reviewsarchiv 719

The Picture of Dorian Grey couldn't be any more suitable. You know him this ghost type thing from sometime in the past century, who usde to be stone age old, but still looked so young... Well you can't really name Michael Schenker stone aged with his 57 years of age, but there was a time where he did look much olde then he actually was. But today he is the best example for what can happen, when you change your lifestyle to a much healthier way, loose a hell of a lot weight and change your inner attitude. And the strange case of Benjamin Bratt is repeating here, yeah well almost. But it definately suits him. And I can honestly tell, as I've met Michael Schenker quite a few times in the past already. Call it third spring or whatsoever. It only has got advantages. And last but not least, you don't forget how to play the guitar, most of all when you play it that well, as Michael Schenker does.
He himself says, that he has learned to live only in the present anymore and not to look back into the past or too much forward into the future, enjoying the very right moment. On the other hand he celebrates some kind of dejavu with the current tour, but also promotes his new album 'Temple Of Rock'. And as it is know, some well known musicians have joined him for this trip, whereby the lead vocals are changing from time to time. So in the United States it's been Robin McAuley handling vocal duties. In Japan it's been Michael Voss. But because he had signed a solo deal for his band Mad Max he's got other duties to fullfill now. And so Doogie White has jumped in for the european tourdates.
And I assume, I don't have to tell you much about this one, do I?! Apart from that it's Herman Rarebell on Drums, and on bass Francis Buchholz, who both, - as you know, are former members of the Scorpions. Last but not least there is Wayne Findlay on Keyboard and second guitar. So as I described above, MSG 2012 seems to be a cocktail on the rocks, spiced up to a classical recepie and topped with some delicate icing. Well, let's see, whether it tastes that delicious as well.
However, in our case here it is a stopover, - not in Munich for a change but in Augsburg, which is only about 45 minutes drive away, so this ain't not big deal. And so we once in a while again, visit the Spectrum temple for a change again. Very amusing is to watch the audiance here, who is so different to the one in the big city. Here you still find those long haired leather studded fans, wearing these jackets with 1000 of stickers clued onto it. Those who ain't moving around a lot during a gig, but shaking their brains outta their heads,reminding me so much about the glory Eighties. Back in Munich, you don't find this species anymore exept a few lost one's. But as soon as your out on the countryside you realize, they are still alive. It's pretty crowded in here, probably almost sold out. Not quite sure about it, but it does look like so. But not many more fit in here, that's for sure.

Starting off with Fury UK.

Stop, hold on - a sec.... I know 'em! Yep, that's it, I've seen them before, even in Munich at the Backstage Werk, supporting Iced Earth last October. And the thing I remember at first spot, is the animal in the man on drums.
Fury UK are Chris Appleton on leadvocals and guitar, Luke Appleton on Bass and Martin McNee on drums. This englisch group from Manchester are going on now for about 10 years. And they do have 3 albums and 1 EP out.
Unfortunately the threesome has got to play in almost complete darkness, but therefore they are even louder. They are going for a solid version of average hardrock, not bad at all, but a 1000 times heard before. At Chris Appleton I'm not sure, whether he sings better or plays the guitar better. But drummer Martin put such a powerful drumbeat on, almost reaching the speed of sound, so that everybody else drowns into Nirvana. That's what it seems.

Shame, as Fruy UK ain't bad at all. But thanks to the fact, that the drumkit takes over the main part, the rest of the band gets pushed a little outta action exept maybe one or the other guitar solo. So it wouldn't be bad to hold back a little the drums to give the whole thing a little more positive sparkle. But well, maybe they will realize this by themselves one day.
Fury UK are certainly worth an experience, in my case it's even two, and they are worth while to check out, though the audiance here in Augsburg only accepts them half hearted.
http://www.furyuk.com/
The Focus is orientated differently here. But supportbands are here to rise up the general mood, so what? It has got warm in here, that's for sure, but not boiling yet, though this is probably more due to the lacking aircondition in here.

And there we are again, most of all Sir Michael with his Gentlemen club of aging classic rock celebrities, but not belonging to the mummy cathegory yet.

What of course is typicall for a band, who's star is not the frontman at the same time, is the fact, that the singer is somewhere sailing between door and angel as we say so, and is somewhere pushed back into a certain position, so the almighty presence of the guitarist, who is the star of tonight does not get disturbed and fronts the flagship. We did have this in the past as well. Just remember Yngwie Malmsteen, who even pulled back Joe Lynn Turner, when that one performed with him. And this is somehow a similar case, although Schenker definately hasn't got those ego problems such as Malmsteen suffers off. Apart from that there are some songs within the set, where I don't like Doogie White's voice not a 100 percent, though he's definately a brilliant singer, no doubt about that. Unfortunately I do not have any comparison to Michael Voss for instance or even Robin McAuley. I can only compare these versions here with the originals. Mind me, it's not that bad what Doogie does manage with his voice here either... so don't get me wrong please.

Apart from that I do like the fact, that there are on over done solos within the set. You know what I mean, those endless solos, where Musicians wanna show their skills. And Michael Schenker does indeed live from his great reputation as a guitarist. But he seems not to need a prove for that. He rather seems happy go lucky, loose and easy and does communicate witht the crowd. And so he definately collects some plus points. Mastro Rarebell delivers solid drum work as always and does not extend them either. And so the whole show keeps pretty entertaining not to become to complex or even complicated.