their own in rock arenas globally. On most of the SCORPIONS songs, thundering drums and brutal guitar licks dominate, adding to which that instantly recognizable voice of singer/front man Klaus Meine. Discovering the SCORPIONS myself, at fourteen, I remember absorbing this music and being just floored by the sound. At that age you don’t really know where you are in the world yet, and I remember listening to that Lovedrive album and feeling like a part of something huge.
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Tonight, like every time I’ve seen them, the band knew what they were there for. Klaus titillated the packed ampitheatre with his distinct vocal harmonies and polished delivery during the build up of Holiday, proving he still has the pipes. Many would say they’d lost a little luster in the 90s, but they’re back now with a new release, Humanity, Hour 1. They showcased the title track, Humanity at this show, which had a mellow intro with heavy guitar riffs throughout. Lyrically it gets away from the sexual innuendos of past years and more into intelligent lyrics and storytelling. This is mainly due to current producer, Desmond Child's influence. The concept behind Humanity isn’t new. It is based on the idea of man-against-machine and how we must ‘reclaim our humanity’ from the soulless evil of technology. Let's hope they can continue to stay away from the poppy techno (Eye to Eye) and the orchestra music of the late 90's. Fans who like the SCORPIONS hard and heavy will be happy with this new release. Is it fresh? Not completely. Is it groundbreaking? Not so much. Is it the Scorpions? Absolutely, and it rocks!
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Their current lineup works very well and it consists of three original members, Klaus Meine (vocals), Rudolf Schenker (guitarist) and Matthias Jabs (guitarist), and additionally features James Kottak (drums) and Pawel Maciwoda (bass). They played Make It Real, another classic for the old-time fans. I would have loved to have heard some more of the ‘classics’ like Robot Man, Speedy’s Coming or Coast to Coast, (which I heard they did do elsewhere). One can’t help but notice at a SCORPIONS’ show, you have fans there for the older stuff, and some that clearly came in ‘circa Rock You Like A Hurricane’. The dancing Harley Davidson couple next to us was proof of this. Bopping in time to Tease Me, Please Me, it was clear that no one at the Gibson was having a bad time. They played 3-2-1 (are you ready to rock), another one off the Humanity CD. I have no idea how it fits into the concept, and I read that the band themselves feel it’s best track on the CD, but that doesn’t really fit into the conceptual record. The song is a big, loud rocker with a poppy edge.
Pawel, the bassist with the John Redcorn look, wowed the crowd with an extremely funkadelic version of Jeff Beck’s Star Cycle… on the bass. Uber impressive. Kottak’s drum solo was stylish and exciting and the strobe lights seemed to intensify the experience. He doesn’t play “lead drums” but his fullthrottle energy suits this band perfectly. It got really interesting when he invited his wife, Athena, to get up on his kit and pound out a solo, while he jammed just behind her on the toms. Admittedly jealous, I couldn’t help but admire her skills and think how cool that must have been for her.
Matthias did some Hendrix licks during his solo and he’s mastered his Frampton-like voice box skills. Rudolph still rocks the same Flying V. The distinctive SCORPIONS style came from the combination of two electric guitars, a fusion of fabulous forceful power riffs with dazzlingly exuberant guitar solos. They did the obligatory three guitar-in-a-row dance during Big City Nights and closed up with a medley of ‘you’ songs; Still Lovin’ You, I’m Leaving You and No One Like You. They did an extended version of Dynamite for one of the two encores. No one left early. The SCORPRIONS had unleashed yet another amazing display of sound and light with relentless vigor and energy. Feeling a little nostalgic as we left the concert, I was elated with the show, satisfied and content because they’re still there, they still rock so hard, and that I was still… part of something huge. www.the-scorpions.com