By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times
Uli John Roth
History has a tendency to repeat itself.
Seven years ago on April 25, 2019, guitar virtuoso Uli John Roth performed a show at the Sellersville Theater (24 West Temple Avenue, Sellersville, www.st94.com) as part of his “Triple Anniversary World Tour.”
Two years ago on April 24, 2024, Roth returned to the Sellersville Theater (24 West Temple Avenue, Sellersville, 215-257-5808, www.st94.com) for a concert that was part of his “Interstellar Sky Guitar World Tour.”
Roth is continuing his late-April tradition of performing at the Sellersville Theater when he returns to the venue in Bucks County for a show on April 29.
Roth, a legendary guitarist and composer, has come back to America to treat fans with an extraordinary new program titled “Pictures of Destiny.”
This highly anticipated tour is an awe-inspiring, three-hour extravaganza which features the premiere of compositions from his long-awaited “Requiem for an Angel.”
As a special addition, Roth will showcase a collection of his original oil paintings, inspired by his music and songs, in each venue’s foyer.
Critics have described his artwork as “Rembrandt meets Star Wars,” and these visually striking works of art will be integrated into the performances to enhance the audience’s journey.
Through his exceptional guitar artistry and evocative paintings, Roth invites audiences to immerse themselves in a world of profound beauty and inspiration.
“This is a three-week tour in North America,” said Roth, during a phone interview last Thursday from a tour stop in Derry, New Hampshire.
“We have one more week here. Then, we take the tour to Europe starting in mid-May in Berlin. It’s a massive project.”
The energetic concert is a 360-degree journey into Roth’s unique world of artistic imagination. The integrated multi-media show will last about three hours.
Roth’s new expansive “Pictures of Destiny” show is split into two parts.
“The show opens up in a solo mode,” said Roth. “There are a lot of classical pieces from composers such as Mozart and Vivaldi.
“I’ll also be playing some of my own music. And I’ll be talking about my book. The book offers a strong sense of my past.”
With Roth’s shows, his past, his present and his future all swirl together.
“With the ‘Pictures of Destiny’ show, I wrote a lot of new music which was just performed for the first time on our recent tour of Japan,” said Roth.
“There were many songs that were premiered there. That is what we’re bringing to the states now.
“In my opinion, the first half is more exciting for several reasons. These songs are relatively new – especially in live format. New pieces of music take on an identity of their own when they are performed live.”
And Roth is also introducing a lot of his newer art pieces.
“It’s called ‘Pictures of Destiny’ because I’m also an oil painter,” said Roth, a modern-day Renaissance Man.
“If you connect the right visuals with the right kind of music, the impact can be very powerful. It’s the same with certain styles of film music.
“The new pictures all relate to my music. They’re connected to my music and they complement it. We show the paintings as a backdrop and the music goes with it.”
The door temporarily slammed shut on his painting career a little while ago.
“I was painting a lot many years ago, but I had to stop for health reasons,” said Roth. “I was allergic to the solvents in the paint, so I stopped.
“But not long ago I found out that they are making solvent-free paints. I tried this new type of paint, and the result was a whole burst of painting. I did quite a lot of painting.”
Roth suffered a different kind of health setback a few years ago.
“I had a major health issue,” said Roth. “I lost one of my kidneys. “Now, I’m running on one kidney and it’s working well. I just have to drink enough water and eat the right things.”
Roth is one of the best – and most famous – rock musicians to come out of Germany.
“I was born in Duesseldorf and grew up in Hannover Germany,” said Roth. “In 1980, I moved to the U.K. I still live in the U.K. – in Wales.
“I’ve had bands since I was 13 and played classical and rock guitar. I started to gravitate toward classical because of the unlimited potential.
“I like to expand boundaries. I was attracted to the great composers – Bach, Vivaldi, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt. I love them all.”
Roth, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest guitar players ever, played his first ever show in December 1968 – the month when he became a teenager.
He became famous as Scorpions’ lead guitarist and is one of the earliest contributors to the neoclassical metal genre.
He is also the founder of Sky Academy and inventor of the Sky Guitar.
During his ground-breaking Electric Sun period, he took the art of playing electric guitar to a completely new and unprecedented level.
Virtually singlehandedly, Roth pioneered a unique style of guitar playing which combined complete technical mastery of the instrument with an intensely melodic and emotional appeal.
Roth’s musical scope is enormous and ranges from vintage Jimi Hendrix and Cream to the technically much more demanding world of classical music.
Roth has written classical concertos and symphonic pieces and is equally at home in both worlds.
As a guitar player and artist, Roth is in a league of his own as legions of guitar players will attest. Joe Satriani has recently stated in one of his interviews that — of all the guitarists who ever played in the G3 — Uli impressed him the most.
Roth’s playing and onstage presence is always inspirational, and each concert is a unique event, because of his ability to make his instrument soar and sing emotionally and his spur of the moment improvisations.
His musical scope is enormous and ranges from British blues rock trios to the technically much more demanding world of classical music.
Somehow, he manages to create exciting bridges between these seemingly musical opposite languages.
Roth has written classical concertos and symphonic pieces and is equally at home in both worlds, which makes him a distinct phenomenon and a very rare breed among guitar players.
This tour definitely showcases Roth crossing a bridge.
The first half is very melodic with a strong classical music influence.
The second half is balls-to-the-walls classic rock – especially early Scorpions material.
Roth is celebrating the golden anniversaries of two Scorpions albums, 1975’s “In Trance” and 1976’s “Virgin Killer.”
“‘In Trance’ and ‘Virgin Killer’ were both recorded over a two-year period in 1975 and 1976, so that makes them both 50 years old,” said Roth.
“We’re playing the best tracks from these albums. It really works – which is not the case with every album you can think of.
“We’re also playing a lot of my songs and other Scorpions’ hits. We play the Scorpions’ ‘In Your Yard,’ which I never played live with them.
“I now have a really good band with three guitars, bass, drums and backup vocals. With the old songs, we’re staying very close to the originals.”
Video link for Uli Jon Roth — https://youtu.be/sae8v6q8LpM?si=DBf7IG7hUI1ospWk.
The show at the Sellersville Theater on April 29 will start at 8 p.m.
Ticket prices start at $39.50.
