Lights Out in Campbell

   Sometimes a change of venue is just what the doctor ordered. In the case of Michael Schenker, it’s just what the Doctor, Doctor ordered. And by the time the 59 year old Schenker finished his Thursday night show with Doctor, Doctor from the 1974 hard rock classic Phenomenon by Schenkers’ former band UFO, something magical had happened.
   It was if the guitarist and the crowd had reclaimed a piece of history.  When Schenker was in the south bay last he played to a half full dingy night club in a show that while good, seemed to mark an aging star who is both legendary and obscure at the same time on his moving down the backside of his career. Thursday night at the Heritage Theater in Campbell, possibly the first metal show ever at the historic theater, Schenker and his fans were in top form. The theater was sold out, the crowd frenzied, and the guitar player was masterful.
    Standing in his customary spot on the right side of the stage, Schenker played crisp searing solo’s, tight melodies, and completely regained his form as guitar master after years of subpar shows marred by drug and alcohol abuse.   No such issues in Campbell, and his 20 song set covering the three major portions of his career, could only be described as stunning. Coming on stage to a hero’s welcome accompanied by the recorded intro of Neptune Rising, Schenker and his four member backup band kicked off the night with the sturdy rock cut Where The Wild Wind Blows, from Schenkers’s new album Bridge The Gap. Then it was followed up by seven songs from the Michael Schenker Group era, starting with the pounding rocker Armed and Ready, and followed by an amazing version of Cry for the Nations, both from the 1980 release that launched Schenker from band member to band leader of The Michael Schenker Group.  
    It was during the guitar solo for Nations that Schenker let on that this night was special. Bent at the waist, eyes locked on his guitar neck, the solo started of mid tempo before a flurry of clean, searing notes rocketed through the hall.  That was followed by the more mundane MSG songs Let Sleeping Dogs Lie, and the pop infused rock My Nights Away, Interspersed with great moments of his back catalog including the instrumentals Assault Attack and the final MSG track of the night Into The Arena.  
    Next up was two of Schenkers Scorpions’ tracks, the wildly politically incorrect Another Piece of Meat, and Lovedrive, from the wildly politically incorrect album of the same name. Both songs were played with enthusiasm and met with wild cheers from the crowd.
    Schenker had Scottish singer Doogie White on vocals, who is billed as the former singer of Rainbow, but that is kind of misleading. He was on a late 90’s Rainbow album, with Ritchie Blackmore the only real Rainbow member. White sang OK, he can hit high notes, but the hand gestures constantly brought to mind Jack Black in Tenatious D.  
   Having the concert in a community Hall was a stroke of brilliance. Let’s face it, Schenkers following is aging, coming out to a club where the headliner never comes on before 11p.m. gets harder and harder for them. This show was scheduled to end at 11.  With a full house, and the front packed with standing rockers pumping fists this show had the feel of a good old fashioned rock concert, like at the San Jose Civic back in the 80’s or dare I say Winterland in the 70’s.        After throwing in a tribute to the late metal singer Ronnie James Dio with Before The Devil Knows Your Dead, it was time for the songs most of the crowd came to hear. Songs from the English band UFO that Schenker made famous in the mid 1970”s. And they came fast and furious: The proto type metal of Shoot Shoot, The songs that launched a thousand hair bands Only You Can Rock Me, and Too Hot to Handle. The regular set ended with Lights Out, with some in the crowd inserting Campbell in the chorus.
   The moment that made this show triumphant was Rock Bottom, the suburban stoner classic from 1974 that gets calls from the audience at every Schenker or UFO show. After a stuttering start the band meshed and Schenker laid down a fantastic reading of his most famous solo. Amazing. The crowd roared after the song, and it continued to get louder as the song sunk in to those in the house. With the folks still cheering Schenker started the notes to aforementioned Doctor, Doctor, which sent his followers into the night happy, at a reasonable hour.  
Setlist:
Neptune Rising
Where The Wild Wind Blows
Armed and Ready
Cry for the Nations
Let Sleeping Dogs Lie
AssaultAttack
Attack of the Mad Axeman
Rock My Nights Away
Into The Arena
Lovedrive
Another Piece of Meat
Before The Devil Knows Your Dead
Horizons
Shoot Shoot
Only You Can Rock  Me
Let it Roll
Too Hot to Handle
Lights Out
Rock Bottom Doctor Doctor.