Concert review: Scorpions / Tesla: Staples Center - Los Angeles, CA (June 22, 2012)

This was our 4th show of the tour, and I swear both sets keep getting better and better!

   Tesla kicked ass... again!! But they started late... again. And they had to cut one or two songs from the set... again. But no complaining here! They are bringing it!! From the guitar solo intro to the very last song, these guys are kicking ass and taking names. They've been surprising a lot of people (I hear things from people in the crowd)... they're blowing minds. This is honestly the best I've ever seen them. This tour is seriously the total package: a kick ass opening band, and a beyond kick ass headliner... that's a very rare combination these days. 
The set list hasn't really changed... it's pretty much the same songs I've been posting. Here's what they played: Cumin' Atcha Live, Edison's Medicine, Hang Tough, Heaven's Trail, Signs, Love Song, Modern Day Cowboy, and Little Suzi. The highlights still being "Hang Tough", "Heaven's Trail, "Love Song", and "Little Suzi".

   Scorpions... THEY HAD PYRO!!!! Massively hot, and massively LOUD (almost deafening), pyro!! They've been full of energy since this tour has started, but this show was just freaking crazy!!! Everything was bigger, better, and louder... it was L.A... it had to be!! They set out to impress. And impress, they did. They've been bringing it night after night, but they brought it 50 times more for this one. They had a lot more crowd interaction, more rounds of drum stick throwing, and more interaction onstage with each other. Matthias Jabs was all over it, even more than usual. You can clearly tell that he lives for this stuff. He is so full of energy... full of smiles... he has a BLAST on that stage. He's the happiest one up there. I'm not saying that he's the only happy Scorpion, because that isn't the case... I'm just saying that out of all of them, it's clearly obvious that he has the most fun up there. It's exciting to watch!

Once again, they were flawless... well, there were a few minor imperfections... but not enough to 'ruin' anything or make a fuss over. Klaus' voice cracked a couple of times, but I know a few members were nervous before the show started, so that could've been the reason? But again, it wasn't really anything major. On my end, it was still flawless. Absolutely flawless. My only gripe was the dang fog/smoke machine... too much, way too much. Saying this show was 'badass' would be an understatement... my mind is still blown.

The set list... they played 21 songs (nothing was taken out)!!! They kept "Rhythm of Love" in the set AND played all 5 ballads... which didn't serve as a crowd killer this time around. The drum solo didn't serve as a crowd killer, either... haha! Aaaaand people actually went nuts over "Is There Anybody There?"... I saw a few people actually cry when they started playing that song. 

Set list

   In fact, I need to gush over the crowd, and give them massive props. The crowd at  this show, was a TRUE rock crowd. This crowd was probably the BEST crowd I've ever seen at a rock show. The energy in that building was absolutely ridiculous!!! We were told that there were 12,000 people in attendance, but I would say more like 18,000 at least. The Staples Center was PACKED with people... there were people EVERYWHERE!!! I saw very few empty seats... and if there were empty seats, they were way up top in the 300 level. The crowd was loud... LOUD!!! Louder than the band, at times. If the pyro didn't make you deaf, the crowd sure in the heck did!! Holy crap!! Everyone in attendance was singing along, dancing, rocking out... and a LOT of them were crying. This crowd was emotional... and I think that helped set the tone. I saw a few people start to cry when they played "Make It Real" and "The Zoo"... but it was mostly during the ballad portion. "Wind of Change", "Send Me An Angel", and "The Best Is Yet to Come" bring out the waterworks... that is one of the things I've noticed since the start of the tour. I hadn't shed a tear since the Shoreline show... but seeing so many people cry that night, made me cry again... but I'm good at covering that stuff up (or at least I like to think I am?). And seeing my Mother cry? You can't help but lose it, too. I know how much the Scorpions mean to these people, especially to my Mother... and that was probably the saddest thing I've witnessed on this tour so far. People don't want these guys to retire... and it truly showed that night. Matthias wept a little, too. After "The Best Is Yet to Come"... I'm tellin' ya... it was a highly emotional show. And it was simply fantastic. I'm glad we were there. 

This has become somewhat depressing, so why don't we get to a little humor? Here's an update on the "Pawel constipation face game": I found out after the concert, that about mid-way through the set, he was told to stop making his ridiculous 'rock star' face, and that he needed to find a new one. I'm serious... I'm not going to say who told him to stop, but I seriously want to thank that person... haha! After being told that, he came up with a new face... he now thinks he's Gene Simmons. He stuck out his tongue every chance he got... he might as well spit blood now, too. So there might be  2 "Pawel drinking games" that you can now play... or better yet, combine both games and double your fun!! 

Go see the Scorpions when they come to, or close to, your town... you won't regret it!!! You'll only regret it if you don't!!!!

Scorpions "The Final Sting" tour dates

Peace, Love, & Music,

Lizzy Lepp