Scorpions

It’s hard to believe that 40 years have passed since former Scorpions guitarist Uli Jon Roth stood on stage with his fledgling Electric Sun outfit at the City Hall in Newcastle and performed arguably the best show of his life. Whether it was the momentum built up by the thousand strong petition raised by a couple of Geordie lasses to bring him to the City Hall that did it or the welcome he received on his first appearance in the region since leaving the Scorpions five years earlier it’s hard to say but whatever it was everything, just everything slipped perfectly into place leaving its mark on Roth and the two thousand fans packed into the venue. For that reason, Newcastle is always a special night in Roth’s tour schedule and tonight at the Riverside on the banks of the River Tyne, the place was packed. Ahead of the show, Roth promised Metal Express Radio that his set would feature songs from across his 50 year history including those much loved Scorpions classics to material from his Electric Sun days and also his solo work along with some new material and Roth certainly stuck to that promise. Opening with a sublime instrumental “Amadeus” Roth was quick to stamp his classical infused fretwork on the evening and this was one, classy start to a show stretching well over two hours split into two parts. With the first focussing on his Electric Sun and solo material. Hot on its heels came a couple of Electric Sun numbers with the self-titled song followed by a brilliant “Cast Away Your Chains” before a new instrumental “The Crying” was unveiled as Roth’s Sky guitar soared and swooped with a melodic beauty. A rare outing for “Enola Gay-Hiroshima Today” complete with cacophonous whammy bar dive bombing …READ MORE