Some farewell tours lead to more farewell tours. When you’ve been a touring musician for longer than you can remember, really, what else is there? That right there could summarize the career of The Scorpions – one of the longest running bands still active today. Admittedly, I had to research a bit to see if the band really had been together for half a century, but it turns out that, despite releasing their debut record in 1972, The Scorpions did in fact start in 1965.
So here we are, on the 50th anniversary tour, with a solid gathering of more than ten thousand in Montreal! Ironically kicking it off with “Going Out With A Bang” – despite everybody knowing they aren’t going out any time soon, The Scorpions bustled with an energy you would never believe came from a group of men rapidly approaching their 70th birthdays.
Throughout, singer Klaus Mein played his tambourine, chucking it skyward to a waiting roadie time after time, and battered a cowbell for most of the show – constantly referring to a case of drum sticks that he tossed by the dozen to the waiting wanton hands of those in the floor seats.
The boys played through a seminal selection of tunes from their immense back catalog, covering most of the more memorable songs such as “The Zoo” and “Blackout” as well as all the hits; “Big City Nights”, “No One Like You” and a fantastic version of “Wind Of Change” that got the packed house to drag out their cell phones, flick on the flashlight app and act like they might have done a decade earlier but without the risk of burnt fingertips.
Never really one to be amused by a solo segment, especially if coming from a drummer (sorry drummers, not sorry) but I had to chuckle to myself when Kottak stood up from his seat during his solo to reveal the words “Rock N’ Roll Forever” on the back of his tee-shirt, only to lift his shirt and reveal the same text and font tattooed onto his back. Drummers!
At the conclusion, there were chants of Ole Ole, the go-to sing song of anybody that has lived in this city during hockey season, and of course the band returned for an encore. Why we still do this, I don’t quite know. Honestly, that pause isn’t fooling anyone anymore. Everybody knows you’re not done yet. You haven’t played the hits and the lights haven’t come on. So back they came, to rock us a little longer with two fantastic songs that really define their career – “Still Loving You” and “Rock You Like A Hurricane”.
Prior to all that, though, was a triumphant 45 minute set from Queensryche. As I was also photographing the event, I was only able to catch their first three tracks from the photo pit, before being returned backstage to await the headliner. That is the promoter’s modus operandi, and I’ve no qualms with that. From what I could tell during those moments, Queensryche were in form and seem rejuvenated since acquiring their new singer, Todd La Torre, some three years back.
It might have been pissing rain all night outdoors, but inside, the building was rocking! The Scorpions were dead on and they sounded magical. Given the ages of the musicians involved, a true final farewell tour could actually not be too far off in the distance, but hopefully we’ll see them a few more times before that happens.
Review + Photos – Kieron Yates
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