Concert Report by Jigal Beez
Michael Schenker at Große Freiheit 36, Hamburg, Germany
February 22, 2026 Added on 02/25/2026
Hamburg – Große Freiheit 36
February 22
Three days later, Michael played Große Freiheit 36 in Hamburg, just off the Reeperbahn in the heart of the red-light district of St. Pauli. Below the venue lies the legendary Kaiserkeller, where The Beatles once had a residency in the early 1960s. Just around the corner is Beatles Square.
When I arrived only 15 minutes before doors opened, the queue already stretched at least 150 meters down Große Freiheit toward the Reeperbahn. People were asking around for spare tickets — it clearly looked sold out again.
This time there were three support acts: The Night Eternal opened, followed by Malvada and Rook Road. So it took some time until Michael hit the stage and I wished for some comfy Budokan seats. The German venues are standing only and for a distinguished senior citizen like me it can get tiring. But as soon as the riff of Natural Thing started I felt like a teenager again. Sound-wise, Bremen had the edge for me — probably because of my position. In Hamburg, I stood to the side near the counter of a bar, where the bass was initially too dominant, resulting in a rather muddy mix. Even Barend Courbois and Steve Mann signaled to the monitor engineer for adjustments, and thankfully the sound improved as the show went on.
There were no surprises: same setlist, same announcements as in Bremen. But honestly, with material like this and Michael Schenker still playing with such precision, confidence, and unmistakable tone, surprises weren’t necessary.
Seeing Michael Schenker revisit his UFO years with such energy, dignity, and musical authority was deeply satisfying. At 71, he remains a master of melody and feel — proof that great music, played by the right hands, truly is timeless.
