Scorps/Whitesnake/Dokken Live In Tampa, FL
By
Sefany Jones,
Contributing Editor
Thursday, February 13, 2003 @ 11:47 AM
| The Scorps (With Special Guest
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REVIEW BY: Ragingdoggy
Not knowing who would be joining me in my quest for memories of ‘80s nostalgia, I procrastinated in buying tickets until 10 minutes before show time. This move paid off handsomely as a 2 for 1 deal fell right in my lap. Ticket sales were slow and perhaps it was attributed to Buccaneer mania from the Super Bowl or Gasparilla (the biggest party of the year) the night before, but the 2 for 1 last minute special made for a respectable audience. More importantly, it provided me with the bonus cabbage needed to procure a few extra watered-down draft beers! I had already arrived in the appropriate frame of mind and while advertised as co-billing with Scorps/Snake, it would soon be obvious who was in charge.
Upon initial observation, there wasn’t much to the stage. Dokken trotted out and for Don Dokken, trotted is being generous. Turtle boy would make Ozzy appear flashy and fleeting. They played seven songs including “Kiss of Death,” “Into the Fire,” “It’s Not Love,” “Breaking the Chains,” “Alone Again,” “Tooth and Nail,” while finishing with a crowd participation-style of “In My Dreams”. The effort was respectable and Don didn’t trip over his hair plugs.
I had no inclination as to what Whitesnake would bring to the table. Coverdale came out and exploded right into “Bad Boys.” He looks emaciated and had a rouge applicator on. Was this the second coming of Farrah Fawcett? Yes, however, his voice was astounding as he drilled every high note needed. They selected exclusively from the older material with the exception of “Judgment Day,” which was flawless. “Slide it In,” “Slow and Easy,” and “Love Ain’t No Stranger” comprised the early part of the show and while the background vocals seemed to have skipped sound check, the crowd gave a rousing approval. “Give Me All Your Love Tonight,” “Is This Love,” and “Here I Go Again” were followed by an ear-splitting, mind-numbing, unblemished closing “Still of the Night”. There were too many ‘80s cliché stage gimmicks, but this segment warrants 7 felonious Tawny Kitaen’s out of 10.
While waiting out the set change I noticed the stage was deeper than I initially thought and the lighting was shaped into a giant metal scorpion. The tail was a circular apparatus holding a large gong. Overwhelmed by feelings of anxious anticipation, I reflected on how these bands helped me get through my teenage years and to that I owe much thanks. There go the lights. The Scorpions hit the stage with their staple opener “Coming Home.” One can only describe their live performance as “they just make it happen.” This was my 5th Scorps concert and never have I been the slightest bit disappointed. Klaus came out in a Bucs jersey that sent the crowd into hysteria. The songs were tight, the band was in sync, often joining together for simultaneous guitar thrashing, and of course Klaus introducing the songs in his “what the f*ck did he just say?” inaudible English. Then came a pleasant surprise during the encore. Brian Johnson from AC/DC hit the stage and sang along to the chorus of “Rock You Like a Hurricane.” The contrasting vocal styles were reminiscent of Paul and Gene from Kiss but with a raspier edge. Klaus climbed on Brian’s shoulders and out into the masses to meet the people they went. I thought for sure that little sock puppet on top was going to be crowd toast but he lived to tell the tale. They concluded receiving a worthy ovation.
The set list (possibly a little out of order in the middle) was as follows:
Coming Home
Bad Boys Running Wild
The Zoo
Big City Nights
Blackout
Coast to Coast
Drum Solo
Tease Me Please me
No One Like You
Guitar solo
Dynamite
We’ll Burn the Sky
Love Drive
Winds of Change
Still Loving You
Rock You Like A Hurricane
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