Review by Shawn Perry
Photos by Joe Schaeffer
Back in the States for a second round, renowned guitarist Michael Schenker’s Michael Schenker Fest is an ambitious celebration of Michael Schenker Group (MSG), McAuley Schenker Group (also MSG), Temple of Rock, Scorpions and UFO music, with a few new songs tossed in from the Michael Schenker Fest 2018 Resurrection album. To kick the tour off for 2019, the eight-man ensemble — Schenker, singers Gary Barden, Graham Bonnet, Robin McAuley, and Doogie White, plus guitarist and keyboardist Steve Mann, bassist Chris Glen, and drummer Bodo Schopf — staged a three-night stand at the world-famous Whisky A Go Go.
After sets from Cuttlass and Darkhorse Rising, the third night began (as it likely did on previous nights) with Schenker stepping up to pay tribute to Schenker Fest drummer Ted McKenna, who passed away on January 9. More unexpectedly, he followed with a second tribute to UFO keyboardist and guitarist Paul Raymond, who died on the previous Saturday (April 13). As the band assembled, Schenker uncharacteristically lead the audience in a sing-along of “Holiday,” a song he co-wrote with brother Rudolph and singer Klause Meine for the Scorpions’ 1979 Lovedrive album.
Schenker reminded everyone he was only 17 when he wrote the next song — “Doctor Doctor,” the UFO classic normally reserved for the encore. Bonnet took the first verse, Barden the second, and McAuley the third. The three singers, along with White, were like relay racers, running up and down the narrow Whisky stairway all night. Eventually, they’d appear together, exchanging verses, harmonizing, hiding behind amps, engaging in the sort of camaraderie you don’t normally see among singers. They even call themselves the Schenkettes.
From there, the show went chronological, beginning with the Gary Barden era of MSG. Of all the singers, Barden’s voice is the most weathered, yet was able to break through on “Are You Ready To Rock” and “Armed And Ready.” Bonnet followed, and delivered his passionate hollar on “Dancer,” “Searching For A Reason,” and “Desert Song.” Schenker alternately switched out Flying V’s, played like a prince, sharpening his ax, and never took a break.
Robin McAuley, arguably the strongest singer and frontman, came down for “Bad Boys,” “Anytime,” and “Love Is Not A Game.” Despite selections lighter with a pop sensibility, Schenker and the band delivered each one with a heavy edge. When it was Doogie White’s turn, the band was already on fire. “Vigilante” and “Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead” from the Temple of Rock albums effectively sandwiched “The Girl With The Stars In Her Eyes,” the first song played from Resurrection. Indeed, White stayed on stage for “Take Me To The Church” and “Live And Let Live,” and proudly gave space to Schenker between his spirited and soaring vocal disruptions.
At various intervals, the guitarist — all in black, bare-armed, his head covered with a shaggy black ushanka, topped off with two pairs of sunglasses — dipped into his rich catalog of instrumentals to astound and amaze the faithful. If nothing else, “Into The Arena,” “Coast To Coast,” and “Captain Nemo” helped keep the show on pace and in balance. That and a couple of twin guitar scenarios between Schenker and Mann reminded everyone of the level of musicianship on the Whisky stage.
Once they got around to the UFO portion of the program, it was a matter of seeing how many they could squeeze in before the two-hour mark. Tonight went an extra 45 minutes, and they still didn’t get to “Only You Can Rock Me” and “Too Hot To Handle.” Once it started with “Rock Bottom,” it was anyone’s guess as too how long Schenker would rumble through the middle section. Five minutes in, he had the whole room hypnotized, sensitive to sudden movements. Each of the singers took a verse, and Schenker grabbed an audience member’s camera and took selfies and shots of the other band members. He handed the camera back to a more than satisfied fan, finished the song, and asked: “Do you think it’s worth playing more?”
At this point, none of the working stiffs in the room cared if they had to be at work the next morning. This was Michael Schenker Fest, and the best was yet to come. “Shoot Shoot,” with McAuley out front and next to the master, sprinted off the starting line and the whole balcony shouted out the chorus at every turn. “Natural Thing,” a straight-up UFO rocker, had White tending to the vocals and the floor shimmied and shook. Schenker then announced the next number, which turned out to be the last, as the title track of UFO’s first hit album in the United States, Lights Out.
All four singers jumped in on the verses, and everyone in the Whisky sang the chorus. While the hope of more UFO hung in the air as the band took their bows and left the stage, it was definitely lights “on” in the Whisky. Patrons were shuffled out to Sunset, and you could sense a mood of after-show blissfulness in the streets. Michael Schenker Fest will undoubtedly be back. And so will everyone else who came out to Hollywood for the past three days.
