KILBURNFLYER

Hammersmith Odeon again last night - it was the best of times, it was the worst of times.

There is clearly something very wrong with Michael Schenker - he was so awful it was painful. Not sure whether it was drink or drugs but he made more mistakes during a shambling performance of Doctor Doctor than I have seen in all previous concerts put together. As he shuffled off the stage unsteady on his feet and throwing his cap at a roadie he clearly knew how bad it had been. The guy next to me called out for Rock Bottom - I am glad to say he didn't oblige. The last time I saw someone clearly out of it trying to hold a concert together was Rory Gallagher at the Town and Country Club (now The Forum) where I was so angry that I stormed up to the box office and demanded my money back after about 20 minutes. He left the stage shortly thereafter and we were sent home with the promise of a refund as "Rory apologises but he cannot continue as he is not very well". Tragically that was the last time I saw him as he died about a year later. I hope the same fate does not await Schenker.

The Scorpions on the other hand were magnificent and full of energy. It is astonishing to think that this band in it various guises have been together for over 30 years. They were joined in the middle of the set by Uli John Roth and delved very deep into the back catalogue - Speedy's Coming was a highlight but sadly no Robot Man but you can't have everything. Stellar versions of Lovedrive, Bad Boys Running Wild and Blackout led to a slightly disappointing encore. I always hated Winds of Change and felt a bit robbed that they played it but didn't find time for Another Piece of Meat or Virgin Killers - being churlish I know but all in all a great show.

Am a bit sad for Schenker and hopes he sorts his life out soon. He is truly a great rock guitarist and the world would be a sadder place without him.

KILBURNFLYER
Have ignored this blog - if that's what you can call it - for a while.

I saw the phenomenon that is Steve Vai at Hammersmith Apollo (bollocks it will always be the Odeon) last night and like many in the audience was left open mouthed by his excellence. We all trudged out at the end of almost 3 hours in excited disbelief leaving the air thick with over used descriptions; awesome, genius. I even heard one older chap say "better than Hendrix" and when challenged scornfully by a younger fellow said "well I fucking saw Hendrix, did you". Like the chastised man I never saw Hendrix and the immediate aftermath of a gig is always a time for rash judgement. But is he up there? That is a very high place indeed and few every get mentioned in the same breath as Hendrix. Steve Vai is one of a few who should but to me the two are not truly comparable. Sure there are similarities, both are like great opera singers or classically trained virtuoso pianists - total masters of their instrument. They can get a guitar (albeit with 7 strings in Vai's case) to make sounds that lesser mortals can only aspire to. Technically both are brilliant but we never really got to see how good Hendrix would become. Steve Vai has also grown in stature in recent years and held a very knowledgeable audience spellbound with just the sheer quality of his music. He is clearly a man more at ease with his talent now than he was as a young man backing Frank Zappa or David Lee Roth when he was more like Hendrix - big on showmanship and high speed riffery to which he gleefully added ridiculous shaped and multi necked guitars. Steve Vai has grown up and expanded his repertoire - Hendrix died before he had the chance to do the same. Whether he is or is not as good or even better than Hendrix is irrelevant - I left, as did the rest of the audience, knowing we had seen a true master at work. In years to come I hope to be that man on the tube who says you a young upstart "well I fucking saw Steve Vai, did you"