A few months ago I bought a ticket for tonight's show and found myself yet again contemplating why someone had organised a rock gig in a seated venue. However, I was in no doubt that The Quireboys and Whitesnake would make this a fantastic night for their fans as I've seen Def Leppard and Status Quo both successfully rise to the challenge. I wasn't disappointed.
The Quireboys opened up the night with an eight piece set. The sound was great and I was pleasantly surprised to be able to hear the piano distinctly. At the end of Good To See Ya Spike (lead vocals) accidentally dropped his microphone stand and shame-facedly told us it was the first time it had happened on this tour. He's renowned for his on-stage microphone stand acrobatic tricks, but having seen him drop it at Rock City previously, I was less inclined to believe him!
Finest Stuff In Life is on their latest album (Well Oiled), it sounded suspiciously like AC/DC to me though. In addition to Spike's gravelly voice and slightly drunken crowd entertainment we were treated to his harmonica playing during their hit 7 O'Clock to close their set. With Whitesnake's equipment and enormous back-drop over-shadowing The Quireboys, it was clear that this was Whitesnake's night.
The place erupted as Whitesnake took to the stage and broke into Burn/ Stormbringer. David Coverdale (lead vocals) dressed in a pair of tight jeans and a half unbuttoned white shirt seemed to get a few ladies excited and was later handed a bunch of flowers. His rapport with the audience was great, he joked about the weather, motorways and a stomach bug, but also delighted in telling of the birth of his granddaughter earlier this year. Back to the music, I felt quite moved during Is This Love? The performance of this song was very heartfelt and I was caught up in the wave of emotion.
After Judgment Day Doug Aldrich (guitar) began a wild guitar solo and Timothy Drury (keyboards) joined in, they slowed it down and it became even more amazing. Soon all the band members, except Coverdale, re-emerged for an instrumental. After a couple of minutes, Coverdale joined them for Crying In The Rain and then they all disappeared again except for drummer Tommy Aldridge who launched into the best drum solo I have ever witnessed. He hurled everything he had into it and created something that had my jaw surrendering to the Earth's gravitational force. Three quarters of the way through, he threw his sticks into the audience and continued the masterpiece using his hands, and for the last bit he even stood up.
The rest of Whitesnake re-appeared to complete Crying In The Rain, after which, Coverdale introduced us to the band. Coverdale seemed to tire physically around this time, but there were only a few songs left to perform and two encore songs. This was my first Whitesnake gig (and hopefully not the last). The tight flared trousers and long hair, coupled with the atmosphere and the spell-binding music, will make it a night to remember for me. I'm sure it also re-captured the magic for those old enough, and lucky enough, to know them from years before.
Quireboys set list :-
Good To See Ya
Misled
Tramps And Thieves
This Is Rock N Roll
Finer Stuff
Hey You
Sweet Mary Ann
7 O' Clock
Whitesnake set list:-
Burn/Stormbringer
Bad Boys
Love Ain't No Stranger
Ready An' Willing
Is This Love?
Give Me All Your Love
Judgement Day
Crying In The Rain
Ain't No Love In The Heart Of The City
Don't Break My Heart Again
Fool For Your Loving
Here I Go Again
(Encores)
Take Me With You
Still Of The Night
www.whitesnake.com
Nottingham Royal Centre 12/10/04
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