U.D.O. @ Sweden Rock Festival 2023-06-08
6/10
Udo Dirkschneider
The first concert I ever saw was Accept, back in 1983. I was 15 at the time and loved every bit of it. With most of my metal singer heroes being tall guys with long haired that angry little chubby German in camouflage and combat boots was weird but super cool at the same time. From then on I was hooked.
I have seen both Accept and Udo several times over the years. I even had the pleasure of interviewing him 15 years ago. I have always said “No Udo no party” in regards to Accept with another singer. Unfortunately the opposite seems to be true as well – Udo without Accept, or at least without their songs, is no party.
His solo band U.D.O. played a set consisting of only his solo material. I guess most in the audience waited for some Accept songs to be played during the encore, but we waited in vain. The entire set sounds like Accept, but it isn’t. The heavy somewhat sluggish riffs and the singalong chants where the band joins in during the choruses are all very familiar, but there is something missing. Accept was also always about catchy melodies, but they are missing in Udo’s solo material. Wolf Hoffman was always an integral part of the Accept sound and personally I believe that is what is missing.
It is not a bad show, but it never really takes off. A couple of classic Accept songs would have been needed.
Udo’s voice is not as strong as it used to be, but it still works. Maybe I am giving the show a point too much, but if that is the case it all comes down to Udo himself. He is in a great mood, with a smile on his face most of the time. That little angry German has matured and quite frankly it would have been pathetic if he had tried to act angry at 71 years of age. Instead, he seems to be a very nice guy – and that I like.
U.D.O.
Udo Dirkschneider
Who: U.D.O.
Where: Sweden Rock Festival
When: 2023-06-08
Rate: 6/10
