As if he had gargled with fountain of youth water: singer Michael Sadler, vocally forever young. © Imago Stock
The Canadian rock band Saga made a guest appearance at the sold-out Muffathalle in Munich and impressed their fans with their bubbling joy of playing. Our concert review:
It's hard to believe: The Canadian rock band Saga has been in the business for no less than four and a half decades. When they perform at the sold-out Muffathalle in Munich on Sunday (June 11, 2023), it becomes immediately clear that the five virtuoso veterans are still passionate about what they do, and they still have what it takes. With bubbling joy of playing, they interweave brilliant guitar and keyboard runs - and with their timelessly good songs they prove that artistic compositions and snotty riffs are not mutually exclusive.
Michael Sadler has a good voice at the Munich Saga concert
Hats off to these prog rock pioneers: This doesn't just progt, it really rocks. Above all, the charismatic singer Michael Sadler: He will turn 70 next year and already presents himself with a Methuselah beard, but his crystal clear, powerful voice sounds as magnificent as ever – as if he had been gurgling with fountain of youth water for decades. In a brilliant mood, he leads through the program with charming announcements on German and animates the audience to true sing-along. "Munich is always a home game," he stressed. In fact, the band has recorded various live albums here over the decades, and the loyal fans once again create a great atmosphere: Together with the lively quintet on stage, they celebrate a glittering retro party.
You won't find any surprising new arrangements here, and the setlist also offers exactly what the over-50 heart desires: Ancient numbers like "Tired World" from Saga's debut album from 1978 make nostalgics' ears light up before the mood reaches its boiling point with hits like "Don't be late" or "Wind him up". So everything is the same with the rock dinos from Toronto. If they continue to bubble and gurgle like this, they might even be able to celebrate their 50th anniversary with a tour. We are already looking forward to it. Marco Schmidt