CALIFORNIA ROCK NEWS

Alex Kluft

Guitar legend Uli Jon Roth is finally back in the U.S. Before kicking off his Interstellar Sky Guitar World Tour, Roth held a four day Sky Guitar Academy in Long Beach, CA then began the tour April 2nd in Mesa, AZ.

Last night Roth returned to the Whisky for an unforgettable night. Roth took the stage for a solo electric set at 8 P.M. with his famous Sky Guitars including a 7-string and 9-string. Last year marked the 40th anniversary of this iconic guitar Roth designed and is available to the public through his Sky Guitars site. Roth played a mix of solo compositions, Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons: Winter” and Mozart compositions with a projection behind. Roth also spoke between songs to discuss what he was playing. 

Roth became the lead guitarist for the Scorpions in 1973 following Michael Schenker’s departure. Roth recorded four albums with the Scorpions before leaving in 1978 as well being part of the band’s first live album Tokyo Tapes. Roth would go on to form Electric Sun which would record three albums before disbanding in 1986. In 2015 Roth released Scorpions Revisited made up songs re-recorded from his time with the Scorpions. His band on that album included drummer Jamie Little, Corvin Bahn on keyboards, Niklas Turmann on lead vocals and guitar, and David Klosinki on guitar. This is also Roth’s live band but Turmann plays bass rather than guitar. Following the intermission, Roth came out with his band for a set of early Scorpions and Electric Sun and ended with Bob Dylan’s “All Along the Watchtower” which was famously covered by Jimi Hendrix. 

Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson and his new solo band were in attendance.

https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/uli-jon-roth/2024/whisky-a-go-go-west-hollywood-ca-63abd28f.html