I was fortunate enough to get an inside look at Schenkerfest when it came to the Cabooze in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The evening started out with a sound check that lasted well over 30 minutes. The reason I point that out is most on checks that I have attended last for a very short period of time with the actual bandmembers. This one included every single running through several different numbers. My take away from that was how precise Michael Schenker is about his music as well as the performance. Halfway through one of the numbers he stopped to discuss several different parts with the band. You could tell he cared that everything was perfect.
The opening band was Minneapolis’ own Flipp. They gain popularity in the 1990s with their breakout single of The Who’s song “My Generation”. Every time I’ve ever seen them, they bring everything they have. For those of you who have not heard their music, it’s a cross between Cheap Trick and the Sex Pistols. Great songs with melodic hooks and a raw power. Although they could fill the venue all on their own, Brynn Arens was quoted as saying “when I found out Michael Schenker was playing here, I told him we would play for free!”. That’s how much respect they have for not only Michael but the members of the band. They were the perfect opener for a wonderful night of music and I highly recommend you give them a listen.
I was not that familiar with any of Michael Schenker’s music going in but I’ve always wanted to see them perform. One of the things I find interesting about his audience is he tends to always bring a lot of musicians to the show more than just fans. I watched the crowd watch in awe as he played. I had to admit I was skeptical about a show that featured four lead singers. When you read about bands and talk to different artists there always seems to be an issue between the singers and the guitar players. So I just assumed that this could be a potential train wreck. I couldn’t have been more wrong and it was one of the coolest things I think I’ve ever seen. Not only were they all happy to be there, they were interacting with one another and all did an incredible job. To see Graham Bonnet banging out the songs at almost 72 years old, you can help and be inspired. I always look forward to Robin McCauley because he has such an incredible voice. The other two gentlemen Gary Barden and Doogie White were the two that I was not familiar with. Both of them were fantastic as well. It’s funny when you think about it, here Michael Schenker is touring with four excellent vocalists when there’s a lot of bands out there that can’t find one good one.
The show started out with an instrumental “Into The Arena” and ended 2 ½ hours later with the UFO classic “Lights Out”. In between he covered his entire career from the early days with the Scorpions all the way through to his latest project, Schenkerfest and songs off his new album Resurrection. This included a song titled “Warrior”. The highlight for me was when they did the UFO song “Rock Bottom”. That’s only because it was the song I knew best.
If you’re a fan of Michael Schenker, you can’t afford to miss this show! I don’t think he missed a note all night in his precision and playing with something you don’t see much anymore. Beyond the show and all the incredible songs, one of the biggest takeaways for me was his fans. They were with the band from the very beginning note to the very last one. It was truly a rock ‘n roll show with an incredibly wonderful fan base that you just don’t see that much anymore. These people weren’t there because it was a social event, they truly came for the music. That’s a really refreshing thing to be a part of nowadays.
PHOTO GALLERY
Photos by Tommy Sommers
