“Who is Uli Jon Roth”?  This is what I hear from my friends whom have sadly not been privy to the German masterful guitar virtuoso I have known and loved since my teenage years. First discovering his intricate & mesmerizing solos with a lesser known German band at that time,, the Scorpions.  Uli had replaced guitarist Michael Schenker, who left Scorpions to join British rockers UFO in 1974. The Scorpions put out 4 studio albums with Roth including one live album, Tokyo Tapes, and they were all masterpieces thanks to the captivating presence and technical prowess of one of the most prolific guitarists of the 1970’s.  

On April 10th, fans from all over Northern California welcomed Uli John Roth and his band to the Sacramento area for an evening of that I call ‘metaphysical metal,’ on their Interstellar Sky Guitar World Tour. Every time Uli performs, he immediately connects with the audience in such a way that it feels like we had all experienced  a spiritual retreat. The evening started off with a very special first set of Uli’s solo work beginning with “Amadeus” and “Rondo Alla Turca” (a Mozart cover).  ”The Triumph Of Spring” (a Antonio Vivaldi cover) was also a truly magical and transonic experience. During his  first set of two that evening, fans were treated to amazing visuals on a LED screen depicting metaphysical images with nods to greats like Jimi Hendrix, Martin Luther King, Jr., and of course Mozart.  There also were many images of Mother Nature's Earth and all it’s beauty, space and human rights, and all the visuals were spectacular and mind blowing.

After a brief intermission, fans were relaxed (yet pumped) for the second set as we about to hear a marathon of Scorpions classics.  Progressing back in time with “ Electric Sun”, this Scorpions classic pushed the metal boundaries as one of the first “metal” bands to arise in the early 1970’s.  The Scorpions were special then, but not the arena rock Scorpions that they evolved into in the 1980’s. ”Sun In My Hand” was the first of two tracks off of In Trance followed by “Longing For Fire”, both stunningly masterful. ”We’ll Burn The Sky” from Taken By Force is a favorite of mine that I actually played at my wedding - truly unforgettable.  Roth’s band are a superior bunch of musicians with Nikias Turmann on Bass guitar and vocals was dreamy and spot on.  His stellar performance shined in songs like “In Trance” and “Pictured Life”  where the keys were perfectly blended by virtuoso Corvin Bahn.  Jamie Little was the second half of the rhythm section behind the drums, and the second guitar duties and vocals were handled perfectly by David Kiosinski who tackled songs like ‘Catch Your Train” and “The Sails Of Charon”.  Uli Jon Roth dazzled us with his artillery during “Sky Guitars” where all his custom guitars were front and center.  Most of these were custom made with several unique frets and bejeweled with precious gems they are simply stunning to the naked eye.

Throughout set two, we were once again were treated to a spiritual  and visual experience. Uli John Roth Is a poignant contributor and integral part of rock and roll history. Often left off the list of world’s Greatest Guitar players, Uli John Roth is a grossly under rated guitarist  with over 50 years of musical genius and is certainly on my list of top 5 Guitar players of all time.  My friends who said “Who is Uli Roth” now have been schooled in the best rock and roll there is.  Don’t miss the Interstellar Sky Guitar Tour when it rolls through your town. It’s truly life changing.