There is a lot of activity in the world of the Scorpions.  They released a new album recently, they are back on tour, and a good chunk of their back catalogue is getting the deluxe remastering treatment.  For a band that was retiring, they sure have been keeping busy; not that I’m complaining.  They have always managed to keep a level of excellence in their recordings and live performances that would make any band out there jealous.  When the Scorpions come to a town (any town), it is an event and their show at the Allstate Arena was no different.

The band kicked off the show with new track “Going out with a Bang” from Return To Forever.  If they were going to go out with a bang, they most certainly proved it with their performance.  Even though the new material is great, the Scorpions know that many of their fans come to hear the hits.  While they were more than happy to provide that, they did manage to squeeze in a few odd tracks into the set that made older fans like me very happy.  Tracks like “Make It Real” and “Dynamite” may not have been big hits (especially in the US), but they were standout tunes from Animal Magnetism and Blackout.  They even did one better for fans of the Uli Jon Roth era by performing a medley that consisted of “Top of the Bill,” “Steamrock Fever,” “Speedy’s Coming” and “Catch Your Train.” At that point, they could have said “Good Night!” and walked off the stage, and I would have been happy (along with many other fans there) but they were not even half finished at that point.

The Scorpions have always been a band that really give their fans what they want, so the guys did spend most of the latter half of the show on the hits.  They did spot-on performances of “No One Like You,” “Blackout,” “Big City Nights,” “Wind of Change” and a number of other tunes.  Another highlight for me was the acoustic medley that started with “Always Somewhere” and ended with “Send Me An Angel.”  “Always Somewhere” is probably my favorite ballad by the band, so I was extremely happy to see it included in the set.  Just to make sure we didn’t forget about the new record, the brought out “We Built This House” and “Rock ‘N’ Roll Band,” both of which I think benefited from a live sound.  Throw in a couple of instrumentals and a drum solo and you pretty much have one hell of a Scorpions concert.

I have no idea what the band will do from here.  I know they spoke of retirement, but based on this concert, they were still out there having a good time.  And while many bands overstay their welcome, the Scorpions still manage to put out great records and strong live performances.  If this truly is the end (and I hope it is not), then they really are “Going out with a Bang.”