Courtesy: Inakustik
Later this month, Inakustik will release veteran guitarist Michael Schenker’s latest live recording in the form of Michael Schenker Fest. The nearly two-hour concert, filmed August 24, 2016 at the Tokyo International Forum Hall, is a welcome addition to the music library of any Michael Schenker fan, from casual fans to the most devout fans. That is due in no small part to the concert’s 18-song set list. This will be discussed shortly. Schenker’s performance and that of his fellow musicians is just as important to note as the show’s set list in examining the concert’s presentation. The concert’s collective production values (I.E. its cinematography and audio mix) round out its most important elements. Each element is clearly important in its own right to the recording’s presentation. All things considered, they make Michael Schenker Fest a must see for any Michael Schenker fan.
Inakustik’s new Michael Schenker live recording Michael Schenker Fest is a must see for any of the veteran guitarist’s fans. From the casual fan to the true devotee, this concert offers audiences plenty to appreciate, beginning with the concert’s extensive 18-song set list. Audiences will be pleased to learn that the concert’s set list is anything but specific in its song choices. It pulls songs from Schenker’s time with UFO, Scorpions, Michael Schenker Group, Temple of Rock and McAuley Schenker Group. While the set list pulls from pretty much every era of Schenker’s career to date, Schenker’s early work with the Michael Schenker Group is most prevalent. More specifically speaking, the group’s self-titled 1980 debut record receives the most representation with four songs pulled from that record. The band’s 1981 album MSG and its 2009 re-issue are just as heavily represented with four more songs. From there, the songs vary from one part of Schenker’s career to another. The end result is a vivid picture of Schenker’s career so far. To that end, the concert’s extensive set list shows why it is so important to the concert’s overall presentation. It is just one key piece of the concert’s presentation, too. Schenker’s performance, and that of his fellow musicians, is just as important to note as the concert’s set list in examining the concert’s overall presentation.
The extensive 18-song set list that makes up the body of Michael Schenker Fest is in its own right an important piece of the concert’s presentation. That is because it lifts from every era of the veteran guitarist’s career so far. Schenker and company keep audiences’ adrenaline flowing from open to end of the 118-minute concert thanks to their collective performance. From Schenker’s powerhouse guitar work to the equally energetic performances of vocalists Graham Bonnett, Gary Barden and Robin McAuley to Ted McKenna’s solid time keeping, bassist Chris Glenn and guitarist Steve Mann’s work on guitar and keyboards, the whole of this group of performers keeps audiences entertained. Audiences at home will find themselves on their feet just as easily as those who were in attendance at the concert’s recording. While it’s something minor and subtle, audiences will be just as interested to learn that there’s not a single bit of foul language to be heard anywhere throughout the course of the concert. Some might be surprised to think about this. But the reality is that a lack of foul language in a live recording is rare. So for such language to be wholly absent here is a huge positive. It means that the concert is not only entertaining but also family friendly. Keeping all of this in mind, it becomes clear why the performance presented here is just as important as the concert’s set list. Even as important as it proves to be, it is just one more of a number of positives that can be examined, including the concert’s collective production values.
The set list and performance presented in Michael Schenker Fest are both key portions of the concert’s overall presentation. That is because of how much they do to entertain audiences and keep them engaged from beginning to end. While both elements are clearly important to the concert’s whole, they are only part of what makes the concert so enjoyable for Schenker’s fans. The concert’s collective production values (I.E. its cinematography and audio engineering) are just as important to examine as the show’s set list and performance. The cinematography is so impressive thanks to its ability to so expertly capture the concert’s energy. From head-on shots from the crowd to footage of the show from the stage and so many angles in-between, the concert’s camera crew is to be commended for its work capturing this concert. Of course, those behind the concert’s editing should be commended just as much as the concert’s camera crew for capturing and presenting that energy. The same applies in the teamwork of the concert’s audio engineers and those who mixed the concert’s audio in post production. The Tokyo Forum Hall is clearly a large, open venue. Yet the concert’s audio engineers and mixers just as expertly balanced the audio. The end result of their work is that no one musician’s part ever overpowers the others or gets lost in the crowd noise and the depth of the venue. Thanks to the combined efforts of the concert’s production crew and those that handled those elements in post production, the end result is a concert experience that is just as enjoyable on screen as it must have been in person if not more so. When this is taken into consideration along with the concert’s set list and the musicians’ performances, the whole of these elements makes the concert an experience that, once more, the most casual to the most devout Michael Schenker fans will enjoy equally.
Michael Schenker Fest is a work that any Michael Schenker fan will appreciate. From casual fans to the true devotees, there is plenty for every fan to enjoy. That includes an extensive set list that spans the breadth of Schenker’s career, a performance that the whole family can enjoy together, production values that make the concert just as enjoyable on screen as in person and so much more. The concert recording will be available in stores and online on Friday, March 24 via Inakustik. It will be released on standalone 2CD, DVD, LP, Blu-ray and 2CD/DVD combo pack as well as digital platforms. Audiences can see a trailer for this new recording online now at http://bit.ly/2j8vwL0. More information on Michael Schenker Fest is available online now along with all of Michael Schenker’s latest news and more at:
Website: http://www.michaelschenkerhimself.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MichaelSchenkerRocks
Twitter: http://twitter.com/MW_Schenker
To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.
philspicks 