Valley View Rocked Like a Hurricane

Kicking off the first day of summer with melodic-metal band the Scorpions was a head-banging flashback to the ’80s. Having seen them perform more than 20 times, I can say the adage “rode hard and put away wet” suits the Scorpions well.

After all this time, can Klaus Meine's voice really be that good? He hasn’t lost a note over the years on songs such as “Winds of Change” and “Rock You Like a Hurricane.” Rudolf Schenker's rhythm-guitar-playing and wacky stage antics (dressing up for their iconic “Blackout” as the mental patient with forks covering his eyes) brought roars from the crowd. And Matthias Jabs’s electrifying guitar solos rocked all the attending metal heads.

Giant screens backing the stage flashed live images of the band, intensely colorful graphics, and home-movie-style footage of the Scorpions through the years to feed any visual needs in the back of the arena.

Billing this as the Final Sting tour, we were supposedly witnessing the Scorpions last go around. This past week, however, it was announced that they will not retire, and from listening to them perform, they certainly don't need to — not even after selling 100 million albums in their 41-year career.

• Concert: Scorpions
• Date: June 20
• Venue: Valley View Casino Center
• Seats: LL24, seat 8