by Chris Willow
– Columnist —
Former Deep Purple frontman David Coverdale’s Whitesnake is currently in Europe supporting ‘The Greatest Hits Tour 2016.’ The band’s current lineup features Joel Hoekstra – guitar, Reb Beach – guitar, Michael Devin – bass, Tommy Aldridge – drums and Michele Luppi – key & backing vocals. The group made a stop in Poland, August 6, at Charlotta Amphitheatre for the X Legends of Rock Festival.
The day looked promising as the weather wasn’t too rainy and even the sun looked out from the clouds. For Whitesnake, the day began with the band leaving the Charlotta Hotel around 2 pm, in black Mercedes vans park in the hotel’s driveway. Whitesnake, sans Coverdale, made its way to the Charlotta Amphitheatre for the sound check prior to their performance.
At the Charlotta Amphitheatre Coverdale’s sound and light technicians were setting up the music gear, sound, and lighting rigs for the show. Once the band arrived they tune up to David Coverdale’s voice which is played backed through the PA from a digitally recording especially for such a purpose. The sounds of chords from the guitars, keyboards, drums beat and vocals echoed throughout the empty amphitheater.
The Answer a Northern Irish Hard Rock/Bluesy Rock band opens for Whitesnake as a support act in the late afternoon. Standing in the shadow of Whitesnake the band rocked through its set of songs while the audience waited in anticipation for the headliners.
A little past 10 pm the night unleashed a thunderstorm. With the pouring rain and thunder Whitesnake hit the stage with its own smoke and light show drawing everyone’s attention away from the driving rain. As dark clouds gathered over Charlotta, Coverdale began singing “Bad Boys,” kicking off a set of classic rock songs from the veteran rocker. Immediately the fans start yelling and screaming, “David! David! … Whitesnake! Whitesnake!” Coverdale appeared to join the crowd as he came forward to the front of the stage to battle the elements with them.
And the audience (especially women) showed their love to Coverdale by throwing their underwear and bras on stage celebrating Poland’s national colors of red and white. David glitzy hung them on his microphone. The pheromones, euphoria and singing adrenaline were at work.
The Greatest Hits Tour 2016 covered most of Whitesnake’s hits which were on his LP called Whitesnake released in 1987 and went 8 times platinum’. The band performed an interesting live version of the bluesy “Slow an’ Easy” and rocked out “Fool For Your Loving” to four-thousand wet fans. “Here I Go Again,” a staple in the band’s setlist. The song is well known by in Poland as it was shown on Polish TV very often.
During the performance of the great tune “Crying In The Rain” was played when the rain had stopped, before resuming once again. The drum solo linked with this song was performed as the sky opened up again upon the audience.
Reb Beach’s jetty guitar solo in “Slide It In” was shredded in the heavy rain seemed to dry out the wet audience. Coverdale was a bit hoarse as he got wet ‘crying in the rain’ together with the audience and he asked rhetorically through the microphone, ‘Is this Polish summer?’
Chalotta’s Whitesnake concert despite the terrible weather was musically very successful. And it would have been great if on the grand finale we could have heard a new version of Deep Purple’s mighty “Stormbringer” from the last CD The Purple Album but it didn’t happen. Instead, they ended the concert with the “Still Of The Night” headbanger with an explosive guitar solo delivered by Joel Hoekstra.
The recreational-entertainment resort Charlotta offered its guest and audience an outstanding location. As a bonus fans buying tickets at the venue found the prices to discounted heavily. At Charlotta, this was an unexpected, yet pleasant surprise for those wanting to see their idols! Viva Charlotta!
