Scorpions – Live At Wacken Open Air 2006

artist website

publisher

impulse buy

Sony BMG
Produced by Ronald Matthes

Another live DVD, recorded before the new album – so no new songs when compared to the last one in 2004 – seems like a strange move, but the concert in question, a headlining slot at the Wacken Open Air Festival, was one of just a handful of historic shows for Scorpions.

The reason being they were joined on stage by both of their former lead guitar heroes Uli Jon Roth and Michael Schenker, each playing on a few songs each, then both together during the encore. This happened a few times in 2006 and was something the band were keen to document. At Wacken, different to any of the other shows featuring Roth and Schenker, former drummer Herman Rarebell also joined them.

Very similar to their last live DVD, Unbreakable: One Night In Vienna, recorded in 2004 on the Unbreakable World tour, the new one comes in a slim digipak case with a 12-page booklet featuring very similar and equally classy graphics and design. The beauty of a Scorpions DVD is in its uncluttered simplicity. What you get is the concert, complete and uninterrupted. No nonsense, no pointless extras you’ll only watch once, no gimmicks. Unbreakable: One Night In Vienna also featured the documentary A German Rock Legend as a bonus, but it didn’t interfere with the concert (which was admittedly only 14 songs).

Although strangely missing Winds of Change the set for this show was essentially a greatest hits set from right back to the first albums up to Love ‘Em Or Leave ‘Em from Unbreakable, Christened “A Night To Remember – A Journey Through Time”. Big hitters like The Zoo, and appeared alongside rarely played older songs like We’ll Burn The Sky, Loving You Sunday Morning and Another Piece of Meat. Unfortunately the show isn’t complete. Dark Lady, Dynamite and He’s A Woman, She’s A Man were all played that night but are missing from the DVD. Uli Jon Roth sang lead vocals on the original Dark Lady, so perhaps he also sang it live here and his performance wasn’t up to scratch.

Each guest go there own time in the spotlight before the big encore party. Uli Jon Roth played on Pictured Life, Speedy’s Coming and We’ll Burn The Sky, with his usual effortless skill, an often motionless Michael Schenker joined in on Coast To Coast, Holiday, Lovedrive and Another Piece of Meat, and Herman Rarebell joined James Kottak for his drum solo (Kottak Attack) then replaced him for Blackout and No One Like You. All the while the regular line-up of Klaus Mein, Rudolf Schenker, Kottak, Matthias Jabs and Pawel Maciwoda were on top form and clearly elated to be playing such a special show.

The first encore featured everyone. Both guest guitarists joined in on In Trance (and the cut He’s a Woman She’s A Man) and Rarebell, plus Michael Schenker’s son Tyson, also a guitarist, sat in for a version of Bolero, led by Roth (in actual fact, Michael and Tyson Schenker had nothing much to do at all other than a very simple backing rhythm, and Rudolf Schenker resolved to stand on his head in the middle of the stage instead of playing guitar). The new robotic scorpion emerges to usher in the final encore of Rock You Like A Hurricane, stripped back to the regular band.

Watching this concert later, without having been a part of the event on the night, it doesn’t feel quite so special. Michael Schenker doesn’t do much to light up the stage during his appearances, and I think actually ending the show with all the guests together would have been better than getting them out for one encore, then playing more without them. Otherwise Live At Wacken Open Air 2006 is a brilliantly shot live show with incredible sound and featuring a setlist they are unlikely to play again any time soon and a stellar performance from the band and from Uli Jon Roth.

“ historic ”

Tracklist: Coming Home / Bad Boys Running Wild / The Zoo / Loving You Sunday Morning / Make It Real / Pictured Life / Speedy’s Coming / We’ll Burn The Sky / Love ‘Em Or Leave ‘Em / Don’t Believe Her / Tease Me Please Me / Coast To Coast / Holiday / Lovedrive / Another Piece of Meat / Kottak Attack / Blackout / No One Like You / Six String Sting / Big City Nights / Can’t Get Enough / Still Loving You / In Trance / Bolero / Ready To Sting (Appearance of The Scorpion) / Rock You Like A Hurricane

Written by Andy Lye
More: Hard Rock, Live DVDs, Scorpions