MTV Unplugged – Live in Athens

had reportedly offered Scorpions the chance to be part of MTV Unplugged on two previous occasions.|200px On 24 January 2010, Scorpions announced that they would end their career and bid farewell to the public with the Get Your Sting and Blackout World Tour. Starting on 15 March in Prague, it allowed them to visit several countries over the following months, and was initially scheduled to include live performances until 2011. Due to its success, the performance on 15 April 2011 in Saarbrücken, Germany, was recorded for the subsequent live album and 3D DVD, Live 2011: Get Your Sting and Blackout. Furthermore, with the idea of having new recorded material to extend the tour, Sony Music requested the band record a new album. Thus, Scorpions recorded the cover and re-recording album Comeblack, which was released on 4 November 2011 in Europe, coinciding with the new tour extension called Final Sting, which increased the number of concerts until 17 December 2012. Around late 2012, MTV offered the band the chance to be part of the MTV Unplugged series. The television channel had already proposed this idea to them in 1988, but Scorpions refused because they were recording the album Savage Amusement (1988) at the time. Later, MTV tried to contact the members again, although on this occasion they had to decline because they were on the promotional tour for Crazy World (1990). The concept of doing an acoustic event remained on the agenda for years, but for various reasons it never materialized. It wasn't until 2001, following a positive mood from experimenting with side projects after the crossover album Moment of Glory (2000), that the band independently released the unplugged album Acoustica, published on 14 May 2001 by East West Records. In a later interview, Meine noted that MTV's offer was like the "icing on the cake" after a long career and that they felt honored to be part of the "MTV Unplugged family". == Recording ==

Theatre in Athens, Greece.|230px At the time, MTV Unplugged shows were held indoors in front of a small audience, so both the band and the television channel agreed to challenge themselves and create the first open-air show in the series' history. To do this, they looked for an open-air venue, and it was the Greek producer and promoter Alex Alexopoulos who convinced MTV and Sony to hold it in a theater in Greece. Initially, they considered the Acropolis of Athens, but the space was limited, the sound quality was poor, and there were many restrictions from the government. Finally, they chose the theater on Mount Lycabettus in Athens. The choice was due to several factors, one of which was the weather, as for September, the month chosen for the recording, Greece is one of the few European countries that still maintains a pleasant temperature for this type of concert. Furthermore, the location was taken into consideration, as being situated at the highest point of the city provided a "beautiful setting", according to Meine. as, up to that point, their last three studio albums —Unbreakable (2004), Humanity: Hour I (2007) and Sting in the Tail (2010)— had reached number one on the national music chart. Furthermore, according to Blabbermouth.net, for several years the Greek public had voted Scorpions as one of the most popular artists, their compilation album Best was one of the best-selling, and, until 2009, more than 150,000 people had attended their concerts in Greece. In total, three concerts were scheduled for 11, 12 and 14 September 2013, although only the first two were recorded. The shows started at 8:30 pm (local time) and tickets had a general price of €38, plus a limited number of €30 tickets for students and children. Held at an ambient temperature of 27 °C, most of the material featured on the album was taken from the 12th. MTV executives wanted to maintain the tradition of the series' intimate atmosphere, so it wasn't supposed to be a big rock show. The goal was for both the musicians and the audience to remain seated, and for the true focus of the concert to be the music. However, Meine commented that it was impossible to keep the audience in their seats, as they were "crazy", and stated that "it was a fantastic setting". For the recording days, the theater's capacity was reduced to three thousand people, although it was still a considerable number for an event of this type. was one of the three guest vocalists.|200px The band was supported by several musicians on stage, including Mikael Andersson, who played guitar, mandolin, slide guitar, Weissenborn guitar and backing vocals, and Martin Hansen, who handled guitar, piano, harmonica and backing vocals. Additionally, guests included Ola Hjelm (guitar and backing vocals), Pitti Hecht (percussion and backing vocals), Ingo Powitzer (guitar and baritone guitar) and Hans Gardemar (accordion, piano and backing vocals), as well as a string section called Strings for Heaven, comprising violinists Irina Shalenkova, Elena Shalenkova and Ewa Moszynska, cellists Alexandros Botinis and Marcela Bassiou-Bineri, and violists Lilia Giousoupova and George Gaitanos. However, since MTV Germany was in charge, the channel's executives demanded the inclusion of local emerging artists to take advantage of the project and serve as a showcase for them. For this reason, singer Cäthe appeared on "In Trance", while Revolverheld vocalist Johannes Strate appeared on "Rock You Like a Hurricane". Regarding the latter, Schenker recounted that they had met him half a year earlier in a Russian city, when their manager contacted them because Strate wanted to attend one of their concerts, so they gave him some passes and ended up talking with him backstage. All three vocalists performed the respective songs as duets with Meine. == Composition ==

, along with the producers, was in charge of arranging the songs. According to Schenker, MTV told them: "No, they are very important songs and you have to put them on the album." In turn, the channel asked them to include covers of other artists, but the band rejected the idea after realizing, upon trying some, that they didn't work with the rest of the material. Aiming for a dynamic show, they avoided having too many slow songs, so they decided to arrange several rockers. To achieve a "bigger sound", the arrangements were designed to have five guitars tuned in different keys, including open tunings and the use of capos. For this reason, they had fifty-six guitars on stage. and features mandolin picking and a handclap rhythm that enhances the guitar riff, bringing it closer to Americana. Its inclusion was more of a suggestion from Meine, as the concert would last over two hours, he proposed adding it to give his voice a rest for a moment. Finally, the vocalist presented "Follow Your Heart", which he performed live playing the acoustic guitar himself; in fact, this was the first time in Scorpions' history that Meine sang without his bandmates on stage. == Release and reissues ==

MTV Unplugged – Live in Athens was released on 29 November 2013 in fifty countries through Sony Music. Depending on the market, it was released in different physical formats; for example, the European audio version features twenty-four tracks spread over two CDs or on three LPs. Additionally, in that continent a deluxe edition was also released containing a studio version of "Where the River Flows" as a bonus track, sung as a duet with the German artist Ina Müller. On 2 December 2013, Sony, through its subsidiary RCA Deutschland, released a deluxe 1CD+DVD edition. Due to storage capacity, the compact disc only featured sixteen tracks, excluding "Pictured Life", "Speedy's Coming", "Born to Touch Your Feelings", "The Best Is Yet to Come", "In Trance", "When You Came Into My Life", "Passion Rules The Game" and "Hit Between the Eyes". The DVD, meanwhile, included the entire live show, including the drum and percussion solo called "Drum-Athenica/Pitti vs. James". Also in 2013, the audiovisual edition was released on both DVD and Blu-ray, which included exclusive behind-the-scenes footage about the making of the event. On 11 December 2013, RCA Records released it as a double compact disc in Japan, while on 21 January 2014 it was released in the United States in CD and CD+DVD formats. On 11 April 2014, an album titled MTV Unplugged: The Studio Edits was uploaded to digital streaming platforms, consisting of ten songs in their studio versions. Three days later, the Tour Edition appeared on the European market, containing the live show spread over two compact discs, the DVD with the full show and the documentary, plus a third disc with the studio edits. == Promotion ==

performed the acoustic concert in five German cities in 2014. Pictured is the band at one of these events.|250px Although no single from MTV Unplugged – Live in Athens appears in the discography section of the Scorpions official website, Sony released three songs as promotional singles, which were available in certain markets. On 14 February 2014, "Rock You Like a Hurricane ft. Johannes Strate" was released via digital download in some European countries. In 2024, Promusicae certified this version gold, after selling more than 30,000 units in Spain. In Germany, the studio edit of "Passion Rules the Game" was made available to radio stations, while in France it was the live version of "Still Loving You". Likewise, in the days following the album's release, live videos for "Dancing with the Moonlight", "Where the River Flows", "Passion Rules the Game" and "Rock You Like a Hurricane" were published on YouTube, although the latter featured brief footage from the making-of. Due to the album's success in Germany, in 2014, during the final leg of the Get Your Sting and Blackout tour called Rock N' Roll Forever Tour, the band performed the live concert in Kempten (28 April), Munich (29 April), Cologne (1 May), Hamburg (2 May) and Stuttgart (4 May). At all these shows, they were supported by musicians Martin Hansen, Mikael Andersson, Ola Hjelm, Hans Gardemar and Pitti Hecht. Johan Franzon covered the position of drummer James Kottak, after the latter was arrested in Dubai in April. == Reception ==

Critical reception MTV Unplugged – Live in Athens received mostly positive reviews from the music press. Gregory Heany of AllMusic stated that the set feels "quite personal" despite being recorded in a large venue, as the songs reveal emotions and, in the case of the power ballads, a "new level of simplicity". He concluded his review by saying: "With two discs of acoustic goodness, Scorpions fans will definitely want to give this a listen." Kevin Wierzbicki of AntiMusic gave it a rating of five out of five stars, highlighting the band's "flexibility" in adding new elements to the songs, the guest vocalists, Schenker and Jabs' skill on acoustic guitar, Meine's "patented" voice, and the "playful rhythm" of Kottak and Paweł Mąciwoda. He added, "Scorpions have released many live efforts but none until now have been free of bombast" because "there is much more here than you'd get if the same set had been played through a stack of Marshalls." Mark Uricheck of the American magazine Elmore Magazine noted that the album's strength lies in the "custom-tailored modifications" of the songs and it is a "sensuous achievement in terms of arrangement". He also distinguished the duet between Meine and Harket on "Wind of Change", as well as that of Meine with Cäthe on "In Trance", as the latter "roars with a somber, orchestral intensity". In turn, he highlighted Gardemar's performance and the folk accents on "When the Smoke Is Going Down", the ballad "Love is the Answer", and "Rock You Like a Hurricane", as it "resonates with a Wagnerian air of classical inspiration". Chris McHugh of the American Pittsburgh Music Magazine wrote that the arrangements are "dynamic and robust" and every visual and auditory detail makes the show worth watching. He also reviewed that the sound is full and rich, the quality is exceptional, and the music is perfect, as they "stay true to the spirit and energy of Scorpions". Overall, he reflected that "it's an entertaining set, although a bit more laid back and calm compared to the band's earlier catalog", but it is "a must-have for any die-hard Scorpions fan". Canadian critic Martin Popoff declared it an "elaborate and interesting acoustic recording", where the band "sets up various arrangements that lighten the tempo of many of their hits". About the show itself, he added that it is "captured with much splendor". 's vocal quality was one of the aspects most praised by critics.|230px Alexander Kolbe of the German magazine Rocks commented that the execution is "exciting", even more so than on 2001's Acoustica. He highlighted the "variable instrumentation and the modified arrangements" that, in certain songs, venture into worldbeat, such as the Cajun-Greek folk blend on "Sting in the Tail", the Indian ambiance on "When You Came Into My Life", or the Far Eastern touch on "Passion Rules the Game". He also opined that Meine's performance "is magnificent again", although he noted that "Love is the Answer" is a "bad moment", mainly due to Schenker's vocal intonation. Matt Wardlaw of Ultimate Classic Rock stated there is a variety of instrumentation that makes the reworked material feel "intimate", but according to the author, the most interesting thing is that the band delves into their song catalog to present "unexpected surprises". In summary, Wardlaw commented that they "deliver a performance that has a pretty satisfying touch." On the other hand, thanks to this production, the band received two nominations at the German Echo Awards in the categories of Best National Rock/Alternative Group and Best Music DVD. It ended 2013 as the seventy-fourth best-selling album of the year. On the German chart compiled by Billboard, it also reached number five, but only stayed for three weeks. In the same year, the Bundesverband Musikindustrie (BVMI) certified the audio version gold, for selling over 100,000 copies. In 2016, the DVD also achieved gold certification for surpassing 25,000 units. In Greece, it reached number 8 on Billboard Greece Albums for the week of 17 May 2014. In other European countries, MTV Unplugged – Live in Athens reached position 29 on the Swiss Hitparade, 50 on the Spanish Top 100 Álbumes, 90 on the Ultratop chart in Wallonia, Belgium, and 195 in Flanders, Belgium. In France, it reached number 85 on the French Albums Chart. As of 2018, the French company InfoDisc estimated its sales at 14,100 units, without considering streaming. In South Korea, it placed at number 61 on the Circle Chart. On 8 February 2014, it entered the US Billboard 200 at number 113 and stayed for only one week. On that date, it reached the same position on the Top Album Sales chart. On other Billboard charts, it reached number 7 on Top Hard Rock Albums, number 27 on Independent Albums, number 41 on both Top Rock Albums and Top Rock & Alternative Albums, and number 106 on Top Current Album Sales. ;DVD Regarding the audiovisual release, for the week of 15 December 2013 it reached number 9 on the Swiss Musik DVD Charts Top 10. In Spain, on 2 December 2013 it debuted at number fifteen on the Top 20 DVD Musical, and in 2014 it re-entered on two occasions: on 5 May at number 17 and on 6 June at number 20. By 16 June, it had reached number thirteen as its peak position. In the United Kingdom, it held the number 41 spot on the UK Music Video Chart for 14 December 2013, while in Sweden it placed at number 16. In France, it ended 2013 as the thirty-third best-selling DVD with 3,600 copies, while the following year it finished in seventy-first place with 2,100 units. == Track listing ==

Weekly charts (CD) Year-end charts (CD) Weekly charts (DVD) Year-end charts (DVD) == Certifications ==

Musicians ;Scorpions • Klaus Meine – vocals, acoustic guitar on "Follow Your Heart" • Rudolf Schenker – acoustic guitar, sitar, vocals on "Love is the Answer" • Matthias Jabs – guitar • Paweł Mąciwoda – bass • James Kottak – drums ;Accompanying musicians • Mikael Andersson – guitar, mandolin, slide guitar, Weissenborn guitar, backing vocals • Martin Hansen – guitar, harmonica, piano, backing vocals • Ola Hjelm – guitar, backing vocals • Hans Gardemar – accordion, piano, backing vocals • Ingo Powitzer – guitar, baritone guitar • Pitti Hecht – percussion, backing vocals • Dimitra Kokkori – recitation on "Born to Touch Your Feelings" ;Guest vocalists • Cäthe – vocals on "In Trance" • Johannes Strate – vocals on "Rock You Like a Hurricane" • Morten Harket – vocals on "Wind of Change" • Ina Müller – vocals on studio version of "Where the River Flows" ;The Strings from Heaven (string section) • Irina Shalenkova – violin (leader) • Elena Shalenkova, Ewa Moszynska – violin • George Gaitanos, Lilia Giousoupova – viola • Alexandros Botinis, Marcela Bassiou-Bineri – cello Production • Mikael Andersson, Martin Hansen – production • Mats Lindorfs – mastering • Sven Offen – direction (video) • Jörg Jungwrirth – production representative (video) == Notes ==