|
Dokken
After a
disappointing new release from Dokken in 2002, the band seems to have finally
gotten things on track, as they get back to basics with a brief but hard hitting
set opening for Whitesnake and the Scorpions this Winter.
Original members Don Dokken
and “Wild” Mick Brown are joined by bassist Barry Sparks and Italian guitarist
Alex DeRosso, who had also toured with the band last summer for Rockfest and
proved to be great additions to the line-up. In the meantime, the other half of
the original Dokken has joined forces again to release their own album, aptly
titled Lynch/Pilson. And, ironically, one of the bands other former guitarists
has stepped up to assist Mr. Coverdale with his latest incarnation of Whitesnake.
While it could have been
interesting to see Reb Beach make a guest appearance and tear out one of the
newer Dokken favorites, nobody seemed to be complaining as the band covered the
old-school essentials: “Into The Fire,” “Kiss of Death,” and “Breaking the
Chains,” and the power ballads like “Alone
Again.”
Whitesnake
 Rumors of a Whitesnake reunion tour have lingered for years, but only now
has David Coverdale finally come through for his fans in the United States.
After a publicity tour surrounding his solo release ‘Into the Light’ a couple
years back, he has finally assembled a lethal line-up to hit the road and perform Whitesnake
favorites from the ‘Slip of the Tongue’, ‘Whitesnake’, and ‘Slide it In’.
Coverdale is joined by guitarists Doug Aldrich (Dio, Lion, Burning Rain) and Reb
Beach (Alice Cooper, Dokken, Winger), who are shuffling lead duties and
assisting with background vocals, and Timothy Drury (Eagles, Don Henley), who
offers the essential keyboard sound that made songs like “Here I go Again” soar
the charts. A proven hard hitting rhythm section, which features bassist
Marco Mendoza (Ted Nugent; Thin Lizzy, Blue Murder, David Coverdale) and Tommy
Aldridge (Whitesnake, Ozzy Osbourne, Thin Lizzy, Ted Nugent) rounds off the new
line-up.
Appropriately, Whitesnake kicks of their set with “Bad Boys,” and keeps the
crowd on their toes as Coverdale belts out favorites like “Slow An’ Easy” and
“Still of the Night,” as well as bluesy and riveting cuts like “Judgement Day,”
“Crying in the Rain,” and “Give Me All Your Love.”
While most casual fans won’t
leave disappointed, those who have followed Coverdale’s career beyond the top
forty will leave wanting more. And, they may get it if the band chooses to
return to the States and headline another package deal this summer.
Scorpions
 As one
of the most entertaining and professionally poised bands on the hard rock
circuit, the Scorpions never fail to deliver. And, this performance was no
exception for the evening’s headliners. From the crystal clear vocals of
Klaus Meine to
hard pounding and energetic
antics of drummer James Kottak and the signature choreography of
guitarists Rudolph Schenker and Matthias Jabs and
bassist Ralph Rieckermann, fans can always count on favorites that put this band
on the map like
“Blackout,” “Rock You Like a Hurricane,” and “Winds of Change,” as well as a
few surprises.
|
