Uli Jon Roth, Points North
- Bleeding Priest
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
California Theater
Pittsburg, CA
April 9, 2026
Holy fucking hell I’ve seen a lot of live music in the past 72 hours. Three different shows in three different cities all in the East Bay! And there were actually multiple shows on some nights with Rock or Metal bands playing at the DNA (Thursday was also Weedeater/Conan) and Eli’s (Fri. was Birth, Tom Draper’s prog band). It almost felt like the 80’s with all this live music happening all at once.
The first show I attended in this live music marathon was Uli Jon Roth at the California Theater in Pittsburg, California on Thursday night. My first time there…to the city and venue. Neat little town with a cool Marina. The theater was really the perfect size for a show like this. The only thing that sucked about the whole experience was the Mexican food across the street. Be forewarned!
Up first were Points North. They’re a Prog Rock/Guitar Rock trio from Santa Rosa (I think) who are masters at their game. I first saw these guys way back in 2007 (ish) at this venue in SF that was on Beale St. that’s long since been demolished. Damien Sisson was in the band at the time and I’ve been told Robin Williams was in attendance. He must have been seriously incognito because I sure as hell didn’t see him and there were probably only 20 people in attendance. Anyhoo…
Points North did a great job starting the evening off. They’re all instrumental which honestly sometimes is an absolute breath of fresh air. Singers just need to shut the fuck up sometimes ya know? They did a pretty spot on rendition of Joe Satriani’s “Satch Boogie”. I forgot how much I dig that tune. Guitarist Eric Barnett is a world class player as is the rhythm section as well. They appropriately ended the set with a couple of nods to Rush. Awesome set.
I believe this was my 6th time seeing the master Uli Jon Roth but my first time seeing his neo-classical set which is what he began with. I picked the right night to eat a couple of mushroom gummies.
The first set was equal parts storytelling, classical homages to composers years long past and visual odyssey. He played to a backing track of a symphony while some very puzzling imagery ran on the big screen above. I say puzzling because it was hard (at least for me) to connect the dots on some of the video clips being strung together.
For example, there’d be scenes of interstellar travel followed up by people snowboarding or net fishing. Or images of the Third Reich. The videos were done in broad strokes which I suppose leaves room for interpretation by the audience. It’s the mushrooms talking!
The storytelling sections were very interesting, especially when he discussed his relationship with Jimi Hendrix’s ex-girlfriend Monika Dannemann and his first trip to San Francisco when he was doing Electric Sun in 1985. He played Wolfgang’s in SF, Blind Illusion opened. And believe me, Mark Biedernann let everybody know it. I suppose I would too.
I gotta be honest though, as interesting and musically compelling as the first set was, it got a bit long and I was ready to hear a full band by the end. They took a “brief”…as in a 30 minute intermission before set number 2.
I wasn’t the only one chomping at the bit to hear some Scorpions in that room. So when his band kicked into “Pictured Life” that joint erupted! He did the Virgin Killer album in its entirety and it was like being in church at moments.
Hearing the ballads off the album were the real treat. Those have such heft and darkness to them that it’s almost doing it a disservice calling them ballads but that’s exactly what they are. The highlight for me of the Virgin Killer set though was “Hell Cat”. I’m almost positive I’ve never seen him play that one before. It sounded funky and FANTASTIC!
His band was top notch with huge props going to the lead vocalist who did all of Klaus’s screeching highs no problem. My only critique is on the drummer (of course). Don’t get me wrong, he did an outstanding job BUT he played the Rudy Lenners stuff way too safe. He did more of a Herman Rarebell approach to those songs. Minor detail but one that Doug Piercy noticed as well.
After Virgin Killer they did a bunch of songs from the other three Scorpions records Uli was on with the highlight (show highlight really) being “Sun In My Hand”. When Uli teamed up with the stage right guitarist for the dual harmonies at the end it was kind of otherworldly, for reals.
He ended the night with Hendrix’s “All Along The Watchtower” which was my cue to cut out. That second set was probably the best time I’ve ever seen that crazy freak of a guitar wizard. It was well worth the trip. I’d go to this theater again if the right show was happening. That would be a perfect spot for BOC to play. I’m putting that into the air. Sure I’d go there again…I just won’t eat the Mexican food.
–Bleeding Priest
