Concert Review
Uli Jon Roth
Saturday May 4, 2024
Fort Hill PAC
Canandaigua, NY
Interstellar Sky Guitar Tour
Review/Photos: Joseph Suto
The man with the Sky Guitar Uli Jon Roth brought his current tour to the Fort Hill Performing Arts Center on Saturday night. The evening was divided into two conquests. The first featured just Uli John Roth playing selections of some of the most versatile music with a divergent setlist which really showcased his immense talent. The second set featured what the majority of the fans came for, hearing those classic Scorpions songs from the time Roth was in the band.
The first set saw Roth changing guitars frequently as he put on a magical display from Mozart to Vivaldi which led to a standing ovation early on. When he played the 9-string acoustic, that was the main highlight for me during set one. Roth was simply marvelous as he dazzled the crowd in a manner not so many artists could. He played a divine list of selections that did not need enhancing but had LED to give visuals to the music.
Roth had an amazing band that helped him pull off the Scorpions/Electric Sun material just fine. Joining him for the second set were his daughter Akasha on keyboards, bassist and vocalist Niklas Turmann, guitarist David Klosinski and drummer Jamie Little. Each of the musicians stood out with compliments to Turmann for such solid vocals to give those songs what they needed. Highlights for me included “In Trance”, “We’ll Burn The Sky” and “The Sails Of Charon”. What else can be said? It’s not everyday you get to see those classics performed live by a key member during that era of the German Institution that is Scorpions.
While the venue had a strict curfew and threw some wrinkles in the evening it did not take away from the overall performance. Roth wanted to play as full a set as he could fit in causing the opening band to be dropped from the bill. While his set on both ends was shorter than normal, he was still able to play the meat and potatoes of it which left everyone very satisfied. Uli Jon Roth hopes to be back in 2025 to play some orchestra shows. All I can say is do not miss those shows. You will sorry if you do.
Set Lists
Set 1
Amadeus
Rondo Alla Turca
Queen of the Night
The Cry
Passage to India
Child of the Thunder Mountain
Le Quattro Stagioni, Concerto No. 1 (I The Spring: April Rain)
Le Quattro Stagioni, Concerto No. 4 (IV The Winter : War of the Winds)
Metamorphosis: Cry of the Night
Set 2
Electric Sun
Sun in My Hand
Land of Dawn
We’ll Burn the Sky
In Trance
Fly to the Rainbow
Catch Your Train
The Sails of Charon
Short sets due to 10 PM curfew.
