Concert Review
Dirkschneider
Montage Music Hall
Rochester. NY
Monday March 5, 2018
Review/Photos: Joseph Suto
It was one last time around for Udo Dirkschneider Monday evening at the Montage Music Hall in Rochester, NY. No he is not retiring but after this Back to the Roots tour he is putting a close on playing the Accept songs. He will focus on his other material going forward. For this tour he is pulling out all the stops, playing deep cuts and a few songs he hasn’t played in years.
Dirkschneider has kept busy ever since he left Accept releasing fifteen studio albums under the U.D.O. moniker. Joining Dirkschneider was his son Sven on drums, guitarists Andrey Smirnov and Bill Hudson, the latter who has played with TSO among others. Rounding out the band was longtime bassist Fitty Wienhold.
The crowd ate up the two hour set which to no one’s surprise ended with “Balls To The Wall” the song Udo is best-known for. Digging up rare plays of “Love Child” and “Bulletproof” made it worth the price of admission alone. Other notables included “Up To The Limit”, “Princess of the Dawn” and “Fast As A Shark” which the crowd seemed very vocal during screaming along. Sure the set wasn’t without casualties and sacrifices as “Restless and Wild” and “Losers and Winners” were among a few of the MIA’s. Overall the set flowed smooth and the guitar work notably being stellar between Hudson and Smirnov who both took turns displaying their skills.
It had been quite some time since Dirkschneider set foot in western NY. He played the now obsolete Funhouse Night Club to a small dedicated crowd back in 2000. The turnout for the Rochester show, while not a full house was still very respectable for a Monday show. Those who came were treated to one of metal’s greatest voices and left knowing they just saw something very special one last time.
Set List
The Beast Inside
Aiming High
Bulletproof
Midnight Mover
Living For Tonight
Another Second To Be
Fight It Back
Can’t Stand The Night
Amamos la Vida
London Leatherboys
Up To The Limit
Breaker
Screaming For A Love-Bite
Love Child
Objection Overruled
Russian Roulette
Encore
Princess Of The Dawn
Metal Heart
Fast As A Shark
Balls To The Wall
