Concert Report by Gary
MSG at Scatz Sports Bar, Middleton, WI, U.S.A.
August 4, 2010
Added on 08/06/2010

Just a note about the show In Middleton WI 08/04.

The show got off a little late (at least according to Gary Barden) starting around 11 p.m. The Band was in fine form as has been reported. It was nice to see Michael so accomodating to Carmine Appice. Rev's sound was right up front. It was great to see him as he is quite a showman. The mix was terrible though. Gary was a bit annoyed with his mix making many motions to the sound guy to no avail, but like the consumate proffessional he carried on. I could barely hear his voice but the crowd did a great job singing along. Rock My Nights away and Lost Horizons were highlights for me. Something I have'nt seen before was Michael holding his V out over the crowd letting them strum the chords at the intro to lost horizons.

Maybe a couple of hundred people out to see them. It's nice to be right on the stage to see such an incredible guitar player but I sure wish crowds were bigger for him. I am glad Dean is behind him and knows how talented he is. I hope their relationship last for many years to come. Thanks Ritchie for the most comprehensive site on Michael. Thanks to Dean guitars for sponsoring and makeing this tour possible and lastly, thanks to God for creating Michael Schenker!




Concert Report by Steve
MSG at Scatz Sports Bar, Middleton, WI, U.S.A.
August 4, 2010
Added on 08/07/2010

Well, after 7 nights in a row, bus troubles, arriving at the venue hours late, monitor issues, vocal feedback, and changing bass players in the middle of the tour, I thought maybe this would not be the best MSG show...I Was Wrong!

Sister Sin are a great group with a great punky rock sound, don't miss em! Liv's vocals are energetic and refreshing to say the least...easy on the eyes too! The band just straight up rocked, just great rock riffs & tasty licks, no bs, no big frills, everything a rock band needs and none of the extra junk.

Lynch Mob were fantastic, though I thought the sound could have been much clearer on George's guitar...sound was an issue all night, tho everyone made the best of it. Tooth And Nail was blistering, and of course Mr. Scary was a clinic on how to play the living hell out of a guitar. Lynch is an absolute Monster guitar player. The excellent Wicked Sensation finished the set with one of those raveup endings that really revs up the fans (but I hate) and by the time MSG hit the stage the crowd seemed about ready to blow up. Lynch Mob come out after their set for meet & greet also, so bring all your old albums and ESP guitars for signatures!

Michael strode across the stage and kicked off the night with that nifty intro solo/jam that's likely to end up being a song one day, and then the band charged right into Armed And Ready. 20 minutes later, as Gary was asking if we were Ready To Rock, the crowd seemed pretty well roiled up and damned sure Ready! Carmine's strong drumming and unique style really helped change all those old classics just enough to make them new again, with Rev adding his own dimension, and Wayne in the corner playing keys & guitar often simultaneously, effortlessly sounding like two players. What an excellent group to back up the two masters of MSG! Michael's playing was strong, loud, blazing fast and inspired as ever. He was playfully rocking out with the crowd & Gary, interacting with the fans more and more as he tours these days. You can tell that he's a kinda shy, humble guy, but when he's on the stage he's there for the fans more than ever before. Gary looked and sounded great on his eighth night in a row, even as he had problems with mic feedback. Sure he's not screaming as high as he used to, but then neither are we, eh?

The setlist was the same as other shows, although the Carmine Drum Solo was a little shorter than some other shows. I really wish he had not omitted the cool wah part to his solo. But what an entertainer, glowing drumsticks, a cool handswitching part, excellent chops. What a treat to see this classic drummer playing with MSG! By the time the first encore of Ride On My Way started, the hall seemed about 110F. Rock Bottom got everybody's arms pumping and heads banging, and Michael's solos were jawdropping...true Teutonic Scale Mastery! As Wayne's keyboard intro to Doctor Doctor started I realized that this song and the last were written 36-37 years ago, when Schenker was only 19! Two of the best Hard Rock songs and crowd favorites of all time, performed at almost every show Michael has played for a quarter century, and they somehow don't get old or stale - even tho you'd think Michael would just 'phone it in' after all these years. A little while after the set, Carmine comes out to the merch booth for meet & greet & autographs. You gotta meet the guy: kinda quiet, great sense of humor and all around great guy, a true rock legend!

After the show I chatted with Wayne & Rev about how they liked how the tour has been going so far. Especially interesting was Rev explaining jumping into the tour halfway, and how some slight changes in song arrangements and how Carmine and Michael reinterpreted some parts made some of the songs different in little ways that many fans wouldn't really notice. But you could feel that they were newer or fresher than before, just not really put your finger on why or how. Rev also explained how the two bassist deal came about because of scheduling conflicts (Rev tours with MSG, SteelHeart & Mountain, and Elliot tours with Cactus, along with now running Dean Guitar company). I thought Rev was trying to say that it's too bad I didn't see MSG before because Elliot is a better bass player, but I'm sure he just meant that Elliot is a great bassist and shouldn't be missed...haha

So get out there and support your favorite Guitar God and his Awesome group! And when Gary asks...you'd better be Ready To Rock!!! Thanks for all the effort on your excellent website!

Steve






Concert Report by Jason
MSG at Scatz Sports Bar, Middleton, WI, U.S.A.
August 4, 2010
Added on 08/07/2010

Que pasa? Ritchie,

Just a brief account of the nights show, if you don't mind. Got to the venue around 9:30 and the second act (Sister Sin) was just finishing up. Grabbed a couple coldies and watched the roadies set up for George and his crew. While waiting, I talked to the folks around me to see who they came to see and 9 out of 10 said Lynch Mob. Quite the surprise to me. I asked them if they have ever seen Schenker and only one had said yes. The rest never heard of him. WTF over? No worries, they would soon be turned on to the man himself.

George came on with a smoke in his mouth, black t-shirt, jeans, flip flops and his axe. And shredded with a very laid back style. Tichy pounded his skins and sounded great. That's all I have to say about them.

When they got off stage, I poised myself right in front of Mr. Schenker's Marshall's and waited to the sound of Danzig pouring out of the PA's. A few beers later Michael hit the stage. He looked a bit tired and worn. Definitely thinner since the '09 Chicago HOB show I saw him last. But, his sound was amazing. One of the things I came away with after the HOB show was that since he switched to Dean, his sound wasn't what he had with his Gibson. I don't what changed, but holy crap did it sound just as good, if not better!! I concur with what Gary had said about the mix, IT WAS HORRIBLE. The feedback from Gary was quite bothersome. He definitely let the board guys know that he wasn't pleased and as well with the roadies. But someone didn't or couldn't get their shit together. Thank goodness I had a very tall man standing to my left so he blocked my view of Mr. Jones. The man can play the bass very well, but his whipping hair is so distracting. Wayne is Wayne!! Thank goodness for him. He suites MSG very well and looks like he enjoys himself every show!! Mr. Appice. Always the gentleman and showman. He played brilliantly and was so gracious after the show at the merch table. Thank you for your site. You too, are quite the gentleman.

Jason





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