{"id":71130,"date":"2022-05-29T10:06:20","date_gmt":"2022-05-29T15:06:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/?p=71130"},"modified":"2023-07-16T07:49:55","modified_gmt":"2023-07-16T12:49:55","slug":"in-concert-whitesnake-europe-foreigner-review-photo-gallery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/2022\/in-concert-whitesnake-europe-foreigner-review-photo-gallery\/","title":{"rendered":"In Concert: Whitesnake, Foreigner & Europe"},"content":{"rendered":"
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by Marija Brettle with Emma Jenkins<\/span>
\u2014 Senior Columnist \u2014<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n

Nottingham Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham, England, May 20, 2022<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tonight is a special night, a night where for the price of one ticket, you get to see 3 mammoth bands. A farewell tour that has been side-lined for 2 years because of the pandemic, so it was with great anticipation and joy that fans are at the Motorpoint Arena \u2013 Nottingham.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is early doors tonight. There is a short time scale to get three tremendous acts squeezed into one short night\u2019s worth of entertainment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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So, at 18.45 sharp, Europe emerges from the darkness for \u2018Walk the Earth\u2019, the lead track and title from their most recent album, before powering into their classic \u2018Rock the Night\u2019. This is a performance with no frills, no fancy backdrops, just simple but great lighting and good tunes belted out track by track by Joey Tempest; who is literally a tempest of activity, holding his microphone stand aloft and continually spinning it around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Supported by the flawless but amazing musicianship of John Norum, Mic Michaeli, John Leven, and Ian Haughland – Europe is not afraid to mix their heavier tracks like \u2018Scream of Anger\u2019 alongside the crowd-pleasing ballad of \u2018Carrie\u2019. Arms, up and swaying, the audience loved it. They follow this on with a smattering of hits before the end of their set draws swiftly on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, no Europe set is ever complete without the song that you either love or hate. So with an arena, that was not yet completely full, and with those first few notes ringing out, the audience just explodes. People are up from their seats just rocking along.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is not yet 7.30 pm but the place is suddenly electric. What a great way to set the tone and the mood for the night!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The schedule is tight and just 15-mins later, with the arena now mostly full, Foreigner takes the stage with \u2018Double Vision\u2019. A kaleidoscope of color fills their visual backdrop, and with their name lit up in large letters, Foreigner takes possession of the stage and proceeds with \u2018Head Games\u2019 and \u2018Cold As Ice\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The hits keep coming until a very chatty Kelly Hansen takes a breather from zipping around the stage and some energetic star jumps, to let us know that their first album was released 45 years ago. He then gives a shout out to the over 45s and also welcomes the youngsters. \u201cThis song is the first song that you heard us play\u201d, he says, as he launches into \u2019Feels Like The First Time\u2019 for Jeff Pilson, Michael Bluestein, Bruce Watson & Luis Maldonado to command the stage as \u2018Urgent\u2019 features an extended musical intro, and a very lengthy drum solo by Chris Frazier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The band encore with \u2018Long, Long Way From Home\u2019 before Kelly Hansen wants something magical to happen in Nottingham tonight and tells the crowd to wrap their arms around the closest person to them. It\u2019s time to warm up those vocals with some crowd participation before those well-known bars ring out. The arena is suddenly lit up with hundreds of mobile phones swaying in the air, magic indeed is happening, as the arena sings wholeheartedly to \u2018I Want To Know What Love Is\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018Hot Blooded\u2019 is their curtain call and the band bows out, wishing all peace and love. The main event beckons at 21.30.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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‘My Generation’ and thunderous applause herald the arrival of Whitesnake with David Coverdale taking center stage straight away. No fancy introductions needed, just \u2018Here\u2019s a song for Ya\u2019 some yipping and you know we\u2019re into \u2018Bad Boys\u2019, complete with a cheeky little insert of ‘Children of the Night.’ \u2018Slide It In\u2019 follows straight after, before DC addresses the crowd, with his magnetic stage presence and devilish charm and humor intact on his swansong tour. His smooth dulcet tones thanked us for coming out to play and to make as much F***ing noise as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tonight is a night for big tunes and theatrical lighting. \u2018Love Ain\u2019t No Stranger\u2019 and \u2018Hey You (You Make me Rock)\u2019 follow, before the dramatic start to \u2018Slow an\u2019 Easy\u2019. DC shimmies his way through the song until it is time to slow things down to \u2018Ain\u2019t No Love in the Heart of the City\u2019, where the crowd was more than happy to help out with the singing and the band flawlessly contribute with support vocals. That said, DC may no longer have the same power in his iconic vocals, but he is still an incredible showman and performs to the crowd effortlessly!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018Fool For Your Loving\u2019, allow Reb Beach, Joel Hoekstra & Dino Jelusick to take center stage for guitar\/keytar solos, and \u2018Crying in the Rain\u2019 gave Tommy Aldridge the spotlight for his drum solo. After throwing his sticks out to the crowd, Tommy continues to pound the drums using only his hands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DC then introduces the rest of the band including the impressive and talented newest recruit, bassist Tanya O’Callaghan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Common courtesies over, it is time to continue the night with some of the greatest hits from the \u20181987\u2019 album. All crowd-pleasers, and a lot of foot-stomping and crowd singing ensue. The Whitesnake Choir are out in force and the louder they sing, the more DC reciprocates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The anthemic \u2018Still of the Night\u2019 rocked the Arena to the ground with DC thanking the audience for being great company and leaving us with the words \u201cBe Safe, Be Well and Don\u2019t Let Anyone Make You Afraid\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They then power into Deep Purple\u2019s \u2018Burn\u2019. A fitting tribute to the pre-Whitesnake days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No encore, no fanfare, just a collective band bow to the \u201cWe Wish You Well\u201d and WHITESNAKE leave the Nottingham stage for the very last time\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What a farewell from one of ROCK\u2019S GREATEST FRONTMEN!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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