As I entered Centennial Garden that night the hallways were crammed with a motley assortment of busty, leather clad middle-aged women, aging metal heads, and the occasional mullet. I was sure it wasn’t the ’80s, but the nostalgic atmosphere and festive enthusiasm could have fooled me.
Fervent metal veterans vocalized their excitement and suspense with yells that reached even the most remote snack bar.
It would be a night not soon forgotten as the powerhouse trio of hair metal acts Dokken, Whitesnake, and the Scorpions, descended upon Bakersfield.
Out of the three acts that performed it was headliners the Scorpions who stole the show and proved the most entertaining band that night.
The dark-filled arena teemed with the din of anticipation as a giant Scorpions sign slowly lowered from the ceiling and the fog filled the stage.
The crowd erupted into cheers as German metal’s flagship, the Scorpions, exploded onstage in a fiery assault on the senses.
Lead singer Klaus Meine’s English was barely intelligible over his German accent when addressing the crowd. However Meine’s dynamic voice was hardly obscured by the gnashing guitars and power drums when he led a verbal melee with the crowd on such classics as “No One Like You.”
After they brought me to a sort of anti-climax, lead guitarist Matthias Jabs blew me away with his technical virtuosity on the six-string in a blistering guitar solo. How could they top that was the question? “Big City Nights” was the answer and they were only halfway through their set.
As Scorpion’s drummer James Kottak delivered a marathon 10-minute drum solo, he thusly proclaimed to the crow, “This Bud’s for you” while emptying a beer over his face.
When the Scorpions reemerged to play one of their greatest hits, “Winds of Change,” numerous costume changes had taken place and rhythm guitarist Rudolf Schenker proudly donned his red hot-rod guitar complete with smoking tailpipes.
But the night couldn’t have been complete without the tour de force in the Scorpions arsenal, “Rock You Like A Hurricane.” The timeless song was only bolstered by their vivacious stage presence. I couldn’t have envisioned a more ideal ending to a night of rock’n roll fantasy.
British-based glam metal act Whitesnake, which hasn’t toured the U.S. in 12 years featured lead singer David Coverdale, the only remaining original member. Despite this, the wailing guitars, pounding bass and Coverdale’s animated stage presence more than compensated.
Coverdale managed to make the night romantic with a stirring rendition of monster ballad “Is This Lov.” Beneath the feathery blond mane shone the permanence of Coverdale’s allure which left working mothers and housewives alike erupting into screams at the mere touch of his hand.
Whitesnake waited until the last song to unleash “Here I Go Again” to an audience warmed with overpriced beer, singing and clapping in unison.
Opener Dokken, originally from Sacramento, played to the eager crowd as lead singer Don Dokken gyrated onstage in tight leather pants. They played a handful of tunes including “In My Dreams” which stirred anyone not already standing to get fist pumping in the air.
But above the flashing lights and fog machines it was the music that brought everyone here. And for some it’s a flashback they’ll never want to leave.