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Saw Whitesnake Last Night


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Shredfest!  Whitesnake in concert is as much about the pop metal hits as it is the shredding! 

The opening act was unknown to me and my friends.  A three piece band from Arizona called The Black Moods opened the show.  They us a simple Strat/P-Bass/drums set up with a few pedals to enhance some parts.  They did not step out of the 70's, but they keep close to the basics.  The guitar player has a more jam style of playing than a controlled, perfect approach.  I liked them and bought a CD from them after the show which they signed. 

The Black Moods setlist

The last time I saw Whitesnake was in 1988 when the lineup was David Coverdale, Tommy Aldridge, Adrian Vandenberg, Steve Vai, Don Airey, and Rudy Sarzo.  This tour has Coverdale, Aldridge, Reb Beach, Joel Hoekstra, Michael Devin on bass, and Michele Luppi on keyboards. 

David Coverdale is the reason Whitesnake exists.  He made excellent choices for band members to back him up, and cover for him.  Coverdale's voice has changed over time as with many singers.  Concert videos over the past decade show him letting the audience sing some of the lyrics which is what he was doing at times.  Michele Luppi has been a vocal teacher/coach at the Musicians Institute.  He doubled the vocals on many choruses and verse parts.  Those high notes came from somewhere.  Everyone but Tommy Aldridge sang back up at some point. 

At one point Coverdale referred to Reb Beach as the band director or leader.  Coverdale must have told Beach to make the show a guitar player showcase because both guitar players had plenty of opportunities to show off.  The guitar solo section of the show had both guys trading off while Tommy Aldridge played when the guitar players switched in and out of the spotlight.  Beach and Hoekstra have two different approaches to shred.  Beach does a lot of tapping, but also makes the most of his whammy bar.  Hoekstra has a fixed bridge, and his tapped parts are played very differently from what Beach does.  You see distinctions in each guitar player's style. 

Joel Hoekstra played Les Pauls with custom paint jobs: white with black graphics, black with gold graphics, and a purple sparkle with a gold WS logo.  Reb Beach played Suhr superstrats.  Michael Devin played a black Rickenbacker 4001/4003. 

Tommy Aldridge looks like he has for nearly 50 years, at least from where I was.  He has all his hair.  He is still skinny.  He still does the drum solo with his hands, too. 

The only complaint was the one we had before the show.  The setlist could be longer.  Whitesnake's part of the show started at 9:00 PM and was over at 10:20 PM.  Somehow, no one was complaining about the short setlist after the show.  We were rock and rolled quite well. 

Whitesnake setlist

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Interesting... I might consider, given your recommendation —a not too lenghy setlist and plenty of shredding... I think I’m in!

PS: Is the new Whitesnake album already out?

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My brother just texted me and said he’s going to the show in Dayton while he’s over there for work. Hop on here and see this thread.

I wouldn’t mind seeing what you described...

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I saw them many years ago, also saw Deep Purple with David Coverdale.. They played here in Columbus about 10 years ago and I went and seen them just because I liked them in the past and didn't expect them to be as good. But they were absolutely Awesome..! THey were Great..!! THey are playing next month close to me but not sure if I can make it to see them this time. I am going to try though..

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Never been a fan of the group. My first thought when I saw the subjcet line was "Gee dude. Sorry to hear that. Hope things get better for you"  Glad you enjoyed the show. 😋

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