Bear with me while I reminisce a little. I am in Sunderland Locarno in 1974. A band I have seen several times before, UFO, appear with a new guitarist. This guy is young, German, and with very long blonde hair playing a Gibson Flying V. His name is Michael Schenker and he is on the first steps of the ladder taking him towards legendary guitar hero status. He has left an up-and-coming German band The Scorpions to join UFO. He looks cool; just great. He comes with a bunch of new songs he has written with the band. One of them, “Doctor Doctor”, starts off with a quiet, swirling guitar introduction which soon builds up into a rocky song. This song becomes one of my favourites of all time and the signature tune for UFO, who go on to great success in the years to follow. I see them, and enjoy them, many times. They become one of my favourite bands of all time. Schenker is a guitar hero and also temperamental. In 1978 he walks out on UFO.
I am in Newcastle City Hall in 1978. Schenker has rejoined The Scorpions for a short period, reuniting with his brother Rudolf Schenker. The City Hall is packed, surprisingly I thought as this band were still largely unknown in the UK, and they were sensational.
My relationship with, and admiration for, Michael Schenker continues over the years. I watch him perform in his own band MSG, at the City Hall, several times in the early 1980s and he is always great. He surrounds himself with top-class musicians including Chris Glen from The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, drummer Cozy Powell and former UFO bandmate Paul Raymond, among many others. Schenker then rejoins UFO for a short time and sadly descends into a period of erratic performances fuelled by alcohol and drug addiction.
He then reappears with many different incarnations of the Michael Schenker group. My next encounter with him was many years later at the Sage Gateshead, when the man was on top form again.
Roll forward to 2021 and I am in the City Hall again with my carer Lisa (thanks for the photographs: some great images) about to witness another evening with the legend that is Michael Schenker. We arrive just in time to catch the last couple of numbers by 
support act Doro, former female lead singer with heavy rock band Warlock, with long blonde hair and resplendent in black leathers and chains, getting the crowd suitably warmed up with some great heavy rock including, showing her influences, a great version of Judas Priest’s “Breaking the Law”! Class!
After a short break and a suitably cool pint of Carling (no Guinness on sale) we are treated to two hours of classic Schenker with the guitar wizard taking us through a tour of his back catalogue. Michael looks just great; fit, slender and wearing a great furry hat, playing his usual Gibson Flying V. After couple of unfamiliar, but great, opening songs we are right back to the past and the aforementioned “Doctor Doctor”. It really doesn’t get any better. The evening continues to rock onward with Schenker on brilliant form, played some excellent guitar histrionics.
Michael has assembled a great band of musicians including excellent front man vocalist Ronnie Romero, who recently fronted Ritchie Blackmore’s reformed Rainbow.
Lots and lots of great UFO songs follow: “Lights out”; I used to always love it when they sang “Lights out in Newcastle” instead of “Lights out in London” and this always got a great cheer from the home crowd. No such change of lyrics tonight but still a great 
song. Then “Rock Bottom”, “Shoot Shoot”, “Too Hot to Handle” and closing song “Only You Can Rock Me”. Fantastic. A great band, excellent UFO classic songs, and a wonderful performance by Michael Schenker on top form. It made an old man happy.
My taxi is waiting and takes me back home and Chris and Lisa set me back in the bed with strains of “Doctor Doctor” still ringing in my ears and around my head. A great night. Happy days and happy memories.
SETLIST: Ascension; Cry for the Nations; Doctor Doctor; Sleeping With the Lights On; Assault Attack; We Are the Voice; Looking for Love; Warrior; Into the Arena; In Search of the Peace of Mind; Red Sky; Lights Out; After the Rain; Armed and Ready; Sail the Darkness; Rock You to the Ground; Drilled to Kill; Rock Bottom; Shoot Shoot; Let It Roll; Natural Thing; Too Hot to Handle; Only You Can Rock Me
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