Concert Report by Steve Michael Schenker at El Corazon, Seattle, WA, U.S.A. February 9, 2014 Added on 02/12/2014
MICHAEL SCHENKER AT EL CORAZON, SEATTLE, WASHINGTON USA 09 FEB 2014
It was a cold Sunday night with snow on the ground and rain in the air. The city of Seattle was still hung over from their football teams Superbowl win a week ago. What a perfect event to clear the hangover, a Michael Schenker concert.
I got into the club early. There was three bands playing ahead of Schenker and I could really care less who they were but, I did my duty and listened and enjoyed the first two but by the third band everyone in the club was getting edgy. We came to see Schenker and we were more than ready to rock.
El Corazon is small venue and I was scanning the crowd, checking the different people out. Definitely an older crowd came out for the show but there were some younger people which was nice to see. As I was looking around, I noticed Mike Mcready guitarist for Pearl Jam. I wasn't surprised to see him there. Last year at the Seattle show Michael Wilton and Parker Lundgren from Queensryche were there and actually got on stage during the encore and played Doctor Doctor with Schenker. So seeing a Seattle musician at a Schenker show isn't a surprise. But, when I asked Mcready if he was getting on stage with Michael he said no, he was only there as a fan.
Well, what a show, Schenker was in excellent form. They started the set with two from the new album Bridge the Gap, Neptune Rising and into Where the Wild Wind Blows. A lot of people didn't know the songs but the crowd was pumping their fists and totally into the songs. Next song, right from the opening lick I was going crazy. One of my very favorites, Let Sleeping Dogs Lie. I've never heard Michael play it live and the crowd was really rocking. He kept up the solo MSG material, which personally is my favorite along with the Mcauley stuff. Are You Ready to Rock, Cry For the Nations.
Then Doogie White who was speaking to the crowd all night and getting the crowd to yell and shout at his hand gestures. He would have both hands down low by his hips and then raise then quickly over his head. The crowd would yell each time he would raise his hands. It was great, a lot of hard core Michael Schenker fans tonight letting loose a lot of steam. Doogie then yelled Assault Attack. I couldn't believe it. Another song I've never heard live and they nailed it. The vocals were perfect and Schenker guitar work was masterful. I was in Heaven.
They ended their MSG material with Attack of the Mad Axeman, Before the Devil Knows Your Dead, Rock My Nights Away, Into the Arena, and another new one Horizons. I was spent but, they were just getting going because next came the Scorpians and UFO material. At this point of the concert Schenker became more animated and was going from one side of the stage to the other and doing a dual, face to face guitar lick with Wayne Findlay. It was great to see because he looked really happy it made the whole crowd happy. The solo during Rock Bottom, which always seems to be improvised, was EPIC I was looking at people's expressions and everyone was mesmerized. I can't put to words how incredible this guitar solo was, jaw dropping, the other members of the band were watching and smiling and when Michael felt it was done and went back to the song the crowd erupted for a good 30 seconds of cheering, clapping and yelling, we were high fiving each other. It was a bonding experience, I kid you not.
So, the last song Doogie says Thank you Seattle this is our last one for the night. Well, they finished but nobody left the stage. Doggie said "This is the part where we go outside, you clap for a while and we come back and play some more. But, it's fucking freezing outside so, why don't you clap for a little bit," which we did and then they kept playing. All in all, an unforgettable night.
Michael Schenker continues to maintain his extraordinary guitar playing, we were truly in the midst of greatness.
