FANZEYEVIEW
Michael Schenker Group
It has been almost 30 years since I last saw MSG play live and I don't think it will be another 30 before I see them again. They took to the stage with intent to kickstart a memorable evening at The Academy in Manchester.
Into The Arena started proceedings a perfect instrumental showing all that is great about the guitar player Michael. Michael Voss then joined the band on vocals starting with Armed And Ready that rocked then house completing the opening MSG salvo from the first album. With Hermann Rarebell from The Scorpions on drums, they launched into Another Piece Of Meat and Rock You Like A Hurricane. We were also treated to a couple of new tracks from the forthcoming Temple Of Rock cd, before Pete Way joined in on bass for UFO classics Rock Bottom and Doctor Doctor. They left the stage with the crowd showing much deserved appreciation for one of the finest support acts you will ever see.
Into The Arena/Armed And Ready/Another Piece Of Meat/ Before The Dawn/Rock You Like A Hurricane/Hanging On/Rock Bottom/Doctor Doctor.
Into The Arena started proceedings a perfect instrumental showing all that is great about the guitar player Michael. Michael Voss then joined the band on vocals starting with Armed And Ready that rocked then house completing the opening MSG salvo from the first album. With Hermann Rarebell from The Scorpions on drums, they launched into Another Piece Of Meat and Rock You Like A Hurricane. We were also treated to a couple of new tracks from the forthcoming Temple Of Rock cd, before Pete Way joined in on bass for UFO classics Rock Bottom and Doctor Doctor. They left the stage with the crowd showing much deserved appreciation for one of the finest support acts you will ever see.
Into The Arena/Armed And Ready/Another Piece Of Meat/ Before The Dawn/Rock You Like A Hurricane/Hanging On/Rock Bottom/Doctor Doctor.
Black Country Communion
With the roaring intro of Ride Of The Valkiries, BCC started the final concert of the UK leg of their second cd release tour and it was a gig that no one there will forget.
Opening with Black Country and One Last Soul from the first cd the crowd already in singalong mode, lapping up the energy of the band as well. The real class of the band kicked in with Song Of Yesterday a Bonamassa showcase of how far he has come with his guitar playing and song-writing skills. This song is a classic already and the performance tonight just had the crowd shaking their heads in disbelief at the bands playing of it.
Spirit and Save Me from the new cd really showcased Jason Bonhams drumming skills with both songs having a strong Led Zep feel to them. Another gem from the evening was the new song Cold, this is just an outstanding song that was probably the song of the night for me, but only just.
A Joe original next in the set, The Ballad Of John Henry was taken to another level tonight , about ten minutes long featuring a keyboard break from Derek , the trademark theramin passage, and a few bars of Billy Cobhams Stratus for good measure, quality music that the crowd just loved this ass-kicking version.
The Outsider showed Derek and Joe trading lead breaks, before Derek took a solo at the end and then the last two songs The Great Divide and Sista Jane that also included a snippet of The Who's Won't Get Fooled Again.
Encore time and it was a new song Man In The Middle that got us started before the climax of Burn that had the place rocking. Leaving the stage the crowd just wanted more , more and more but alas it wasn't so.
In summary this was one of the finest concerts, as a whole, I have ever been to, the musicianship from everyone was first class Jasons powerhouse technique, Dereks superb keyboards now thankfully higher in the mix, Joe's awesome guitar playing and vocals, and Glenn who at times reminded me of the child catcher from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, the way he moved about the stage, great bass and vocals.
This is not a supergroup, this is a super band of brothers.
Black Country /One Last Soul/Crossfire/The Battle Of Hadrian's Wall/Song Of Yesterday/I Can See Your Spirit/Save Me/Cold/The Ballad Of John Henry/The Outsider/The Great Divide/Sista Jane/Man In The Middle/Burn
Opening with Black Country and One Last Soul from the first cd the crowd already in singalong mode, lapping up the energy of the band as well. The real class of the band kicked in with Song Of Yesterday a Bonamassa showcase of how far he has come with his guitar playing and song-writing skills. This song is a classic already and the performance tonight just had the crowd shaking their heads in disbelief at the bands playing of it.
Spirit and Save Me from the new cd really showcased Jason Bonhams drumming skills with both songs having a strong Led Zep feel to them. Another gem from the evening was the new song Cold, this is just an outstanding song that was probably the song of the night for me, but only just.
A Joe original next in the set, The Ballad Of John Henry was taken to another level tonight , about ten minutes long featuring a keyboard break from Derek , the trademark theramin passage, and a few bars of Billy Cobhams Stratus for good measure, quality music that the crowd just loved this ass-kicking version.
The Outsider showed Derek and Joe trading lead breaks, before Derek took a solo at the end and then the last two songs The Great Divide and Sista Jane that also included a snippet of The Who's Won't Get Fooled Again.
Encore time and it was a new song Man In The Middle that got us started before the climax of Burn that had the place rocking. Leaving the stage the crowd just wanted more , more and more but alas it wasn't so.
In summary this was one of the finest concerts, as a whole, I have ever been to, the musicianship from everyone was first class Jasons powerhouse technique, Dereks superb keyboards now thankfully higher in the mix, Joe's awesome guitar playing and vocals, and Glenn who at times reminded me of the child catcher from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, the way he moved about the stage, great bass and vocals.
This is not a supergroup, this is a super band of brothers.
Black Country /One Last Soul/Crossfire/The Battle Of Hadrian's Wall/Song Of Yesterday/I Can See Your Spirit/Save Me/Cold/The Ballad Of John Henry/The Outsider/The Great Divide/Sista Jane/Man In The Middle/Burn
