These bad boys are running a bit wild....
The German metal meisters Scorpions came to town on a hot summer day back in '84. I was home from college and had to talk a friend into driving us down to Toronto for the show. I had to push a bit for he just wasn't into metal the way I was. None of my friends were, really. But I succeeded in securing tickets and a ride for the big day. He showed up on his motorcycle on the morning of the concert. That didn't impress my parents. I wasn't so enamoured either since I'd never been on a bike before, and I was terrified that I was going to fall off the back as I tried to hang on for dear life as we tore through city streets to John's place. Once there, my heartrate calmed down, and we traded motorbike for his mom's car. Whew.
The 80's heavy metal scene was all about craziness, and the Scorpions' 1984 Rock and Roll Hurricane tour definitely fit that bill. But wait, this wasn't just another concert - this was a mammoth, day-long, outdoor metal fest, featuring some of the most insane and popular bands of that time. The Scorpions' album Love At First Sting hit the stores that springtime, and we were ready for a big show that summer.
It was a hot weekday (I skipped work, much to the annoyance of my dad) in Toronto, Canada when fans clad in leather, denim, and spandex (!) converged on Exhibition Stadium. A massive stage filled a good portion of the football field. Lots of room for the Scorps to run laps. The show started in the afternoon.
The first act was Canada's Kickaxe... I can still picture the lead singer running around barefoot, which he was known to do. Why did he do that? Kickaxe entertained us with their hit Heavy Metal Shuffle and an assortment of their other goofy, fun hard rock. Next up was hairband Helix, who had made a splash with recent hits Heavy Metal Love and Rock You. They turned up the volume a little further and got the crowd going. "Gimme an R...!"
When Quiet Riot hit the stage, the skies were darkening, helping to cool off the hundreds of sweaty, fist-pumping metalheads. We had seats in the stands, shaded from the blistering sun, and we enjoyed a perfect centre-stage view as the lightshow got into gear. DuBrow and company played hits like Cum on Feel the Noize and Mama Weer All Crazee Now. Quiet Riot was riding a huge wave of success after, in 1983, becoming the first heavy metal band to have a top 5 hit song and a #1 album in the same week.
Next up - the headliners, the Scorpions. These near-legendary hard rock/metal masters were high on my list of favourite artists at the time. Right up there with Rush, Iron Maiden, and Judas Priest. The Scorps did not disappoint; in fact, their performance that night still ranks among the best rock concerts I've ever seen. The sheer energy, musicianship, showmanship, their light and effects show... it was all done with precision and volume. A wild, loud rocking good time. The drum riser really rose - up high! Ramps and platforms everywhere allowed singer Klaus Meine and his manic guitarists to run all over the stage while gnashing out riffs and crushing chords. And of course, the Scorpions were all about wicked guitar solos, which Schenker and Jabs delivered with maximum intensity.
We stomped, clapped, cheered, (sort of) sang, and punched the air to tunes like Rock You Like a Hurricane, Lovedrive, Animal Magnetism, and Blackout. A visually and aurally stunning concert.
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