Scorpions
Tuesday, June 30, 2026 at 8:00 PM
Bratislava / Tipos Aréna (Zimný štadión Ondreja Nepelu) / Slovakia
Who would have thought Scorpions would still be roaming the world after sixty years? Rudolf Schenker and Klaus Meine know — the resilient, enduring, unshakeable pair that they are. Rudolf turns 78 in September; Klaus hit that milestone back in May. The years fly by. And the band plays on. Records and plays. Scorpions put out an excellent new studio album, “Rock Believer”, in 2022, and at the time it looked like those might be their final shows as they took the album on the road — we caught them in Brno, Czech Republic, back in 2023. But no. The band hit 60 years in 2024, decided to celebrate with a brand-new world tour, and stretched the six-decade party into 2026 as well. Bratislava seemed like a very handy stop on the way back from a holiday in the Czech Republic. Except for the temperatures, which hit 40°C that day.
The hockey arena — home of HC Slovan — holds a good 10,000 for concerts and wasn’t quite sold out. But it was hot. Again, a crowd from every corner of the globe, not just Slovakia. A perfect night of entertainment was on the cards. A party with legends. When you see them in 2026, you know there’s a very good chance it’ll be the last time.
The production was exceptional. Money talks. Massive stage, vast backdrops, giant screens. Everything in its place. Even the sound. All sarcasm aside — right up until Make It Real, even Matthias Jabs’ solos came through exactly as they should. And yes, those are the solos that give every Scorpions show its special magic, the main reason your humble reviewer keeps coming back to their concerts. Matthias is Matthias. A star in his own right. And he shone again tonight.
There’s a lot of pomp, and it all fits. That’s Scorpions. When it comes to building atmosphere, they’re simply untouchable. They create their own world and pull you straight into it. A string of hits with a heavy lean on “Love At the First Sting” — we got no fewer than six tracks from that record. The opening Coming Home, Bad Boys Running Wild, and I’m Leaving You were genuine treats alongside the obligatory classics Big City Nights, Still Lovin’ You, and Rock You Like A Hurricane, all saved for the tail end of the spectacle, where they sent the place into overdrive.
What a lineup! Mikkey found the best possible employer after Motörhead split up. No question about it. He stunned the crowd once again with his sheer drumming greatness. Scorpions are a perfect fit for him. His drum solo delivered its own kind of unforgettable experience. His kit these days, though, is nowhere near as loaded as what he had during the Motörhead years. Back then, you could barely make out the top of his head — that’s how buried he was behind tom-toms and cymbals. What a musician.
Of course, you’re all wondering — how’s Klaus doing? Klaus held his own just fine. The guys have also tuned down a touch, and Klaus sang really well. Sure, some of that old spring in his step is gone, which is perfectly normal for a man on the doorstep of eighty. He also handed a few choruses over to the crowd and tweaked the odd vocal line here and there. All perfectly normal and acceptable. When you hold that up against what’s left of the younger David Lee Roth — who is literally embarrassing himself on stage these days — or even the considerably younger Jon Bon Jovi, who’s no gem in that department either, Klaus is still a proper nightingale next to both of them. Rudolf remains the stage clown. The resident clown whose job it is to keep the level of raucous fun and overflowing positivity at an absolute peak throughout the show. If nothing else, he nailed that role again in the relentless Blackout — first up in the obligatory encore — wielding a guitar with a fully functional exhaust pipe built right into it. And physically, sharp as a tack as he always presents himself, he holds up several levels better than Klaus.
An hour and fifty minutes of phenomenal energy. Unique energy. The energy of one-of-a-kind rock ‘n’ roll. And yes, Wind of Change was there too. Of course it was! With all the lavish kitsch, the lighting, and the stage trappings — topped in the encore by a giant inflatable scorpion rising up behind Mikkey’s drums, filling the role of Eddie over at Iron Maiden.
Everything still works at a Scorpions concert in 2026. Incredible. After more than 60 years. Yes — I can write that without hesitation. The form, the delivery, and of course everything that comes with it (stage design, the obligatory catwalk, phenomenal lighting, videos on the stage screens, etc.). In a word: magnificent. How much time Scorpions have left, only they know — but as long as they feel like playing live, every show that comes near you is worth catching. It’s pretty amazing that I can write that so effortlessly, too. The legends may have said everything they have to say musically, but it’s clear they’re genuinely loving every minute on stage. Long may it continue.
Author: Aleš Podbrežnik
Photos: Edita Klemen
Scorpions – setlist:
1. Intro (60th Anniversary Tour Video Package)
2. Coming Home
3. Gas in the Tank
4. Make It Real
5. The Zoo
6. Coast to Coast
7. Top of the Bill / Steamrock Fever / Speedy’s Coming / Catch Your Train (70’s Medley)
8. Bad Boys Running Wild
9. Delicate Dance
10. Send Me an Angel
11. Wind of Change
12. Loving You Sunday Morning
13. I’m Leaving You
14. New Vision (Pawel Maciwoda Bass Solo – Mikkey Dee Drum Solo)
15. Tease Me Please Me
16. Big City Nights
17. Still Loving You
—encore—
18. Blackout
19. Rock You Like a Hurricane
