Legendary rock band Scorpions return to Tirana after 24 years

The legendary German rock band Scorpions electrified Skanderbeg Square in Tirana on September 14, delivering a historic performance that drew thousands of fans from across Albania and the region.

Returning to Albania for the first time since their unforgettable 2001 concert, the band marked their 60th anniversary tour “Coming Home” with a powerful setlist that included timeless hits such as “Wind of Change,” “Still Loving You,” and “Rock You Like a Hurricane.”

Klaus Meine, Rudolf Schenker, Matthias Jabs, Mikkey Dee, and Paweł Mąciwoda led the crowd through an emotional journey that united generations of rock lovers. The square turned into a giant chorus as fans sang along, waving their hands in the air and celebrating a night many described as unforgettable.

Context: For many Albanians, the concert carried a powerful symbolic weight. Fans from the diaspora traveled home to witness the performance, while others recalled how they first listened to Scorpions secretly during the communist era, when rock music was seen as rebellious. The very fact that the show took place in Skanderbeg Square, once dominated by the statue of dictator Enver Hoxha, was read as a striking testament to Albania’s transformation from an isolated state to a free and open society, today closer than ever to the European family.

With more than 100 million records sold and six decades of global tours, Scorpions proved once again that their music transcends time, borders, and generations. The Tirana concert closed with thunderous ovations and unmatched enthusiasm, remembered as a major celebration of rock in the heart of the Mediterranean Capital of Culture and Dialogue.