Here are some reviews sent in by SITN readers

Alex Bargelt was at The Edge in Palo Alto for the first gig on 25th Nov 2003

O.K. this time it actually worked. The band was as tight as a clam, Schenker's solos were literally "dead on", the vocals were actually in range but still a little lacking on the Bonnet and Barden tunes (not enough power) and Amy's solo on Arachnophobioa and Rock Bottom were worth the price of admission alone. They went on at 8:45pm and encored at 10:05pm. The entire band especially the keyboards all sounded like they spent the last year rehearsing together. Michael actually smiled when Amy was soloing during Arachnaphobia which was GREAT to see!!! This is a MAJOR change since the last tour. The band not only seems to care more but they also look like they are having fun playing the set while being more serious at the same time. This being the first night on the tour made me believe that by the time they get back east they will be as seasoned as a Thanksgiving turkey with all the speacial trimmings!!!!!! The Tuetonic Attack is finally back!!!!!

Another review of the Palo Alto gig - from Venomboy's brother
( originally posted on the Dino Rock Guitar Forum)

He didnt't play anything off Built to Destroy, although people were constantly yelling Nemo!
He played a black Gibson V w/white pickguard & headstock throughout the show. I don't even think that he stopped to tune between songs. He had 2 Marshall full stacks, but the LED's were only on one of them. He seemed happy, smiled a bit, moved around, and sang backing vocals on Dr. Dr., Too Hot to Handle & Lights Out. He even let his biotch play part of the Rock Bottom solo.
The bass player is a freaky tattoo demon. He played 2 P-basses, covered w/decals. The last one was a 5-string.
Rhythm guitar was inaudible, although the dude who played also did keys quite well.
Vocalist did pretty well.
Opener was Lonero, who plays an EVH MusicMan, but his style & looks are oh so Satch, down to the jeans, long sleeve t-shirt & beanie. Bass player is that dude from the local cable show Eye2Eye.
Overall, a great show, and he virtually played note-for-note, adding a bit more wahwah to a few tunes, like the end of On and On. But there were no t-shirts or other merchandise sold, just 2 empty tables in the back. Not a great turnout either, which is surprising. There were way more people at Y&T 2 years ago. I guess everyone recalls Schenker's past antics of either canceling shows or leaving in the middle.
There you go!

Here's Skid's review of the Concorde show on 26th Nov 2003

I was excited to finally get to see the "Chris Logan" version of MSG when after almost exactly two years ago left me hanging hours before the Sacramento show. I had a chance to stop by the Cadillac Ranch around 1pm while the lights & sound guys were setting up. Small place with a dance floor about the size of a 2 car garage. Towards the back it steps up to small tables, two bars and even a pool table (to pass the time during warm up bands no doubt).

I met up with Axeslinger at the show. We procured a spot front and center during the warm up band Cradle, which really was not bad at all. While we staked our spot up front, we missed Michael signing copies of "Thank You 4" in the back. The new Schugar/Schenker CD was also available. No tour shirts unfortunately.

The place went wild as MSG took the stage. Left to right: Michael, Chris, Rev, & Wayne with Pete on drums directly behind and center. A 4 cabinet Marshall stack stood behind Michael. Michael was playing a black Gibson V with a white inlay that to my surprise was the same model I have at home! We were so close that I never heard Chris's vocals unfortunately but I loved his stage presence. They started with "Are You Ready To Rock" and went into "Mother Mary". Bass player Rev Jones was all over his bass which sported many photos of Brittany Spears I believe. Axe got a great photo of it. Throughout the show Rev was mugging many contorted faces and expressions, he really was having fun. A highlight for me was "Fatal Strike" off the new CD. Chris dedicated it to all the troops fighting for our freedom, awesome. Michael blasted the ending solo in typical "bent over the V" form. He kept telling the crew to turn up his sound as the night went on (and one point turn Rev's bass down, in which Rev looked perplexed).

Michael was right on with his playing and I found myself just beaming during his solos. After a few songs Amy came out and took center stage between Chris and Rev. The band played two cuts off of the new CD "High Cost" & "Victim of the System". Amy seems to be an adept player and she was having fun while mugging it up for Axe's camera, never missing a beat. She came back out for the encore and took over part of the solo in "Rock Bottom". It was cool to see Michael playing rhythm during the song although it was a brief version. Overall the show was close to two hours and they played 20 songs. With over 30 years of history many songs were omitted but it was indeed a different set than other tours and very powerful. The band seemed tight and enjoyed the night as did the audience.

READY TO ROCK
MOTHER MARY
ASSAULT ATTACK
LET IT ROLL
FAT CITY
LIGHTS OUT
BECAUSE I CAN
ROCK'N ROLL BELIEVER
ARACHNOPHOBIAC
VICTIM OF THE SYSTEM
HIGH COST
INTO THE ARENA
FATAL STRIKE
ONLY YOU CAN ROCK ME
ON AND ON
TOO HOT TO HANDLE
ATTACK OF THE MAD MAN
--------------------
ARMED AND READY
DOCTOR
-------------------
ROCK BOTTOM

The band was very tight and Michael was superb. Michael showed everyone on this night why he is considered one of the best guitarist of all time. There was an awesome turn out even though it was the day before Thanksgiving. And Amy's lead solo in Rock Bottom took everyone by surprise. She is quite the little guitar player herself. I had a chance to get together with Michael on a couple of occasions while he was at the Cadillac Ranch. He showed me around and seemed to be in great health and spirits. After the show both Amy and Michael invited me into there tour bus. I must say it was quite the rig, very nice. Michael is back and he has a great bunch of musicians behind him. And no Ritchie I'm not just saying this because I was on Michael's guestlist. If they are playing in your area this is a must see show.

Skid's next gig was the Sacramento show on 28th Nov 2003

After much turkey from a Thanksgiving feast, I was oh so thankful to be going to see MSG again on Friday in Sacramento at the Roadhouse. My brother & my 23 yr old son (who saw MSG unplugged at age 12) went with me and we found the venue around 8 o'clock. Almost missed it as it is small and not on a busy corner. Michael's huge tour bus was parked out front. We went in and surveyed the venue & stage. Even smaller than Concord! A very old building indeed. The stage was smaller than the previous venue (Cadillac Ranch). While standing around waiting for the warmup band to come on, I saw Rev Jones standing by one of the back mixing tables. I approached him with a handshake and he was very personable. We chatted for a few minutes as he told me the stage in Concord was not very sturdy and they had sound problems but Michael to his credit blazed through the set undaunted. This stage he said was better and the soundcheck from the afternoon was great. He also told me that Chris Logan was feeling a little under the weather but that he would sing because they were not going to cancel any gigs NO MATTER WHAT!

Once the local warm up band finished their (too) long set, MSG came out around 11pm. An almost identical set list as the previous show with the exception of dropping "Assault Attack" & "Because I Can". Michael was in top form as the crowd responded joyfully to UFO tunes. Some of the newer songs were falling on unfamiliar ears (Fat City, Arachnophobiac, & Schugar/Schenker tunes) Fatal Strike was again a highlight to me as Michael chugga-chunked through the chorus and blazed out the ending solo. He acknowledged the crowd after most every song and even surveyed the audience at times while playing, always smiling. Something must have been wrong with Amy's guitar as she held it behind her and just grabbed the microphone during her two singing tunes. Rev was wild as usual but had told me earlier that he would not be able to jump on stage for fear of hitting his head on the low ceiling. Pete Holmes on drums and Wayne Findley on keyboards & guitar again held a fine accompaniment to the others. Standing about 8 ft from the low stage it was difficult to always see Michael's playing but he sounded just awesome. During the encore I ended up in the back of the room "air guitaring" "Rock Bottom" with some guy who was enjoying the show as much as I. After the show Michael went straight from the stage to a little table by the exit door to sign his new CD and anything people put in front of him. He signed stuff for at least 45 minutes, smiling and shaking everyone's hand until the line was completely gone. I got a chance to briefly talk to Rev & Wayne inside after the show, thanking them and wishing them a successful tour. Outside was Chris Logan and I thanked him for quickly replying to an email I had send him. I also wished him better health and said many people were waiting to see them on the road to Chicago and that I hoped that they were welcomed to tour other stops after that.

Great sound. Smiling Schenker. Friendly band. Awesome experience. See them when they come your way, I'm so glad I did!

Set List:

READY TO ROCK
MOTHER MARY
LET IT ROLL
FAT CITY
LIGHTS OUT
ROCK'N ROLL BELIEVER
ARACHNOPHOBIAC
VICTIM OF THE SYSTEM
HIGH COST
INTO THE ARENA
FATAL STRIKE
ONLY YOU CAN ROCK ME
ON AND ON
TOO HOT TO HANDLE
ATTACK OF THE MAD MAN
--------------------
ARMED AND READY
DOCTOR
-------------------
ROCK BOTTOM

This one by David Heimbach who was at the Ventura gig on Nov 29th 2003

Saw the show last night at the Ventura Theater. Michael and the band were right on all night. He is the guitar machine. The front row were guitarists looking for a Michael Schenker lesson, and they got it! Dude was on top of his game. Amy did very well singing and playing some leads. She can rip! I say, sign her up! Most of the set was older stuff. Lots of UFO and pre 1995 Michael Schenker Group. Maybe four or five new tunes. I was miffed when Tony McAlpine and Stu Hamm were not there! This was on the tickets and all advertising right up to the show time. I can't help but feel a little like a "bait and switch" tactic was used. Although the band did kick ass! Great bassist, when he got fast I could still make out what he was playing. All too often bass solos are a waste of time and consist of lame stuff. This guy got together with the drummer and jammed. They kept it short and sweet, like one or two minutes, and got right back to the songs. Nobody else soloed outside the context of the tunes. That was a refreshing change, cut the solos and play songs! The keyboard/guitar player was really good. He kept up with Michael on keys and guitar all night! The singer was fighting a throat problem so he was not hitting the high stuff, but he was good enough for it not to matter.

They had two bands open for them, "Intentional Rage" and "FMF"(Full Metal Force). They were both ok, but listen to way too much Metallica. Also, the sound was shitty till MSG. That is to be expected for opening bands most of the time. Makes the headliner act sound better. One other depressing note, Budweiser is over $6.00 a cup there! Didn't even ask about good beer! Could have thrown in a couple of more bucks and bought a twelve pack!! The audience was peppered with traditional rock sluts and head bangers. Although there were several kids under 18 there to see MSG. It's good to see the younger people appreciate Michael and will learn from him.

All in all the show was good, MSG was great. If you can, go see them!

This one from TREXX,
(originally posted on the CRR messageboard)

The Michael Schenker show was better than my wildest imaginings! Oh MY GAWD! We had such a blast! Woooo Hooooooo! The whole thing just came together kind of at the last minute. My good friend Richard that lives in a somewhat close-by city, invited some of his buds. One of the guys was a old schoolmate that I knew. There was me, my girlfriend, and a coworker that is a music lover. (more blues/jazz, though) and all but one of the eight tickets accounted for. Early on Friday we arranged for a rental car. A big fat new Cadillac Deville with a Cd player. We got the car over here to my house and shortly thereafter everyone was here. We had seven people.
Almost everyone in our group are HUGE MICHAEL SCHENKER FANS! ...save for my girlfriend and coworker. They all knew about my Michael Schenker jinx too. Actually, Richard reminded me that it was three shows that have been cancelled that I've attempted to go to over the years and not two! Oh my gawd! It was a drizzly afternoon/evening and we were very anxious. I made a window sized MSG logo cut-out and we stuck it in the back window (I used the big proof-making equipment at work! Ha!). We then piled into the car a bit early to be sure that traffic would not delay us. It's a good thing because it took us a half hour to get us fit into the car! My girlfriend was the designated driver.

The venue only holds about 250 people or so. We pulled into an almost empty parking lot... I'm thinking.... everyone's thinking ....He cancelled? FaughhhhKKKK!!!!!!!! faughk-faughk-faughk-faughk FAUGHKKKK!!!!!!!! There were two dudes in a pickup truck and they heard our rants and said "I know what you mean... he cancels a lot, but not this time!" He points across the way. You could see a giant travel/bus/rig, "Schenkers". Cool. While at home, before we left, I showed Rich my old Michael Schenker framed photo that I've had for 23 years. It's black and white from Oakland Collesium in 1978 when he's on stage with UFO and very cool. I held it up and said, "You think he'll sign this?"-"Let's bring it".
So we grab this picture and haul off to the bus. Some roadie said that he'll sign stuff after the show however.
So we wait around awhile and some of the guys went and bought a twelve pack and were tailgating and hanging out We sold the last ticket to one of the pick-up truck dudes. A small line started to form and a doorman announced that the door will be open at eight o'clock. We smoked some, drank some, and then head to the door. The parking lot filled up quickly.
Inside it's a biker-type bar. A large island bar off to the side, and two steps down leaving the main room area open with the band riser against the same wall as the entrance.
There's a few ceiling support poles on the main floor. There were some monitor speakers around a couple of them.
The opening band was "Barking at Flies". They did originals and were led by a guitarist-singer that was darn good. The band was metal and decent. They did a 40 minute set.

After a swift stage change comes Schneker. He comes out on stage first. Waves, says nothing, dinks around with the equipment a bit and the other dudes come out to get ready. Michael is wearing sneakers, low socks, NBA big baggie dark blue shorts with white piping, REI fleece sleevless blue vest with collar and a dark blue knit ski beanie with Oakley silver framed sunglasses, and a thin, longish, blonde goatee. He takes his sunglasses off. His eyes were pale-blue, clear and bright. He grabs his axe, puts his head under the strap, while looking up and yells, "You Ready to Rock?" And just goes right into it!

I cannot remember the entire song list exactly but this is what I retained:
Are You Ready to Rock
Mother Mary
Rock Bottom
Too Hot To Handle
Into the Arena
Attack of the Mad Axeman
Some new ones with his girlfriend singing.
Lights Out
Doctor, Doctor
Some newer MSG, not familiar but great.
Let Sleeping Dogs Lie
Only You Can Rock Me
This Kids
More new stuff...

His girl friend is really young and fine. That "tom-girl-rides-horses-kinda-fine" She's very small, brunette with a gigantic voice and a very good guitar player. She joined in on about a third of the songs as a second rhythm guitarist. She sang lead on two numbers and they were very good songs. Great with a girl voice too.
Richard moved towards the front and takes a couple of pictures, a bouncer grabs him makes him leave. Wes (friend from our group) goes after him and gets him off the hook, saying the photos are not for profit, just for our scrapbooks, etc... It works, the owner let Rich back in and says to, "avoid that large bouncer dude".
We got some great shots, man! Michael looked up and checked out the crowd a bunch of times. He waved numerous times too. The band was tight and kick'in ass. The bass player looked like "Flea" from RHCP. Three or four long dreadlocks only on the very top of his crown that were spun around constantly, otherwise shaved bald. The singer was the granola, hippie looking dude, clean shaven and ponytail. The rythm guitarist doubled as a keyboardist and had a big mop of hair and goatee. The drummer looked simular. They did a fantastic job. Michael was the only one who messed up that I could detect. (just the singing courus on Too Hot).
They played for two hours. Michael never switched guitars. He used the same one all the way through and just tuned as he went.
I was overwhelmed. The music was top drawer and performed to a tee. They all looked really happy, relaxed, and in fun loving mood.
After the show they sold Cd's of his new stuff and he was signing each of them. I think they had three different titles. I got into line to get a Cd and Rich bolts out to the car to retreive the photo that I have. He comes back and shows Michaels' girlfriend and she's all gushing over it... "Oh Michael has to see this!" She says. She interrupts the signing going on and Michael grabs it. He holds it up and is checking it out real carefully... Richard, is saying "Thats from 1978 man! When you were in Oakland, CA with UFO!". "Ya" he says, smiling. I go, "I've had that for over twenty years, I love your music!" He glances over and flashes a smile and then signs it! Soooooo Cool!
I got to see him perform no more than fifteen feet away. Then I got to talk to him face to face afterwards! The show was excellent with many great numbers played. The band was red hot and in sync. The crowd was into the music. They knew the words to the UFO songs! Hot, "40-somethings" women/babes were movin' and groovin' to the music. I was completely enthralled and impressed. I don't have to cover for a disappointing show. This was the best. Perfect!
I have been on a huge high for days now. I really needed to have some fun and feel good again. Michael Schenker did it! I will always associate this huge time in my life to Michael Schenker and his great music.
We're all hyped up on the way back to the car, Wes is running with the signed photo above his head and is yelling, "The jinx has been broken, the jinx is history!" We were like a bunch of kids. It was the most fun I've had in a long, long, long, time.

Taz's review of the San Diego show at the Brick By Brick - 3rd December 2003

Well, we saw Schenker last night at Brick by Brick in San Diego. First off, this venue is a dive bar, and not the best place to see an act of this class. That said- Schenker has definitely still got it! Starting with 'Ready to Rock' an odd choice maybe and proceeding into 'Mother Mary' followed by 'Let it Roll'. By this third song, things had settled down and the band were in the groove, the man himself was playing beautifully in the solo section, weaving in and out of Wayne Findlay's keyboard lines, just like the version on Strangers' but with a better guitar tone!!!! I'm not good at remembering set lists, but highlights of the show were 'Lights Out', Too Hot To Handle, 'Into The Arena', 'On and On' actually the list goes on and on!!! Attack of the mad Axeman was good but the band missed their cue during the solo at the end, you know, where Schenker is playing over a repetitive riff and then the band breaks out of that riff into another chord sequence just before the climax? Well, Michael looked over at Wayne and The Reverend when he realized they weren't with him and they all fell back into place in time for the end!

Amy came on for about three songs in the middle of the set. I have to give her credit, she is very at home on stage and her guitar added a lot of meat to the sound, she took the solo in Arachnophobiac and sounded just like Jeff Watson's Schenker impersonation!!...yes the girl can play guitar!! She had been hanging around right in front of us for some time during the opening act, I did not speak to her because I was only about 85% sure that it was her. She is a lot better looking than the pictures on the web would leave you to believe...all 4' 8'' of her! Michael was looking very relaxed and happy on stage for the whole performance, I was curious to see if he would interact with Amy at all, since that is not a part of his stage persona usually. True to form he pretty much completely ignored her when she went over by him, except for a quick hug and a kiss on the forehead when she left the stage.

Other than the title track, other new songs were Evermore and Fatal Strike. I have to say that they sounded great, a lot better than the recorded versions. Chris Logan actually sounded a lot better also. I do not like his vocals on the album, but he put in a good performance on most of the set, having to sing material from three other singers.

And now for the best part. The encore was Armed and Ready, Doctor Doctor and Rock Bottom. All three were superb, but Rock Bottom was the best. Michael kicked this one into high gear and the band, with Amy back onstage now tore through this like it was the last time it was ever going to be played! From where we were standing, which wasn't all that close, Michael appeared to have trimmed that horrendous beard he has been sporting of late and he looked very trim in a hockey shirt and jeans. Tonight we will be at the Galaxy Theatre in Santa Ana, for this one I intend to get up front.......I'll keep you posted....TAZ.

This review, also from the Brick By Brick gig, comes from Dirk
(originally posted on Pete's messageboard)

Small club here in San Diego called Brick-by-Brick which is always an excellent place for me to see a show.
His playing was fluid and full of energy... the UFO tunes were fantastic! Mother Mary, Let It Roll and Lights Out were standouts along with Into The Arena. The new stuff comes across a little better live as well. Even Arachnaphobiac... "there's a hairy spider in my shoe!"
The bass player (Rev) and keys/guitar (Wayne) were great. Amy was cool and is obviously an excellent musician but her participation distracts from my own personal experience... a little too "sweet and wholesome" for this Classic Rocker!
But being in such a small club only a few feet from the Maestro just can't be beat!! He played a brand new (black) Gibson Flying-V and his sound was spine-tingling!
Met the whole band afterwards and got signatures on the 2 new CDs... now I wish I had gone to the Key Club last Sunday since I can't go to the Galaxy tonight!!
Awesome