MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUPthe band led by the legendary German guitarist Michael Schenker, is going on a US tour this fall. The tour begins Sept. 27 in San Juan Capistrano, California and ends Nov. 6 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Tour Date:
With Erik Martin, PICTURES OF THE EDEN:
September 27 – The Coach House – San Juan Capistrano, CA
September 28 – Goldfield Trading Post – Roseville, CA
September 29 – Great American Music Hall – San Francisco, CA
Oct 1 – Saban Theater – Los Angeles, California
October 2 – Count’s Vamp’d – Las Vegas, NV
Oct 4 – Oriental Theater – Denver, CO
October 06 – Pop’s – Sauget, IL
Oct 7 – Des Plaines Theater – Des Plaines, IL
October 8 – Arcada Theater – St. Charles, IL
October 09 – Pabst Theater – Milwaukee, WI
October 11 – The Art Theater – Hobart, IN
Oct 12 – Piere’s – Ft. Wayne, IN
October 14 – The King Of Clubs – Columbus, OH
October 15 – Agora Theater – Cleveland, OH
October 16 – Harpo’s – Detroit, MI
October 17 – Jergels – Pittsburgh, PA
October 19 – The Vault – New Bedford, MA * Only MSG
October 20 – Flying Monkey – Plymouth, NH
October 21 – Cabot Theater – Beverly, MA
Oct 22 – Sony Hall – New York, NY
October 23 – Newton Theater – Newton, NJ
October 25 – Keswick Theater – Glenside, PA
October 26 – Tally Ho – Leesburg, VA
October 27 – Sherman Theater – Stroudsburg, PA
With DAMON JOHNSON & THE GET READY, PICTURES OF THE EDEN:
October 29 – Bogarts – Cincinnati, OH
October 30 – Brooklyn Bowl – Nashville, TN
With WASP, ARMED SAINT:
November 2 – White Oak Music Hall – Houston, TX
November 3 – Concrete Street Pavilion – Corpus Christi TX
November 4 – Eaton Arena – San Antonio, TX
November 5 – Amplified Live – Dallas, TX
November 6 – Tulsa Theater – Tulsa, OK
MSG US tour 2022 lineup:
Michael Schenker – Leading guitar
Ronnie Romero – vocal
Bodo Schopf – drums
Steve Mann – keyboards, guitars
Barend Courbois – bas
There are few rock guitarists on this planet who have had such a lasting impact on so many famous musicians as Michael Schenker. With his unique fluid style, inexhaustible wealth of ideas and instinctive sense of hooks and melodies, Michael Schenker is a living legend who, despite his many years and distinguished history, still impresses with his unwavering energy and drive. The blonde iron from Sarstedt, Germany began her international career in the early 1970s with SCORPIONSachieved worldwide fame after joining the British rock group UFO and then seamlessly continued its unique global success story under its own name, as well as with actions such as MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP (MSG too short), PISTON and MICHAEL SCHENKER FEST. Schenker and his career, which has stretched over more than fifty years, are absolute exceptions in the otherwise short-lived music industry.
Now his latest MSG album is about to be released, scheduled for release d Records of nuclear fire on May 27 under the programmatic moniker of “Universal”. His latest offering will feature all the strengths of this exceptional musician: first-class songs with hymn melodies, catchy guitar riffs and inspiring solos. As we have expected of him, Schenker has again recruited a number of prestigious fellow musicians for the recording of his new studio production, among them as lead vocalist Ronnie Romero (RAINBOW, VANDENBERG), which also becomes so MSG‘s frontman on their upcoming tour, Michael Kiske (HELLOWEEN) and Ralf Scheepers (PRIMAL FEAR), keyboard player Steve Mann (LION HEART), drummers Simon Phillips (THIS, WHO), Brian Tichy (WHITE SNAKE, FOREIGNER), Bobby Rondinelli (RAINBOW) and Bodo Schopf (ELOY), as well as legendary bassists Bob Daisley (BLACK SABBATH), Barry Sparks (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, DOKKER) and Barend Courbois (BLIND WALLS, ZAKK WILD), with Tony Carey som a very special guest.
Like its predecessor “Immortal” (2021) and MICHAEL SCHENKER FEST album “Resurrection” (2018) and “Epiphany” (2019), “Universal” was produced by Michael Schenker and Michael Voss (LESMANN / VOSS, MAD MAX) at Voss‘s Children’s room studywhich has become something of a creative home away from home too Schenker.
“Michael Voss gladly wait until I have worked out an idea and take the time to really get to know the song while developing ideas for the vocals. ” Schenker describes the fruitful cooperation which has one gear engaged with the other. “Then we make drums, bass and some keyboard parts together. He always has lots of good ideas up his sleeve.”
Compositional highlights abound “Universal”from the joking opener “Emergency” and the subsequent “Under Attack” with its relaxed running groove to “Universe”with an atmospheric duet of Ronnie Romero and Gary Barden, “Wrecking Ball”listed as brilliantly as ever by Ralf Scheepersand “London calls” with its tribute to the musical spirit of the British capital.
The rock anthem “A king is gone” and its intro “Kalder Baal” both have a special meaning: the number, sung by HELLOWEEN frontman Michael Kiskeis a tribute to the immortal Ronnie James Dioespecially for his performance on the 1976 hard rock classic “Rainbow Rising”. For this reason, Schenker has collected an original RAINBOW rhythm section consisting of Bobby Rondinelli and Bob Daisleyin addition, recruit keyboardist Tony Careywho also played on “Rainbow Rising”what a wonderful Moog synth-intro – a direct reference to the iconic intro to the 1976 album opening “Tarot woman”. The impressive result “Kalder Baal”/“A king is gone” already considered to be one of the most important and successful songs in Schenker‘s career to date, both musically and lyrically.
In keeping with all these highlights, the spectacular album cover is designed by Zsofia Dankova (POWERWOLFamong others) functions Schenker in a futuristic spaceship hovering high in orbit. The artwork is based on the guitarist’s own visions.
“I had the original idea for the album cover a few years ago, but only now does it seem to fit perfectly,” he says. “So I sent some older sketches to my label Records of nuclear fireand based on that, the final artwork and album title was created. “
Image credit: Tina Korhonen
