Celebrated rock guitarist Michael Schenker will start touring “Michael Schenker Fest” in less than a month. The tour includes dates in London O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire (Nov 2), Sheffield O2 Academy (Nov 3), Manchester O2 Ritz (Nov 4) and Hull City Hall (Nov 5).
Tickets for the concerts at O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire London, O2 Academy Sheffield and O2 Ritz Manchester are on sale from Ticketmasterand Ticketweb. Tickets for the Hull City Hall concert are on sale from the Hull City box office booking link – hullboxoffice.com.
UK rock band Departed will be support Michael Schenker on all UK dates.
Michael Schenker‘s endeavor to unite rock fans together at his concerts has enraptured his audiences and so it is fitting that his most recent concept of ‘Michael Schenker Fest’ doesn’t disappoint. The project reunites the original Michael/McAuley Schenker Group vocalists – Gary Barden, Graham Bonnet and Robin McAuley, plus MSG musicians Steve Mann (guitar, keys), Chris Glen (bass) and Ted McKenna (drums).
Says Schenker, “It’s a miracle that after all these years, a tour like this will take place with the original band members of M.S.G. Being able to go back to those days and celebrate the music is an exciting experience for us, as well as for old and new fans. To being able to re-experience, and for the new audience to get a feel of what it was like, is incredibly enjoyable.”
Michael Schenker Fest’ – November 2017 UK Tour Dates
In recent memory, Michael Schenker’s endeavor to unite rock fans together at his concerts has enraptured his audiences and so it is fitting that his most recent concept of ‘Michael Schenker Fest’ does not disappoint one bit. The project reunites the original Michael/McAuley Schenker Group vocalists – Gary Barden, Graham Bonnet and Robin McAuley, plus MSG musicians Steve Mann (guitar, keys), Chris Glen (bass) and Ted McKenna (drums).
Since the first Michael Schenker Fest concert at Sweden Rock in June 2016 the project has gained serious momentum. Performing at a SOLD-OUT Tokyo show in August 2016 they recorded a live DVD, which has gathered critical acclaim worldwide.
Today, Schenker is proud to announce that he will be touring Michael Schenker Fest throughout Europe in October / November 2017, including four UK concerts taking in O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London (Thursday 2nd November), O2 Academy Sheffield (Friday 3rd November), O2 Ritz, Manchester (Saturday 4th November) and Hull City Hall (Sunday 5th November).
Says Schenker, “It’s a miracle that after all these years, a tour like this will take place with the original band members of “M.S.G.”. Being able to go back to those days and celebrate the music is an exciting experience for us, as well as for old and new fans. To being able to re-experience, and for the new audience to get a feel of what it was like, is incredibly enjoyable.”
Continues Schenker, “It’s an amazing feeling to have all of my M.S.G. Family from the ’80’s performing together and especially with Graham Bonnet, who I never got to play any concerts after our Assault Attack album that was originally released in 1982. Fortunately, being able to have the participation of original M.S.G. members including Gary Barden, Chris Glen (bass) and Ted McKenna (drums) being part of it, and to perform with Robin McAuley and Steve Mann (guitar, keyboards) again as well, is pretty awesome.”
The Band Michael Schenker – Lead Guitar
Ted McKenna – Drums
Steve Mann – Guitar, Keyboards
Chris Glen – Bass
The Vocalists:
Gary Barden
Graham Bonnet
Robin McAuley
Schenker reflects on the concert that was performed in Tokyo in August 2016. “It was just one enjoyable event from beginning to end,” says Schenker. “Seeing those happy, excited fans right from the beginning before the show even started, was incredible. It was like Budokan all over again.”
“It’s wonderful how we all got on with each other. It felt incredibly natural, as if it was always like this. Right from the start of rehearsal, the chemistry was great. No problems, just pure fun. We plan to continue this when we perform the UK concerts in November 2017.”
The Michael Schenker Group (1980) Ft. Gary Barden (vocals)
M.S.G. (1981) Ft. Gary Barden (vocals)
Live At The Budokan (1982) Ft. Gary Barden (vocals)
Assault Attack (1982) Ft. Graham Bonnet (vocals)
Built To Destroy (1983) Ft. Gary Barden (vocals)
Written In The Sand (1996) Ft. Leif Sundin (vocals)
The Unforgiven (1999) Ft. Kelly Keeling (vocals)
Be Aware Of Scorpions (2001) Ft. Chris Logan (vocals)
Arachnophobic (2003) Ft. Chris Logan (vocals)
Tales Of Rock ‘N’ Roll (2006) Ft. Jari Tiura (vocals)
In The Midst Of Beauty (2008) Ft. Gary Barden (vocals)
Live In Tokyo – The 30th Anniversary Concert (2010) Ft. Gary Barden (vocals)
Unbelievably it’s 35 years since ‘One Night At Budokan‘ was released, and here we have Michael Schenker return to Japan, this time at The Tokyo International Forum Hall, accompanied by three vocalists who’ve made appearances on a plethora of MSG releases. The vocalists in question are of course Gary Barden, Robin McAuley and Graham Bonnet.
It will be released on 2CD, 2CD+DVD, Vinyl, DVD, Blu-ray and Digital download. If you limit yourself to just the audio formats, you’ll be missing out on some excellently produced concert footage.
I personally have preferred watching the footage as you get a far better feel of the concert as well as better sound quality. The 2 CD’s have a total of 18 tracks running at just over an hour and a half, fifteen and a half minutes of which is Michael letting lose on an extended ‘Rock Bottom‘!
This release is without doubt a ‘must buy’ for Michael Schenker fans, as it covers his long and illustrious musical career. If he never released another thing, Michael Schenker Fest “Live” Tokyo, would be a fitting tribute to the Flying V legend.
On Friday 24th March 2017, rock guitarist legend Michael Schenker and in-akustik will release Michael Schenker Fest ‘Live’ Tokyo – a stunning new live recording and filmed concert released on 2CD, 2CD+DVD Combo, LP, DVD, Blu-ray, and Digital.
Filmed and recorded TokyoInternational Forum on August 24, 2016, this historic concert features guest appearances from some of the greatest rock vocalists who have worked with Schenker including M.S.G.’sGary Barden and Graham Bonnet, and Robin McAuley of the McAuley Schenker Group. 5000 fans witnessed an anthology moment of quintessential hard rock music of the highest calibre.
Says Schenker, “It’s a miracle that after all these years, something like this took place with the original band members of M.S.G. Being able to go back to those days and celebrate the music is an exciting experience for us, as well as for old and new fans. To being able to re-experience, and for the new audience to get a feel of what it was like, is incredibly enjoyable.”
Continues Schenker, “It’s an amazing feeling to have all of my M.S.G. Family from the ’80’s performing together and especially with Graham Bonnet, who I never got to play any concerts after our Assault Attack album that was originally released in 1982. Fortunately, being able to have the participation of original M.S.G. members such as Gary Barden, Chris Glen (bass) and Ted McKenna (drums) being part of it, and somehow, to perform with Robin McAuley and Steve Mann (guitar, keyboards) again as well, is pretty awesome.”
Tracklisting:
Intro: Searching For Freedom
Into The Arena
Attack Of The Mad Axeman Gary Barden
Victim Of Illusion Gary Barden
Cry For The Nations Gary Barden
Let Sleeping Dogs Lie Gary Barden
Armed And Ready Gary Barden
Coast To Coast
Assault Attack Graham Bonnet
Desert Song Graham Bonnet
Dancer Graham Bonnet
Captain Nemo
This Is My Heart Robin McAuley
Save Yourself Robin McAuley
Love Is Not A Game Robin McAuley
Shoot Shoot Robin McAuley
Rock Bottom Robin McAuley
Doctor Doctor Gary Barden, Graham Bonnet, Robin McAuley
The Band Michael Schenker – Lead Guitar
Ted McKenna – Drums
Steve Mann – Guitar, Keyboards
Chris Glen – Bass
The Vocalists
Gary Barden
Graham Bonnet
Robin McAuley
Swedish hard rockers ColdSpell are confirmed to support Michael Schenker’s Temple of Rock for the Nordic leg of their Spirit on a Mission World tour dates. Michael Schenker is a true legend and to many the greatest guitar player around, winning awards, getting rave reviews for his albums and when touring the world.
ColdSpell is a rising star on the international stages. This summer they were one of the headliners at Scotland’s premier festival, Wildfire. And was warming up a US audience as runner‐up to Judas Priest at Rock Fest in Wisconsin.
Micke Larsson, guitarist and founder of ColdSpell, says ”Michael Schenker’s guitar playing was a great inspiration growing up and listening to UFO. The ’79 live album Strangers In The Night got spin after spin on the turntable, two got so many scratches so I am now on my third copy. It is great honour to share stage with Michael Schenker for these shows.”
Gig dates February 2016
February 3 Amager Bio, Copenhagen (DK) February 4 Debaser Medis, Stockholm (SE) February 5 KB, Malmoe (SE) February 6 Union Scene, Drammen (NO)
