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From the familiar scream of vocal legend David Coverdale to
the intricate acoustic solo performance of Kip Winger, Rock Never Stops, and
Pittsburgh was just one of the first stops, as this year’s line-up of the
summer tour kicked into high gear.
 The evening of hard-hitting drums, guitar virtuosity, and
hard-rocking anthems of wine, women, and song began with a performance by
Slaughter, who surprised most fans with an unexpected but appropriate
reunion with former Slaughter and Strum bandmate Bobby Rock, who signed on
to perform drum duties at the last minute in place of Blas Elias (who was
unable to do the tour, but still very much a member of the band).
Joined by guitarist Jeff Blando, the one-time Vinnie Vincent
Invasion bandmates took things full circle to deliver fan favorites like
“The Wild Life,” “Fly to the Angels,” and “Mad About You,” which can be
found on the newly available Slaughter Definitive Remasters. The Capital
Records reissues of the bands first two albums, Stick It To Ya and The Wild
Life, feature new liner notes from Slaughter and Strum, demos
material and bonus tracks.
The
evening also featured warm-up performances from Kip Winger and Warrant
before headliner’s Whitesnake took the stage with a surge of electricity and
strobe lights. As a follow-up to his successfully tour with the Scorpions
and Dokken last winter, Coverdale has returned with his latest ensemble,
which features seasoned guitarists Doug Aldrich and Reb Beach, keyboardist
Timothy Drury, bassist Marco Mendoza, and drummer Tommy Aldridge.
What a treat is was to hear
the band’s trademark hits like “Slide It In” and Slow An' Easy" performed
with such precision and energy.
One of the most notable moments of the evening was a mid-set instrumental
jam session, which specifically unleashed a remarkable showcase of
Aldridge’s talent as he abandoned his sticks and pounded through a good part
of his drum solo with bare fists.
As they tour in support
of the latest Whitesnake release, a comprehensive two-CD set entitled 'Here
I Go Again: The Whitesnake Collection,' this line-up offers one of the
freshest hard-rock performances of the summer. Even luke-warm fans won’t
want to miss favorites like “Still of the Night,” "Fool For Your Loving,"
and "Here I Go Again.”
Band Links:
www.rockneverstops.com
www.slaughterweb.com
www.kipwinger.com
www.warrantweb.net
www.whitesnake.com |
